The King's secret surgery required a palace to move the guards
In short: In 1951, a malignant tumor threatened the life of King George VI. To save him, surgeons had to transform a palace room into a makeshift theater, demanding the monarchy move the changing of the guard to ensure total silence for a high-stakes, pioneering operation.
Sir Clement Price Thomas was the surgeon chosen for the daunting task of removing a malignant tumor from King George VI's left lung. The operation took place on September 23, 1951, in the Buhl room at Buckingham Palace. Because the room was not designed for major surgery, Price Thomas demanded the installation of emergency lighting. St James’s Palace became the new site for the guard's rotation so that the surgeons could work without noise interference.
The procedure was a landmark in thoracic surgery, which was still in its infancy in the 1950s. While modern surgeons use precise 3cm keyhole incisions, Price Thomas had to perform a full thoracotomy, likely opening the chest by 25cm to examine the tumor with his own eyes. He insisted on treating the monarch like any other patient, following standard operating patterns. His team included specialists like Charles Drew and Peter Jones, the latter of whom lived in the palace for three weeks to monitor the King's recovery.
Price Thomas's success cemented his legacy as a pioneer. He helped transition thoracic surgery from a primary treatment for tuberculosis to a viable method for treating lung cancer. His impact remains visible today through the Price Thomas retractor, a device still used in hospitals for open operations. Despite his success, his own lifelong habit of smoking eventually led to a lung cancer diagnosis, which was treated by one of his own former assistants.
The King's recovery was managed with a strict regimen of sedation, followed by a transition from water and juice to a soft diet of boiled eggs and steamed fish. Price Thomas famously remarked that the King was his best patient, noting the monarch's bravery and humor during the ordeal.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Clement Price Thomas and a once-in-a-lifetime operation
- Also: An operating table fit for a King - Science Museum Blog
- Also: Clement Price Thomas
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