Dr. Gordon Tobin, a plastic surgeon with UofL Health, died Jan. 30, 2024. He had been with the organization for more than 40 years and was recognized in November as part of the UofL Hospital 200-year anniversary celebration. Dr. Tobin also contributed to the celebration by sharing his love of history and medicine. He was an expert in the story of the University of Louisville, the School of Medicine and the connections to the city.
Dr. Tobin’s career encompassed surgical education, innovative medical research, care for the underserved at home and abroad, and physician leadership in local, state and national organizations. He wrote extensively on medical ethics and history, with more than 300 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and books. As a Professor of Surgery and former Plastic Surgery Director, he founded the UofL Plastic Surgery Research Laboratory.
Throughout his career, he provided many breakthroughs in reconstructive surgery for cancer, burns and trauma, and hand and face transplantation. His technique of post-cancer pelvic and vaginal reconstruction has become the preferred method worldwide, and the surgery method is named in his honor.
He pioneered reconstruction of cardiac and thoracic surgery defects, as well as early excision and coverage of burns. He also developed methods of vital organ coverage in separation of conjoined twins, working with UofL Pediatric and Cardiac Surgery teams. He served as the Director of Craniofacial Transplantation at UofL and was an original member of the team that performed the world’s first successful hand transplant in 1999.
A celebration of Dr. Tobin’s life will be held Saturday, Feb. 17, 10-11:30 a.m., at the Grawemeyer Hall, University of Louisville, 2301 S. 3rd St.