Medical Terminology Daily (MTD) is a blog sponsored by Clinical Anatomy Associates, Inc. as a service to the medical community. We post anatomical, medical or surgical terms, their meaning and usage, as well as biographical notes on anatomists, surgeons, and researchers through the ages. Be warned that some of the images used depict human anatomical specimens.
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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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The [cystic artery] (FCAT: arteria cistica) is the artery that provides arterial blood supply to the gallbladder. It is found in the [triangle of Calot], also known as the “cystohepatic triangle” is a triangular region found within the lesser omentum connecting the duodenum, stomach, and liver. It is an area bound superiorly by the inferior surface of the liver, laterally by the cystic duct and the medial border of the gallbladder, and medially by the common hepatic duct. It is usually a branch of the right hepatic artery, which is itself a branch of the proper hepatic artery. After its origin from the right hepatic artery the cystic artery directs towards the neck of the gallbladder where it divides into anterior and posterior branches which then penetrate the gallbladder. These anterior and posterior branches are names "left and right" by Testut and Latarjet (1931) or "right and left" by Morris (1942). The cystic artery, as most of the components of the region of the hepatobiliary tree, has well documented anatomical variations. A detailed explanation of these variations can be found here at the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation, curated by Dr. Ronald Bergman. |
 Hepatobiliary tree and arteries to the stomach. R=right, L= left, a.=artery, Gd a.= gastroduodenal artery |
| Sources: 1. "Tratado de Anatomia Humana" Testut et Latarjet 8 Ed. 1931 Salvat Editores, Spain 2. "Gray's Anatomy" 38th British Ed. Churchill Livingstone 1995 3. "Terminologia Anatomica: International Anatomical Terminology (FCAT)" Thieme, 1998 4. "Morris' Human Anatomy" Pearce, J. (1942) Blakiston Co. Philadlephia USA Image modified from the original by Dr. Henry Vandyke Carter. Public Domain. |
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This article is part of the series "A Moment in History" where we honor those who have contributed to the growth of medical knowledge in the areas of anatomy, medicine, surgery, and medical research.
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Henry Vandyke Carter, MD (1831 – 1897). English physician, surgeon, medical artist, and a pioneer in leprosy and mycetoma studies. HV Carter was born in Yorkshire in 1831. He was the son of Henry Barlow Carter, a well-known artist and it is possible that he honed his natural talents with his father. His mother picked his middle name after a famous painter, Anthony Van Dyck. This is probably why his name is sometimes shown as Henry Van Dyke Carter, although the most common presentation of his middle name is Vandyke.
Having problems to finance his medical studies, HV Carter trained as an apothecary and later as an anatomical demonstrator at St. George’s Hospital in London, where he met Henry Gray (1872-1861), who was at the time the anatomical lecturer. Having seen the quality of HV Carter’s drawings, Henry Gray teamed with him to produce one of the most popular and longer-lived anatomy books in history: “Gray’s Anatomy”, which was first published in late 1857. The book itself, about which many papers have been written, was immediately accepted and praised because of the clarity of the text as well as the incredible drawings of Henry Vandyke Carter.
While working on the book’s drawings, HV Carter continued his studies and received his MD in 1856.
In spite of initially being offered a co-authorship of the book, Dr. Carter was relegated to the position of illustrator by Henry Gray and never saw the royalties that the book could have generated for him. For all his work and dedication, Dr. Carter only received a one-time payment of 150 pounds. Dr. Carter never worked again with Gray, who died of smallpox only a few years later.
Frustrated, Dr. Carter took the exams for the India Medical Service. In 1858 he joined as an Assistant Surgeon and later became a professor of anatomy and physiology. Even later he served as a Civil Surgeon. During his tenure with the India Medical Service he attained the ranks of Surgeon, Surgeon-Major, Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel, and Brigade-Surgeon.
Dr. Carter dedicated the rest of his life to the study of leprosy, and other ailments typical of India at that time. He held several important offices, including that of Dean of the Medical School of the University of Bombay. In 1890, after his retirement, he was appointed Honorary Physician to the Queen.
Dr. Henry Vandyke Carter died of tuberculosis in 1897.
Personal note: Had history been different, this famous book would have been called “Gray and Carter’s Anatomy” and Dr. Carter never gone to India. His legacy is still seen in the images of the thousands of copies of “Gray’s Anatomy” throughout the world and the many reproductions of his work available on the Internet. We are proud to use some of his images in this blog. The image accompanying this article is a self-portrait of Dr. Carter. Click on the image for a larger depiction. Dr. Miranda
Sources:
1. “Obituary: Henry Vandyke Carter” Br Med J (1897);1:1256-7
2. “The Anatomist: A True Story of ‘Gray’s Anatomy” Hayes W. (2007) USA: Ballantine
3. “A Glimpse of Our Past: Henry Gray’s Anatomy” Pearce, JMS. J Clin Anat (2009) 22:291–295
4. “Henry Gray and Henry Vandyke Carter: Creators of a famous textbook” Roberts S. J Med Biogr (2000) 8:206–212.
5. “Henry Vandyke Carter and his meritorious works in India” Tappa, DM et al. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol (2011) 77:101-3
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This article is part of the series "A Moment in History" where we honor those who have contributed to the growth of medical knowledge in the areas of anatomy, medicine, surgery, and medical research.
Alexander Monro Secundus
Alexander Monro Secundus (1733- 1817). Scottish physician and anatomist, born in Edinburgh. Alexander Monro Secundus (the second), studied anatomy with his father Alexander Monro Primus (the first). He received his doctorate in medicine at 22 years of age. His studies led him to write on the lymphatic system, leading to a public written dispute with William Hunter. In 1753 he demonstrated the communication channels between both lateral and third ventricle of the brain, describing it in a published work in 1797. Since then, these channels have been know as the foramina of Monro. Later analysis of prior publications demonstrate that these foramina were known, although probably not well understood.
The Monro family gave history three anatomists who occupied the chair of Anatomy at the University of Edinburgh for over a century. Alexander Monro Primus (1697 - 1767), Alexander Monro Secundus (1733 - 1817), and Alexander Monro Tertius (1773 - 1859)
Sources:
1. Sharp, J. A. (1961). Alexander Monro secundus and the interventricular foramen. Medical History, 5(1), 83
2. Wu, O. C., Manjila, S., Malakooti, N., & Cohen, A. R. (2012). The remarkable medical lineage of the Monro family: contributions of Alexander primus, secundus, and tertius. Journal of neurosurgery, 116(6), 1337-1346.
3. "The origin of Medical Terms" Skinner, HA; 1970
Original image: Coloured stipple engraving by James Heath (1757–1834), after Henry Raeburn (1756–1823) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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The chordae tendineae, as their Latin name suggests, are tendinous cords found in the right and left ventricles of the heart. These chordae tendineae connect the papillary muscles to the leaflets of the atrioventricular (AV) valves. The vernacular term for these structures is "heart strings".
The function of the chordae tendineae is to limit the freedom of motion of the cusps of the AV valves (tricuspid and mitral), limiting their capacity to "flap" back into the corresponding atrium. Rupture of one or more chordae can cause retrograde flow (reflux or regurgitation) of blood from the ventricle into the atrium, causing cardiac dysfunction.
The chordae tendineae are part of a larger complex of interacting anatomical structures that include the fibrous "skeleton of the heart", the fibrous core of the AV valves, the chordae tendineae, the papillary muscles, and the complex fibrous internal structure of the papillary muscles and the ventricular wall.
The image shows the dissection of a human heart, with the right atrium open. The fan-like shape of the many chordae tendineae is clearly visible, spanning two leaflets. Observe that some chordae tendineae arise directly from the interventricular septum. These are known as the "septal chordae tendineae". Observe the atrioventricular sulcus, and the cardiac apex.
Image property of: CAA.Inc.
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The [common hepatic duct] is one of the components of the extrahepatic hepatobiliary tree that takes bile produced in the liver and transports it to the duodenum, with a storage function in the gallbladder.
The common hepatic duct (CHD) is formed by the junction of the right and left hepatic ducts which bring bile from the right and left functional lobes of the liver respectively. These hepatic ducts converge forming an obtuse angle.
During its trajectory the CHD is found between the layers of the lesser omentum. It has anatomical relations with the proper hepatic artery and the portal vein.
The CHD has an average diameter of 4 to 5 mm and an average length of 3cm (Testut & Latarjet 1931). It ends at the point of origin of the cystic duct which takes bile to the gallbladder. The CHD continues with the common bile duct, which empties into the second portion of the duodenum through the hepatopancreatic ampulla, also known as the Ampulla of Vater.
As with all the components of the hepatobiliary tree, the CHD presents with many anatomical variations. In cases the CHD has been reported with a length of 42 mm, and as short as 3 mm.
Following is the key to the image: 1. Bile ducts: 2. Intrahepatic bile ducts 3. Left and right hepatic ducts, 4. Common hepatic duct 5. Cystic duct 6. Common bile duct 7. Ampulla of Vater 8. Major duodenal papilla 9. Gallbladder 10–11 Right and left lobes of liver 12. Spleen. 13. Esophagus 14. Stomach Small intestine: 15. Duodenum, 16. Jejunum 17. Pancreas: 18: Accessory pancreatic duct, 19: Pancreatic duct. 20–21: Right and left kidneys (silhouette). The anterior border of the liver is lifted superiorly (brown arrow). Gallbladder in longitudinal section, pancreas and duodenum in frontal section. Intrahepatic ducts and stomach in transparency.
Sources:
1. "Tratado de Anatomia Humana" Testut et Latarjet 8 Ed. 1931 Salvat Editores, Spain
2. "Gray's Anatomy" 38th British Ed. Churchill Livingstone 1995
Original image (Public domain) by Jmarchn (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
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The simplest definition of the prefix [pro-] is that it means “forward”. The truth is quite more complicated.
This prefix, used in vernacular English, actually has two different origins and meanings. One arises from the Latin [pro], meaning “on behalf of”, or “in favor of”, and as such we see it in the words proactive, pro-independence, and prohibition.
The second meaning comes from the Greek [πρό] (pr?) meaning “before” and “fore”. This evolved into “in front of” and later to “forward”, which is the main meaning used in medical terminology, as in the words prognosis and prolapse.