Nikolai Ivanovich Pirogov (November 13, 1810, Moscow, November 23, 1881, the village of Vishnya, now within the Vinnytsia region, Podolia province) was an outstanding Russian surgeon, anatomist, naturalist, and educator. He became a professor and created the first atlas of topographical anatomy, laying the foundations of Russian military field surgery and the Russian school of anesthesia. He also held the title of secret advisor.

Until the mid-19th century, the level of field surgery remained extremely low, and nearly a third of soldiers and officers died from wounds, even minor ones. Nikolai Pirogov contributed to the development of world surgery. After obtaining his academic degree at the age of 22, he voluntarily participated in four wars, saving thousands of lives and helping many to stand on their feet. Among his achievements, which are still relevant today, is the invention of topographical anatomy, which significantly expanded surgeons' knowledge of the human body. In 1847, Pirogov became the first surgeon in the world to use ether anesthesia during surgery. To avoid putting patients at risk, he first tested the anesthesia on himself. Throughout his life, Pirogov made many important inventions, including the plaster cast, which helps with fractures. Those who have dealt with fractures know that it was Pirogov who devised a way to alleviate pain and speed up recovery. He quickly became known as a surgeon who worked not only with quality but also efficiently. For example, once he removed stones from a patient's bladder in just one and a half minutes. Thanks to his innovative methods, Pirogov's critically ill patients survived more often than those treated by other doctors. He actively shared new knowledge with the medical community.