Dr. Mani Menon

Well, you know, as I said, I was a wimp, so I had to do my groundwork to make sure that the patients didn't suffer. I didn't want the patients to suffer because I hated complications, but I also felt this was not a way that I could repay somebody for their philanthropy. I had to make sure that I succeeded so that he succeeded. And actually, at the time we got the funding, there was no robot.

Well, you know, as I said, I was a wimp, so I had to do my groundwork to make sure that the patients didn't suffer. I didn't want the patients to suffer because I hated complications, but I also felt this was not a way that I could repay somebody for their philanthropy. I had to make sure that I succeeded so that he succeeded. And actually, at the time we got the funding, there was no robot.

Well, you know, as I said, I was a wimp, so I had to do my groundwork to make sure that the patients didn't suffer. I didn't want the patients to suffer because I hated complications, but I also felt this was not a way that I could repay somebody for their philanthropy. I had to make sure that I succeeded so that he succeeded. And actually, at the time we got the funding, there was no robot.

It was not FDA approved. So the goal was to develop a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy program. And I had done some laparoscopy when I was at UMass, but I rapidly realized that I was not a laparoscopic surgeon. I didn't want to do that. So I had one of the junior people do it. And all they did was laparoscopic lymph node dissection.

It was not FDA approved. So the goal was to develop a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy program. And I had done some laparoscopy when I was at UMass, but I rapidly realized that I was not a laparoscopic surgeon. I didn't want to do that. So I had one of the junior people do it. And all they did was laparoscopic lymph node dissection.

It was not FDA approved. So the goal was to develop a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy program. And I had done some laparoscopy when I was at UMass, but I rapidly realized that I was not a laparoscopic surgeon. I didn't want to do that. So I had one of the junior people do it. And all they did was laparoscopic lymph node dissection.

Laparoscopic radical prostate surgery was a whole different thing. I called up the best laparoscopic surgeon I knew. A person had just written a paper about doing laparoscopic radical prostate surgery. And that was Lou Cavusi at Hopkins. And I said, Lou, what do you think about laparoscopic prostate? And he said, it's a terrible idea. He said, I've tried doing it.

Laparoscopic radical prostate surgery was a whole different thing. I called up the best laparoscopic surgeon I knew. A person had just written a paper about doing laparoscopic radical prostate surgery. And that was Lou Cavusi at Hopkins. And I said, Lou, what do you think about laparoscopic prostate? And he said, it's a terrible idea. He said, I've tried doing it.

Laparoscopic radical prostate surgery was a whole different thing. I called up the best laparoscopic surgeon I knew. A person had just written a paper about doing laparoscopic radical prostate surgery. And that was Lou Cavusi at Hopkins. And I said, Lou, what do you think about laparoscopic prostate? And he said, it's a terrible idea. He said, I've tried doing it.

And, you know, I'm a very good laparoscopic surgeon. I'm pretty good. But this operation brought me to my knees. So I said, OK, let me call Alan Parton, who you know, was in the next office and was an open surgeon, and maybe he would see the value of laparoscopy. And Lou was not a prostate cancer surgeon. Ditto from Alan Barton, saying, this is a terrible idea. You should never do that.

And, you know, I'm a very good laparoscopic surgeon. I'm pretty good. But this operation brought me to my knees. So I said, OK, let me call Alan Parton, who you know, was in the next office and was an open surgeon, and maybe he would see the value of laparoscopy. And Lou was not a prostate cancer surgeon. Ditto from Alan Barton, saying, this is a terrible idea. You should never do that.

And, you know, I'm a very good laparoscopic surgeon. I'm pretty good. But this operation brought me to my knees. So I said, OK, let me call Alan Parton, who you know, was in the next office and was an open surgeon, and maybe he would see the value of laparoscopy. And Lou was not a prostate cancer surgeon. Ditto from Alan Barton, saying, this is a terrible idea. You should never do that.

It's a really bad operation. So I decided I was going to do it. I mean, these two people said, no, I was going to do laparoscopic prostatectomy. I thought I would call Ralph Klayman. I'm cashing in all my IOUs here. So I called Ralph and said, Ralph, what do you think about laparoscopic prostatectomy? And he said, you know, buddy, this is a terrible idea. I mean, I've heard you.

It's a really bad operation. So I decided I was going to do it. I mean, these two people said, no, I was going to do laparoscopic prostatectomy. I thought I would call Ralph Klayman. I'm cashing in all my IOUs here. So I called Ralph and said, Ralph, what do you think about laparoscopic prostatectomy? And he said, you know, buddy, this is a terrible idea. I mean, I've heard you.

It's a really bad operation. So I decided I was going to do it. I mean, these two people said, no, I was going to do laparoscopic prostatectomy. I thought I would call Ralph Klayman. I'm cashing in all my IOUs here. So I called Ralph and said, Ralph, what do you think about laparoscopic prostatectomy? And he said, you know, buddy, this is a terrible idea. I mean, I've heard you.

You've had some good ideas and some bad ideas, but this is the worst idea that I've heard from you. But knowing you, you've already talked to Luca Vusi and he's told you it's a terrible idea and you've decided that you want to do it anyway. So let me stack the deck a little bit in your favor. Go talk to Bertanghino in Paris. He is the only person who can do it.

You've had some good ideas and some bad ideas, but this is the worst idea that I've heard from you. But knowing you, you've already talked to Luca Vusi and he's told you it's a terrible idea and you've decided that you want to do it anyway. So let me stack the deck a little bit in your favor. Go talk to Bertanghino in Paris. He is the only person who can do it.

You've had some good ideas and some bad ideas, but this is the worst idea that I've heard from you. But knowing you, you've already talked to Luca Vusi and he's told you it's a terrible idea and you've decided that you want to do it anyway. So let me stack the deck a little bit in your favor. Go talk to Bertanghino in Paris. He is the only person who can do it.

And if you can collaborate with Bertanghino, you might have a job. And I said, well, I called you thinking maybe you would come and do it. He said, I'm not going to do it. He said, And I said, why not? I mean, you're the father of laparoscopic surgery. He said, buddy, you can take a golf club and put it in any golfer's hands, and there'll only be one Tiger Woods.

And if you can collaborate with Bertanghino, you might have a job. And I said, well, I called you thinking maybe you would come and do it. He said, I'm not going to do it. He said, And I said, why not? I mean, you're the father of laparoscopic surgery. He said, buddy, you can take a golf club and put it in any golfer's hands, and there'll only be one Tiger Woods.