The History of Surgical Ethics

The origin of surgical ethics has been ambiguous. Some claim it dates back to the ancient Greeks, but most believe it began at least in part with Gregory and Percival who are credited as the founders of modern medical ethics. Although medical and surgical ethics share common fundamental principles, surgical ethics evolved distinctly from medical ethics due to the unique nature of surgery and the surgeon-patient relationship. The history of surgery as a profession has revolved around ethical issues unique to surgery such as fee splitting, itinerant surgery, informed consent, solid organ transplantation, and surgical innovation. As the field of surgery continues to advance, society will rely on surgeons to guide the future of surgical ethics to ensure that trust is upheld and the focus remains on the patient.