Surgeon who in 1982 announced a new surgical technique for removing cancerous prostate glands. This technique greatly reduced the risk of post-operative impotence in men receiving it, a major advantage from the standpoint of men diagnosed with this disease. Since prostate cancer will eventually affect virtually all men who live long enough, this technique had a significant impact. Today, this technique is often replaced by the implantation of radioactive "seeds" to destroy the tumor, but Walsh's technique is still popular.