Dr. Keith Bryson

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, April 1, 2009

LEXINGTON — Dr. Keith Bryson, 57, died March 25, 2009.

He was a native of Spruce Pine, N.C., a small town nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Mildred Bryson; and a brother, Colin Bryson.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. Dr. Bryson graduated from Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. Internship and residence, in the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology, were both completed at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga, Tenn. Following residency, Dr. Bryson trained under and then worked with world-renowned leaders in infertility, laser and minimally invasive surgery techniques. Those experiences allowed Dr. Bryson to develop his own expertise by combining the best of the founding fathers’ advanced skills. Dr. Bryson was a leader in the development of the surgical technique laparoscopic appendectomy. He was the first American physician to present as well as the first to publish about this surgery. The presentation was at an international medical conference (The World Congress Meeting of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists) in Washington, D.C. He had numerous articles published in the Clinical Laser Monthly, Laparoscope Clinical Update, Telescopic Surgery Health and The Journal of Gynecologic Surgery. Dr. Bryson was a Fellow of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. He had served as clinical instructor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville; adjunct professor at Western Kentucky University; clinical consultant for major laser and surgical instrument manufacturers; faculty and clinical adviser for the training and development of laser surgery centers in numerous hospitals across the United States; and faculty at more than 114 medical courses to teach general surgeons, urologists, orthopedic surgeons and gynecologists how to perform laser surgery procedures. In addition to his passion for medicine, Dr. Bryson loved classic automobiles, travel and was an accomplished scuba diver, snow skier and pilot.

Memorial service is at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hillvue Heights Church in Bowling Green. Care Cremation & Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements. Memorial services will also be in Spruce Pine. Details for this service are incomplete.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Free Clinic at www.Common wealthhealthfoundation.org or by check to Commonwealth Health Foundation, 800 Park St., Bowling Green, KY 42101.

Survivors include his fiancee, Brenda Weaver; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and associates.