What an interview. Tonight, on ‘La Revuelta’, the stage of the Teatro Príncipe de Gran Vía welcomed a very special guest. “The best surgeon in the world,” announced David Broncano, giving way to Diego González Rivas. The Galician surgeon, known for his innovation in thoracic surgery, came to the programme wearing sweatshirts and t-shirts from his foundation, under the slogan “Impossible is nothing.”
Between operating rooms and airports
The revolutionary technique of Diego González Rivas
During the interview, González Rivas admitted that he was not a brilliant student: “I got good grades in science, but everything else was average,” he said humbly. It was not until he was in high school that he decided to make the most of it and managed to get into medicine. Over the years, his research led him to develop a revolutionary technique: minimally invasive video-assisted thoracic surgery with a single incision. The Uniportal technique allows surgery in the thoracic cavity through a small intercostal or subxiphoid incision, using thoracoscopic surgery (Uniportal VATS) or robotic surgery (Uniportal RATS).
In some cases, these operations are performed without the need for tracheal intubation or general anesthesia, allowing patients to be discharged in just 24-48 hours. “With this technique, the patient is discharged in two days,” explained González Rivas, highlighting the advances he has made in his field, while Broncano joked: “You operate on them while playing FIFA.”
In addition to operating, Diego gives masterclasses to teach his technique to other surgeons. Broncano, in a humorous tone, compared him to Batman, recalling that Diego is the surgeon who has operated the most in the world: “I have operated in 136 countries,” he revealed, mentioning places as remote as North Korea and Turkmenistan, where “all the cars are white to maintain the homogeneity with the marble.” He also shared the difficulties of operating in Africa, due to the lack of transport of material. Despite his schedule, Diego finds time to enjoy: “In Kenya I went on a safari and in Tanzania I climbed Kilimanjaro.”
Among his work anecdotes, he highlighted his experience in Shanghai, where he met a patient with six fingers and confessed to having operated on animals: “I have operated on goats in Peru and a dog for a tumor.” But one of the most shocking stories occurred in northern China, where he had to operate on a prisoner who tried to commit suicide by stabbing himself in the heart with a knife. “We saved his life, even though he wanted to die,” he said. “It is the dilemma of doctors: criminals, murderers… and we have to save their lives.”
The patient Diego saved in Ghana
The video call with Amos
During the interview, Diego González Rivas surprised everyone with a video call to Amos, a Ghanaian patient whom he operated on for free. “I am happy, I am healthy,” Amos said with gratitude. He recounted how in his country they could not operate on him or pay for the procedure: “I was waiting a long time, in Ghana they could not operate on me nor could I afford the operation. Diego operated on me for free.” Amos was on the verge of death on two occasions, drowned in his own blood, until González Rivas brought him back to life.
Another dramatic experience took place in Saudi Arabia, where he operated on a prisoner sentenced to death with a heart defect. “We operated on him, we fixed it… and then they could execute him,” he said, since according to their laws they can only execute healthy people.
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González Rivas also presented a revolutionary new robot, showing a video of its operation. “At the moment we have it in Shanghai, but it will reach more places,” he said. Grison couldn’t help but make the joke: “Order it on AliExpress.” He also spoke about his ‘Diego González Rivas Foundation’ and a mobile surgical unit created to bring his technique to developing countries, especially in Africa: a portable operating room that brings thoracic surgery to the most needy areas of the world.
‘The Revolt’
The classic questions
Diego González Rivas was not spared from David Broncano’s classic questions. When asked about the money in the bank, the Galician surgeon replied with humour: “Even though my activity is altruistic, I am lucky that some patient somewhere in the world wants me to operate on them and pays me a lot of money.” He recalled an occasion when he had to fly to Bucharest on the 25th because, according to the client’s wife’s astrological chart, it was the ideal day for the operation. “I’m well off with money,” he confessed with a laugh.
As for her sexual relations, González Rivas admitted that her travel life had been intense in the last month: “It has been crazy travel and therefore I have a bad month.” However, she joked about how between airports she found some moments of individual pleasure.
Finally, when asked if he is more sexist or racist, the surgeon was blunt: “I am not racist at all because I spend my whole life travelling and living with people from all countries. Not racist at all. Sexist, maybe with a comment or a joke,” he said.
