The Department was established in 1921. Prof. Alexey F. PONOMAREV was assigned as the first Head of the Department.
From 1933 to 1946 the Department was led by Professor Vladimir N. GIMMELMAN. He enhanced work of the Surgery Clinic by increasing the number of operations, including the first in Omsk radical surgery for gastric cancer and surgery for mitral valve stenosis.
On 1 October, 1966, the Department was headed by Prof. Azariy N. KABANOV, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Member of the International Society of Surgeons. Under his supervision, the staff of the department developed unique low-traumatic organ-preserving operations and created new surgical devices, in particular a laser scalpel.
Professor Konstantin K. KOZLOV became a successor of Azariy KABANOV and led the Department. On his initiative, a postgraduate course of Thoracic Surgery started to be taught, and City Thoracic Center for patients with surgical chest diseases was set up at Omsk Clinical Hospital № 1.
From 2012 to 2021, the Department was headed by Prof. Mikhail S. KORZHUK. The staff of the department works in close cooperation with the doctors in surgical units and actively participates in the supervision of patients. Most of the staff works as scientific advisors of surgical units in Omsk Hospitals.