In Memoriam Dr. Ignasi Poves

Recently, Dr. Ignasi Poves Prim left us. At the age of 49, he was probably one of most well-known Spanish pancreatic surgeons, even internationally, in recent years. Those of us who were lucky enough to know him well (I had the good fortune of working by his side for the last 12 years of his intense life) know that he was a bold, tenacious, intelligent and intuitive surgeon who was completely devoted to his work, devilishly vocational, self-demanding and not given to complacency. In his daily practice, he continuously challenged conventional surgical techniques, applying a plethora of nearly unknown anatomical approaches with his virtually magical abilities with the laparoscope. Such were his capabilities that practically no procedure of the armamentarium of a good hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeon was missing from his surgical practice ‒ all done, of course, laparoscopically (his true passion). Of course, we surgeons often tend to childishly mythicize great operating room figures, assuming that they were born with an innate ability that is well beyond our reach. Nothing is further than the truth, as virtuosi like Ignasi remind us again and again that they learned their craft step by step, with perseverance, making mistakes and having no special mentors to turn to, but with a nonconformity and an open mind like no other.

But, now he has passed. And when I sit here and see his desk, his empty chair ‒ all those memories ‒ I take comfort in having met an honest and generous person… and a good friend. Rest in peace.