Robert Grasberger, MD

Robert Grasberger

Robert Grasberger was born in Media, Pennsylvania on December 3, 1953 and attended public schools there. He graduated in 1975 as a member of Phi Beta Kappa and as a Rhodes Scholar nominee from Colby College. He then attended Jefferson Medical College and graduated in 1979.

Bob joined the Boston University Medical Center Surgical Residency Training Program in July of 1979 with aspirations of becoming a surgeon. During his training, Bob worked hard both clinically and academically, and he was an ambitious researcher.

During his years with us we watched Bob grow and mature. We taught him, and we learned from him. We took care of patients with him and did research with him. We raced against him and played tennis with him. Sometimes we even argued with him. When he graduated in June of 1986 he was truly a member of our “family,” … and he was an outstanding surgeon.

Bob continued his training at Montefiore Hospital in New York, where he began a two-year fellowship in peripheral vascular surgery. He had been there only a short time when he died suddenly on January 31, 1987 while playing basketball. He was 33 at the time of his death.

During his general surgical training at Boston University Medical Center Bob completed a two-year research fellowship in our trauma research laboratory (1981-83). His research focused on the use of high-frequency ventilation in head trauma and on the endocrine responses to trauma and shock. He was the author or co-author of 16 publications during his residency.

In 1990, the Department of Surgery established The Grasberger Research Symposium in his memory. In recognition of Bob’s outstanding academic and research accomplishments, The Grasberger Symposium provides an opportunity for our department to share our research progress.

Robert Grasberger’s Publications During His Residency at Boston University Medical Center

Pietrafitta JJ, Grasberger RC, Deckers PJ, Kondi ES: Superficial lymph node necrosis. J. Surg. Onc. 24:212-214, 1983.

Grasberger RC, Hirsch EF: Rectal trauma – a retrospective analysis and guideline for therapy. Am. J. Surg. 145:795-799, 1983.

Grasberger RC, Pietrafitta JJ, Deckers PJ: Non-spore forming clostridial bacteremia. J. Surg. On. 25:188-191, 1984.

Grasberger RC, Mortara R, Ordia J, Yeston N: The effect of high frequency oscillation vs. conventional mechanical ventilation on ICP in the canine model. J. Neurosurgery 60:1214-1218, 1984.

McIntosh T, Bush H, Yeston N, Grasberger RC, Egdahl R: Beta endorphins, cortisol and postoperative psychosis. In: Frontiers in Neuroscience: central and peripheral endorphins., E. Miller and A. Genazzani (editors), Raven Press, 1984, pp. 289-293.

Yeston N, Grasberger RC, McCormick J: Severe combined respiratory and myocardial failure treated with high frequency ventilation. Critical Care Medicine 13:208-209, 1984.

McIntosh T, Bush H, Yeston N, Grasberger RC, Egdahl R: Prolonged disruption of plasma beta-endorphin dynamics following surgery. J. Surg. Research 38:210-215, 1985.

McIntosh T, Palter M, Grasberger RC, Vezina R, Yeston N, Egdahl R: Effect of an opiate antagonist (naloxone) and an agonist/antagonist (nalbuphine) in primate hemorrhagic shock. Circ. Shock 17:313-325, 1985.

McIntosh T, Palter M, Grasberger RC, Vezina R, Gerstein L, Yeston NS, Egdahl RH: Endorphins in primate hemorrhagic shock: beneficial action of opiate antagonists. J Surg Research 40:265-275, 1986.

Grasberger RC, Scott CM, McCormick JR, Birkett DH, Hirsch EF: Pericardial complications in hepatic trauma. J. Trauma 25:322-325, 1985.

Dennis R, Palter MD, Yeston NS, Grasberger RC, McIntosh TK, Valeri CR: Hypocalcemia-associated electromechanical dissociation following transfusion of citrated plasma during resuscitation from hypothermic hypovolemic shock. Circ. Shock 16:83, 1985.

McIntosh TK, Bush HC, Yeston NS, Grasberger RC, Palter M, Aun F, Egdahl RH: Beta-endorphin, cortisol, and postoperative delirium: a preliminary report. Psychoneuroendocrinol. 10:303-313, 1985.

Yeston NS, Grasberger RC, McCormick JR: Severe combined respiratory and myocardial failure treated with high-frequency ventilation. J. Crit. Care Medicine 13(3):208-209, 1985.

Grasberger RC, Yeston NS: Less invasive cardiac output monitoring by earpiece densitometry. J. Crit. Care Medicine 14(6):577-579, 1986.

Sinclair A. Jacobs L, Berrizbeitia L, Yeston NS, Grasberger RC: Prehospital use of a portable lung ventilator: a clinical evaluation. Emergency Care Quarterly 1(4):23-32, 1986.

Yeston NS, Palter M, Grasberger RC, Heffernan J: Medical care of the surgical patient, in Textbook of General Medicine and Primary Care, Nobel J., editor. Little, Brown, and Co., Boston, 1987.

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