In memory of Lloyd D. MacLean
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* Jonathan Meakins

## Summary

Canadian surgery has lost one of its great leaders. Dr. Lloyd Douglas MacLean died in his sleep on Jan. 14, 2015, at 90 years of age. This commentary highlights his contributions to Canadian surgery.

Canadian surgery has lost one of its great leaders. Dr. Lloyd Douglas MacLean, died in his sleep on Jan. 14, 2015, at 90 years of age. A native of Calgary, Dr. MacLean’s academic record was exceptional; he earned his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of Alberta on scholarships. Following a rotating internship in Alberta, he entered the surgical training program at the University of Minnesota where he thrived in the intellectual and investigative atmosphere generated by Dr. Owen Wangenstein. A Markle Scholar, Dr. MacLean moved directly from the residency program to be chief of surgery at the Ancker Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, where his clinical and academic career flourished. In 1962, he came to McGill University as a professor of surgery and chief of surgery at the Royal Victoria Hospital, where he established during his 26 years in that position an outstanding academic surgical program. His accomplishments were recognized universally as he became the Archibald Professor of Surgery at McGill, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, an Officer of the Order of Canada, the 1988 Sims Commonwealth Travelling Professor and recipient of the Gairdner Wightman Award in 1989, Honorary doctorates in science from McGill University and the University of Alberta and visiting professorships to most Canadian medical schools and many in the United States and around the world.

An outstanding clinician who was board-certified in general and thoracic surgery, Dr. MacLean’s investigative interests touched all of the important developments in surgery during his lifetime. Early studies in gastric physiology, transplant immunology, infection and nutrition preceded his interests in septic shock and organ failure, clinical transplantation, host resistance and the physiologic evaluation of the critically ill surgical patient. He was a pioneer in clinical transplantation, the development of surgical critical care units and the study of bariatric surgery. He was arguably Canada’s leading academic surgeon and a wonderful role model for all in his department. All of these interests and others are reflected in his bibliography, which included more than 350 publications. He recreated the scholarship that was so much a part of his experience in Minnesota in Montreal. It influenced all who worked in his department and was a significant component of his role at the *Canadian Journal of Surgery* (*CJS*).

Dr. MacLean was a member of all the important surgical associations. He held high office in many and was president of the American College of Surgeons, the American Surgical Association, the Central Surgical, the International Surgical Group and the James lV Association. His presidential address to the American College of Surgeons, entitled “Wangensteen’s surgical forum: a legacy of research,” is worth re-examining. By outlining Professor Owen Wangensteen’s career, Dr. MacLean made clear the link between a restless intellect constantly asking questions on the clinical problems of his patients and then finding solutions and publishing the results. He believed that if it was not published, it did not exist. At conferences or rounds, unsubstantiated opinions were not accepted, and the phrase “in my experience” rated poorly. Dogma was the enemy. It is with these thoughts that he entered into coeditorship of *CJS* with Dr. Barb Mueller in 1972.

In the July 1972 issue, Dr. MacLean’s Quill on scalpel article, “*CJS* — a reappraisal,” outlines many of the issues facing the journal at that time, which continue today and are being addressed by the current coeditors, but importantly, 42 years later. That duration clearly indicates the vibrant and ongoing nature of the journal, which Dr. MacLean coedited for 20 years. He pointed out the importance of the clinical side of our lives and that there was great significance to clinical trials, which have become an important component of Canadian academic surgery. He also indicated that the journal needed support from the broad community of Canadian surgeons, and this area has seen progress. He gave up the coeditorship with some reluctance but recognized in his characteristic way that 20 years was a good run. He, together with Dr. Mueller, maintained the standards of the journal, lifted it to another level and left it healthy for their successors.

As a leader, Dr. MacLean’s integrity, scholarship and devotion to the physiological approach to patient care and the data provided for the residents the role model of a caring academic surgeon. It was most apparent to the department when it was his turn to do Journal Club. A lifetime subscriber of *The New England Journal of Medicine* and *The Lancet*, he would review 5–8 articles of surgical interest with his extraordinary ability to, in few sentences, capture the important kernels in each article. This habit of constant perusal of good journals was passed on to many of his residents. He brought stature and academic credibility to *CJS* and did so for 20 years. He and Barb Mueller were a hard act to follow.

## Footnotes

*   **Competing interests:** None declared.

*   Accepted May 22, 2015.