Pubic symphysis

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A Moment in History

Georg Eduard Von Rindfleisch
(1836 – 1908)

German pathologist and histologist of Bavarian nobility ancestry. Rindfleisch studied medicine in Würzburg, Berlin, and Heidelberg, earning his MD in 1859 with the thesis “De Vasorum Genesi” (on the generation of vessels) under the tutelage of Rudolf Virchow (1821 - 1902). He then continued as a assistant to Virchow in a newly founded institute in Berlin. He then moved to Breslau in 1861 as an assistant to Rudolf Heidenhain (1834–1897), becoming a professor of pathological anatomy. In 1865 he became full professor in Bonn and in 1874 in Würzburg, where a new pathological institute was built according to his design (completed in 1878), where he worked until his retirement in 1906.

He was the first to describe the inflammatory background of multiple sclerosis in 1863, when he noted that demyelinated lesions have in their center small vessels that are surrounded by a leukocyte inflammatory infiltrate.

After extensive investigations, he suspected an infectious origin of tuberculosis - even before Robert Koch's detection of the tuberculosis bacillus in 1892. Rindfleisch 's special achievement is the description of the morphologically conspicuous macrophages in typhoid inflammation. His distinction between myocardial infarction and myocarditis in 1890 is also of lasting importance.

Associated eponyms

"Rindfleisch's folds": Usually a single semilunar fold of the serous surface of the pericardium around the origin of the aorta. Also known as the plica semilunaris aortæ.

"Rindfleisch's cells": Historical (and obsolete) name for eosinophilic leukocytes.

Personal note: G. Rindfleisch’s book “Traité D' Histologie Pathologique” 2nd edition (1873) is now part of my library. This book was translated from German to French by Dr. Frédéric Gross (1844-1927) , Associate Professor of the Medicine Faculty in Nancy, France. The book is dedicated to Dr. Theodore Billroth (1829-1894), an important surgeon whose pioneering work on subtotal gastrectomies paved the way for today’s robotic bariatric surgery. Dr. Miranda.

Sources:
1. "Stedmans Medical Eponyms" Forbis, P.; Bartolucci, SL; 1998 Williams and Wilkins
2. "Rindfleisch, Georg Eduard von (bayerischer Adel?)" Deutsche Biographie
3. "The pathology of multiple sclerosis and its evolution" Lassmann H. (1999) Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 354 (1390): 1635–40.
4. “Traité D' Histologie Pathologique” G.E.
Rindfleisch 2nd Ed (1873) Ballieres et Fils. Paris, Translated by F Gross

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Details: Written by: Efrain A. Miranda, Ph.D.; Published: April 16, 2014; Hits: 4374

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The pubic symphysis is a joint found between the pubic bones. It is composed by a layer of hyaline cartilage that covers the medial surface of each pubic bone (os pubis), and a fibrocartilaginous disc arranged in lamellae, somewhat akin to the structure of an intervertebral disc. It is classified as a fibrocartilaginous joint or a secondary cartilaginous joint. It generally presents with an internal midline cleft and is surrounded by strong ligaments. This joint has very little movement, limited to about one degree. The ligaments are:

• Superior pubic ligament: Found on the public crest, this ligament extends laterally as far as the pubic tubercles. It also serves as anchoring point for the tendons of the rectus abdominis muscles and the pyramidalis muscle.

• Inferior pubic ligament: Also known as the subpubic ligament this ligament forms an arch and attaches to the inferomedial aspect of the inferior pubic rami

• Anterior pubic ligament: Found anterior to the pubic symphysis, this ligament attaches to the periosteum of the anterior aspect of the body of the pubic bone

•Posterior pubic ligament: Found on the posterior aspect of the pubic bone, this ligament is the anterior boundary of the retropubic space of Retzius

Under the influence of hormones, the pubic symphysis becomes softer and more mobile in pregnant women. This is good for natural birth, but can be the cause of symphyseal pain in the later stages of pregnancy.

Pubic symphysis

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