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Vaclav Kafka
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In Memoriam
Vaclav Kafka
A
FTER A very rich life that was devoted entirely to surgically ill infants and children, Vaclav Kafka died in Prague on June 16th in his 89th year. Professor MUDr Vaclav Kafka, DrSc, was emeritus Chief of the Clinic for Pediatric Surgery of the 2nd Medical Faculty at Charles University in Prague. Before him, his father, Primarius Vaclav Kafka, Sr, was a pediatric and orthopedic surgeon who directed the Department of Children’s Surgery and Orthopedics at the Children’s Hospital in Prague from 1902 until 1940. Professor Kafka came from the 2nd Surgical Clinic of Academic Jii? DiviS from the famous surgical school of Professor Rudolf Jedlicka. Very soon he came to Prague’s Childrens Hospital and dedicated all his energy, intelligence, and interests to children’s surgery. He worked there as ordinarius, docent, and, finally, as professor and chief of the Children’s Medical University Faculty. At first he devoted his work mainly to general pediatric surgery, but he also had an interest in pediatric orthopedics, especially in 542
dislocation of the hip. Later, he turned his attention to the surgery of newborns and, after this, to children’s urology, where he did enormously useful work, especially in pyuria of surgical etiologies. But his most important work was in children’s cardiac surgery. He was one of the first Czechoslovakian surgeons involved in this field. He started with operations of open duct Botolli, then operations for tetralogy of Fallot and coarctation of aorta. Later, after much laboratory experimentation, he began performing operations using hypothermia and deep hypothermia, and operations with extracorporal circulation. The Cardiac Center in Prague-Mot01 is also his great work. His passing leaves a gap but fortunately he was a stimulus to others to follow in his footsteps. He had many students. Always anxious to improve and advance his knowledge and understanding of the components of pediatric surgery, he appeared from Czechoslovakia all over the continent at congresses and smaller meetings, often having gotten there by bicycle. He had been a JournalofPediatric
Surgery, Vol27, No 4 (April), 1992: pp 542-543
IN MEMORIAN
member of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons since 1956. Those of us who knew him on a more personal level understood his tremendous energy, courage, warmth, and collegiality. His love of nature and the elements of the countryside were evidenced by his involvement in hiking, climbing, boating, and cycling. We remember times together with Vaclav and his beloved wife, Emily, under a variety of circumstances. He found great comfort in life from a motto found
543
on his obituary notice: “. . . Jesus Christ, remember me until you come into your kingdom.” “Amen, amen I say you: you will be with me in paradise today . . .” (Luke 23: 42,43). We pediatric surgeons never will forget Vaclav Kafka, a man with skillful hands, a sharp brain, and a golden heart. Vbclav Toiovslj, MD Stephen L. Guns, MD
In Memoriam
Vaclav Kafka
A
FTER A very rich life that was devoted entirely to surgically ill infants and children, Vaclav Kafka died in Prague on June 16th in his 89th year. Professor MUDr Vaclav Kafka, DrSc, was emeritus Chief of the Clinic for Pediatric Surgery of the 2nd Medical Faculty at Charles University in Prague. Before him, his father, Primarius Vaclav Kafka, Sr, was a pediatric and orthopedic surgeon who directed the Department of Children’s Surgery and Orthopedics at the Children’s Hospital in Prague from 1902 until 1940. Professor Kafka came from the 2nd Surgical Clinic of Academic Jii? DiviS from the famous surgical school of Professor Rudolf Jedlicka. Very soon he came to Prague’s Childrens Hospital and dedicated all his energy, intelligence, and interests to children’s surgery. He worked there as ordinarius, docent, and, finally, as professor and chief of the Children’s Medical University Faculty. At first he devoted his work mainly to general pediatric surgery, but he also had an interest in pediatric orthopedics, especially in 542
dislocation of the hip. Later, he turned his attention to the surgery of newborns and, after this, to children’s urology, where he did enormously useful work, especially in pyuria of surgical etiologies. But his most important work was in children’s cardiac surgery. He was one of the first Czechoslovakian surgeons involved in this field. He started with operations of open duct Botolli, then operations for tetralogy of Fallot and coarctation of aorta. Later, after much laboratory experimentation, he began performing operations using hypothermia and deep hypothermia, and operations with extracorporal circulation. The Cardiac Center in Prague-Mot01 is also his great work. His passing leaves a gap but fortunately he was a stimulus to others to follow in his footsteps. He had many students. Always anxious to improve and advance his knowledge and understanding of the components of pediatric surgery, he appeared from Czechoslovakia all over the continent at congresses and smaller meetings, often having gotten there by bicycle. He had been a JournalofPediatric
Surgery, Vol27, No 4 (April), 1992: pp 542-543
IN MEMORIAN
member of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons since 1956. Those of us who knew him on a more personal level understood his tremendous energy, courage, warmth, and collegiality. His love of nature and the elements of the countryside were evidenced by his involvement in hiking, climbing, boating, and cycling. We remember times together with Vaclav and his beloved wife, Emily, under a variety of circumstances. He found great comfort in life from a motto found
543
on his obituary notice: “. . . Jesus Christ, remember me until you come into your kingdom.” “Amen, amen I say you: you will be with me in paradise today . . .” (Luke 23: 42,43). We pediatric surgeons never will forget Vaclav Kafka, a man with skillful hands, a sharp brain, and a golden heart. Vbclav Toiovslj, MD Stephen L. Guns, MD