Dr. Robert J. Jensik

Dr. Robert J. Jensik passed away March 8, 2008 at the age of 92. He fought a very courageous battle against a Guillain-Barre syndrome over a period of six months. He was most active until the time of his illness; playing golf, swimming and attending thoracic conferences.

Dr. Jensik’s education and surgical training were most unusual compared to the regimented schedule students and cardiothoracic surgeons go through today. Following graduation from high school he spent 2 years at Morton Junior College from 1932 to 1934 and was then accepted into the University of Illinois Medical School. He graduated in 1938 with an MS in medicine with AOA recognition and achieved his MD degree after one year of internship spent at the Milwaukee County General Hospital. He was then selected for a general surgical residency, but for some unknown reason he resigned after one month and spent a year as a resident in pathology at the University of Illinois. His career thoughts again turned to surgery and Dr. Warren Cole selected him as a fellow in surgical research. He was exposed to active tuberculosis during his internship and after four months of this fellowship, he was forced to spend six months of bed rest at the Research Hospital. He quickly learned about thoracic surgery as he underwent a phrenic nerve crush, repeated pneumothorax inductions and pneumonolysis which was a precursor to the VATS procedures we have today. He was transferred to a tuberculosis sanitarium in Rockford, Illinois, to continue his convalescence, and his enthusiasm for surgery permitted him to be surgical assistant to Dr. Willard Van Hazel performing thoracoplastic procedures and drainage of many empyemas. He developed his extraordinary expertise in the reading of x-rays and honed his rapidly developing technical skills. He then returned to pathology for two years at the University of Illinois and finally realized that he was a surgeon. His time spent in pathology was very rewarding as through the years he was always challenging the pathologist on frozen section readings and final pathology reports. He always reviewed the pathology slides on the great majority of his pulmonary resections and his knowledge of pathology was extraordinary.

In 1944 he joined Dr. Van Hazel at Chicago St. Luke’s Hospital as a preceptor in thoracic surgery. The American Board of Thoracic Surgery then ruled out preceptorship as appropriate training and Dr. Warren Cole permitted him to take one year of general surgery training and he was then eligible for the Board examination in thoracic surgery. His education and training were circuitous but resulted in his becoming a master thoracic surgeon.

Dr. Jensik was an exquisite technical surgeon and students, nurses and residents admired his ability to complete difficult resections and manage intraoperative complications. His experience with surgery for tuberculosis was rewarding in that he developed the concept of carrying out segmental resection for primary lung cancer. His ability to complete an anatomic segmental resection was greatly admired and unfortunately this has become a lost art. This work led to his first publication on segmental resection for lung cancer in 1973 and furthered a continuation of this procedure with over 350 of these procedures reported in later years. Limited resection for primary lung cancer now has a resurgence and Dr. Jensik was a dominant leader in the procedure.

He aggressively attacked cancer and he championed the procedure of sleeve pneumonectomy in one of the earlier publications for this technique in 1982. He felt that conservation of lung tissue was always important and he was also an expert in accomplishing bronchoplastic procedures and sleeve lobectomy. His technical skills were revered throughout our operating rooms, and he was frequently asked to consult on complicated technical problems.

He served as Head of the Section of Thoracic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center, President of the Medical Staff and Vice-President of the Chicago Surgical Society. He was a member of all major surgical and medical societies. His surgical ability and knowledge were recognized throughout the world and he was frequently asked to provide lectures at international meetings.

Dr. Jensik was always enthusiastic and upbeat. He was admired and loved by his patients and he continued to communicate with many of them after he retired from active surgery. Members of the Rush medical staff looked upon him as a “World Class Physician” that took into account his skill, intellect and temperament. Dr. Jensik was an affable and talented thoracic surgeon with a passionate devotion to the care of his patients and the education of the many residents with whom he worked.

Dr. Jensik is survived by his very devoted wife “Suzy,” his sons Dr. Stephen C. Jensik, transplant surgeon at Rush Medical Center, and retired Colonel Robert J. Jensik.

Bob Jensik will be missed.

L. Penfield Faber, M.D.
Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, IL USA