Paolo Antonio Boccasanta  Paolo Antonio Boccasanta  is an Italian general surgeon, a professor at the University of Milan and a specialist in general, vascular and thoracic surgery. He took a qualification in Coloproctology in 2000 in Brighton (UK) from the European Board of Surgery. He was born in Roncoferraro (MN) on 13 June 1952. After taking his high school diploma in 1971, he started studying medicine and surgery at the University of Milan. On 24 October 1977 he graduated with honours with a degree thesis on “the procedure of identification of gastric proteins”. In 1982 he took his specialization in General Surgery at the University of Milan, with a degree thesis on “The results of thoracic gangliectomy on Raynaud". On 5 November 1987 he took another specialization in Vascular Surgery and in 1994 in Thoracic Surgery at the University of Milan with a thesis on the “Thoracoscopic dissection of the esophagus: experimental study and clinical use perspectives”. He passed his qualifying examination and became Chief of General Surgery with a 99/100 mark at the Ministry of Health- management of hospitals – effective date 6 July 1988. He took a qualification in Coloproctology on 9 July 2000 in Brighton (UK) from the European Board of Surgery. After his graduation, from 1977 to 1980, Paolo Boccasanta attended, as an intern and later as a scholarship holder, the “III Institute of Surgical Clinic” of the University of Milan directed by Prof. Walter Montorsi and he collaborated to the preparation of the lessons and he supervised the exercises of 5th and 6th year students of the first degree course in Medicine and Surgery. From the academic year 1981/1982 to the academic year 1988/1989, he taught at the “Scuola S. Camillo” in the “Casa di cura S. Pio X” in Milan. From 1981 to 1992, first as a surgical assistant (SA) and then as a jointly responsible surgical assistance, he conducted many internships – such as convalescence ward, specialist clinics, operating room (OR)-to students and apprentices at the Surgical Clinic Institute III of the University of Milan, directed by Prof. Walter Montorsi. He contributed in the outlining of a number of dissertations for degree candidates in Medicine and for residents in the Digestive System Surgery and the Digestive Surgical Endoscopy.