Leonid Rogozov

Leonid Ivanovich Rogozov
Леони́д Ива́нович Ро́гозов
Born(1934-03-14)14 March 1934
Died21 September 2000(2000-09-21) (aged 66)
Alma materSaint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University (MD)
Occupations
  • General practitioner
  • surgeon
Known forPerforming an auto-appendectomy while deployed at Novolazarevskaya Station in Antarctica from 1960 to 1962
Notable workResection of the Esophagus for Treating Esophageal Cancer (1966)
Honours Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1961)

Leonid Ivanovich Rogozov (Russian: Леони́д Ива́нович Ро́гозов; 14 March 1934 – 21 September 2000) was a Russian general practitioner and surgeon who took part in the Sixth Soviet Antarctic Expedition at Novolazarevskaya Station from September 1960 to October 1962. He is best known for performing a surgery to remove his own appendix—an auto-appendectomy—after he began suffering from appendicitis while deployed there in April 1961. The incident, which occurred because Rogozov was the only medical professional among his entire team, prompted the Soviet government to reform the safety policies for all personnel at the country's Antarctic research facilities.