George D. LeMaitre

George DeCesare LeMaitre (December 6, 1933 – July 19, 2018) was a Massachusetts-based vascular surgeon, author, and inventor. Of LeMaitre's five published books, his 1979 book, How to Choose a Good Doctor, received wide attention, and his inventions in the field of vascular surgery led to the development of a multinational company, LeMaitre Vascular.

Early life, education, and career Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, LeMaitre graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1951, and received a B.A. in Mathematics from Boston College in 1955, followed by an M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine in 1959. and the following year, he published one of his earliest works, The patient in surgery: a guide for nurses, coauthored with Janet A. Finnegan. In 1966, LeMaitre joined the United States Army, serving until 1968. By 1975, LeMaitre was head of the New England chapter of the incipient American Association of Councils of Medical Staffs. In that capacity, he expressed the willingness of doctors in the region to submit to a rate freeze proposed by Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, noting that this was "a reaffirmation of a long-held tradition and obligation that patients are to be treated regardless of ability to pay". In 1978, LeMaitre became chief of surgery at Lawrence General Hospital. He also advised that hospitals tend to refer patients only to doctors on their own staff, and that patients should find a doctor who is young enough that they are not likely to retire soon.

LeMaitre Vascular In 1981, LeMaitre treated an elderly colleague who required a procedure to reroute blood flow in his leg in order to avoid a potential amputation. As a result, the surgeon could prepare veins for arterial bypass with smaller incisions and less tissue trauma.

LeMaitre succeeded in treating the patient with this invention, leading to further efforts to improve the technology between 1981 and 1984. with whom he had three sons and two daughters.

LeMaitre retired from the practice of surgery in 1997, continuing as a clinical instructor at Tufts Medical School. By 2005, he was noted as being "semiretired" from LeMaitre Vascular, and "focused on a second career in writing". On July 19, 2018, he died at the Holy Family Hospital, at the age of 84.