SUNDAYS AT 2: Well-known Zagreb otolaryngologist and surgeon, Dr. Marko Velimir Grgić, openly talks about the reasons for leaving the lucrative cosmetic surgery business, the risks patients are exposed to for the sake of beauty, and the systemic problems of hospitals that are “crawling over the hills”
Dr. Marko Velimir Grgić, a physician at the Sestara milosrdnica Hospital in Zagreb, is an expert in endoscopic skull base surgery, but also a man with a wealth of life experience outside the operating room. Although he performed rhinoplasty (aesthetic nose surgery) for years, he decided to stop doing so. Today, he primarily deals with solving severe pathologies through the nose, penetrating deep into the inner ear, pushing the boundaries of modern medicine.
A turning point in Barcelona: “These people were beautiful before”
Grgić explains that at the beginning of his career, rhinoplasty was one of the most challenging parts of his profession because it involves millimetric precision, where 2 mm makes the difference between disaster and success. However, he had an epiphany at a congress in Barcelona. Looking at the results presented by the “gods of rhinoplasty”, he wondered if these young people were truly more beautiful after the operation than they were before.
At the same time, he was fascinated by the results of endoscopic surgery for skull base tumors, where tumors are removed through the nose without visible traces of the surgery on the face. “That’s when I realized what I really wanted to do,” says Grgić, who has since focused on functionality and solving difficult medical conditions.
The Perils of Perfection: When a “Superior” Operation Becomes a Problem
Thousands of people have passed through Grgić’s rhinology clinic, many of whom were patients who had nose surgery but were not satisfied with the results. He emphasizes that even a technically perfectly performed operation by a top surgeon can result in a subjective feeling of difficulty breathing, dryness of the mucous membrane, or increased nasal discharge.
The doctor warns of a trend in which social media and “celebrities” create unrealistic ideals of beauty, while some doctors use unethical advertising to encourage people to undergo unnecessary procedures. Grgić believes that the role of a doctor is to say when a request is not justified, rather than to satisfy every wish. “I value natural age more than artificial youth,” says the surgeon.
Defensive medicine and “covering” with papers
As a court expert with 20 years of experience, Grgić warns of the growing problem of so-called defensive medicine. It is estimated that around 30% of medical tests, such as CT scans or MRIs, are actually unnecessary and are done solely to “cover” doctors in the event of a lawsuit.
He also sees a problem in the Criminal Code, which provides for criminal liability for ignorance, which is rare in European countries. This creates fear among doctors, who then prescribe too many tests, which directly lengthens waiting lists. According to his data, out of 300 criminal prosecutions of doctors in Croatia, only two or three verdicts have been reached, but fear of the process is paralyzing the system.
Vinogradska Hospital: Labyrinth on a hill without parking
In addition to medical topics, Grgić also addressed working conditions. The Sestara milosrdnica Hospital (Vinogradska) is spread over more than 30 different buildings, which is a functional disaster for patients, especially the elderly who have to walk uphill from ward to ward. “I’m happiest in the operating room because I constantly have to explain to people outside the building where everything is,” admits the doctor.
He also touched on the never-completed University Hospital in Blato, for which citizens allocated money in a referendum in the 80s, and which is still just a monument to failed visions today.
Endorphins: Saxophone, surfing and “The Waiting List”
Despite his stressful job, Dr. Grgić is, in his own words, an “endorphin addict.” He fills his free time with activities that his friends consider adrenaline-pumping: windsurfing, tennis, basketball, and even motorcycling, which he discovered in the 50s.
However, his special passion is music. He plays saxophone in a band symbolically called “Lista čekanja”, whose members are mostly doctors. The band performs only a few times a year for friends, and Grgić emphasizes that improvising on the saxophone is one of the strongest generators of endorphins. Despite the possibility of making a lot of money in the private sector, Grgić remains dedicated to public health, arguing that the most important thing is to wake up in the morning and feel good about what you do.
Photo: Screenshot
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