Surgery N1

The Chair was founded in 1928 at the department of general surgery of hospital N2  in Yerevan city. Professor Artem (Harutyun) Grigori Mirza-Avagyan formed the chair and was its first head in 1928-1936. He graduated the medical department of Kiev university. In 1928 prof. A.G. Mirza-Avagyan had trainings in surgical clinics of France.

Professor Gaspar Akim Melkonyan was the head of the chair in period 1936-1952. He was supervisor of 2 PhD studies.

In 1952-1979 the head of Chair was professor Ivan Khristaphor Gevorgyan (Honored Scientist of the Armenian SSR, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR, chief surgeon of Armenia). Under his supervision performed 10 doctoral and 30 PhD theses.

In 1979-1998 head of the Chair was Professor Victor Tadevos Apoyan. Prof. V.T. Apoyan was a supervisor of 2 doctoral and 12 PhD theses. He was the author of 20 rationalization proposals. Prof. V.T.Apoyan was one of the founders of thoracic, endocrine surgery, surgery of esophagus in Armenia. As a result of his work, antihelmintic medication therapy was introduced in Armenia for prevention of recurrence of echinococcosis. In 1973-74 Prof. V.T.Apoyan was chief surgeon of city Yerevan, in 1982-84 –chief surgeon of Armenia.

In 1998-2008 Professor Stepan Suren Hovhannisyan was head of chair. Prof. Hovhannisyan was a supervisor of 9 PhD and 1 doctoral theses. He introduced laparoscopic surgery in the Clinic of surgery of RMC ’’Armenia’’.

Since 2008 head of chair was Suren Agho Stepanyan. Prof. S.A.Stepanyan is a supervisor of 2 PhD theses. He introduced in his clinic several laparoscopic operations.

Since 2018 Prof. S.A. Stepanyan is general surgeon adviser of Ministry of Health of Republic of Armenia.

Since 2018 the Department of Surgery N1 continued the educational, scientific and clinical activity on the basis of Institute of Surgery of Mikayelyan.

The staff of department in addition to teaching activity participates in educational – methodical work of the Yerevan State Medical University, under their authorship articles are regularly published in various authoritative medical magazines with high rating. Employees periodically improve their professional skills in the advanced medical clinics of the world. In clinical practice they introduced new methods of operations.

Educational process at department is carried out by the cyclic principle. Teaching is carried out by lecturing and a practical training. During practical training clinical cases are discussed, in parallel students acquire practical skills, participate in practical work of surgical clinic, in inspection of patients, they solve situational quizzes using AI.

At the department teaching is carried out in three languages. Are developed and implemented by department in process of training of 12 methodical books for the 3rd course of faculty of stomatology and 4 and 5 го courses of faculty of general medicine in the Armenian, Russian and English languages; the textbook “Surgical Diseases” in Armenian in two volumes.

Duration of residency in the Department is 3 years.

Clinical bases of the Department of Surgery N1:

• Institute of surgery Mikayelyan, Clinic of surgery (head of clinic – Prof. S.A.Stepanyan),
• Medical center ‘’Artmed’’, department of general and abdominal surgery (head of department – Prof. A.M.Saakyan),
• Medical center ‘’Nork-Marash’’, department of cardiosurgery,

At department research works in the following directions are carried out:

– pathogenesis of the adhesive disease, its treatment and prevention

– treatment of the esophageal hiatal hernias, research of GERD

– treatment of the gallstone disease and its complications

– treatment of abdominal hernias by laparoscopic method

– diagnosis and treatment of an echinococcosis and alveococcosis of abdominal organs

– research work on studying of oncological diseases together with Institute of biochemistry of National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia.

The department has educational and scientific cooperation with

– Institute of biochemistry of National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia

– clinic of surgery of Memmingen hospital, Germany (The head of clinic –prof. Carsten N. Gutt)

The main staff of department is involved in clinical work of department of abdominal and endocrine surgery of the Institute of Surgery Mikayelyan. In a year by our staff more than 1000 surgeries are done. The main part of surgical interventions is made on digestive organs, liver, bile ducts, pancreas, spleen, thyroid gland, adrenal glands, concerning internal and external hernias of abdomen. Big quantity of operations is made concerning oncological diseases of abdominal organs and thyroid gland. In clinical practice are widely used laparoscopic operations for treatment of hernias of abdominal wall, esophageal hiatal hernias of the diaphragm, large intestine, bile ducts, liver and spleen.