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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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.
Dr. John E. Skandalakis
John E. Skandalakis, MD, PhD, FACS (1920-2009). Born in Greece, Dr. Skandalakis studied Medicine in Athens. During WWII he fought with the Greek Resistance earning a medal from the Greek government. In the USA Dr. Skandalakis obtained an additional degree in Anatomy, becoming one of the few surgeon-anatomists of our age. An extraordinary teacher, Dr. Skandalakis authored over 300 publications, including journal publications and books1. He is well known for his publications on surgical anatomy related to hernia procedures.
I had the pleasure and the opportunity of meeting and speaking with Dr. John Skandalakis a few times. He always impressed me with his dedication to Clinical Anatomy and his passion for the importance of Anatomy in Surgery. During the 1999 meeting of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists.
In 1992, Dr Skandalakis was awarded the title of "An Immortal" by the Academy of Athens, an award reserved for excellent achievement in the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities. This award has its origins from the time of Plato2.
The Journal of Clinical Anatomy published an "In Remembrance" article on Dr. Skandalakis and his life. I strongly recommend it to anyone who would like to know more about the life and works of Dr. Skandalakis. His picture in this page is a link to The Centers for Surgical Anatomy and Technique of the Emory University School of Medicine.
I was saddened by the news of his passing, but he will be remembered by all those he touched in his life: family, patients, students, and peers. I am also sure that his legacy will go on through his writings, and by those who like me, influence and teach others with his knowledge. I am honored to have met him. Dr. Miranda
Original image of Dr. John E. Skandalakis courtesy of the the Centers for Surgical Anatomy and Technique.
Sources:
1. "Obituary: Dr. John Skandalakis, 1920-2009" Jones, G. Hernia (2010) 14: 79-80
2. "In Remembrance: John Elias Skandalakis,MD,PhD,FACS (1920–2009)Loukas,M; Colborn,L; Tubbs: RS Clin Anat 23:332–334 (2010)
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In Greek mythology [Atlas] is the son of Iapetus and Clymene, said to bear on his shoulders the weight of the world. Since the depiction of Atlas supporting the world appears in all early cartography books, these books were called atlases. With time, any book with a large number of pictures came to be known as an "atlas".
The [atlas] is a name used for the first cervicalvertebra, since this vertebra bears the weight of the head. The atlas is an atypical vertebra as it does not have a vertebral body and is composed by an anterior and a posterior arch. As a cervical vertebra, the atlas does have two lateral foramina transversaria, for the passage of the vertebral artery. The image depicts a superior view of the atlas and the articular surfaces for the atlantooccipital joint can be seen.
If you hover over the image, a posterior view of the atlas will appear and you will see in the midline the articular surface for the atlantoaxial joint. For a larger version of both images, click on the legends below the image
Images property of: CAA.Inc. Photographer: D.M. Klein
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The [gastroduodenal artery] arises from the common hepatic artery, which itself is a branch of the celiac trunk. Immediately after the gastroduodenal artery arises, the common hepatic artery changes its name to proper hepatic artery.
The gastroduodenal artery courses inferiorly, passing posterior to the first portion of the duodenum, and descends dividing into the anterosuperior and posterosuperior pancreaticoduodenal arteries. These branches provide supply to the duonenum and pancreas.
An ulcer of the posterior aspect of the first portion of the duodenum is dangerous, for if undiagnosed and untreated, could perforate into the gastroduodenal artery, which can bleed uncontrolled into the duodenum.
The image is an anteroinferior view of the liver and stomach. The duodenum and stomach are reflected anteriorly. CT= Celiac trunk, CHA= Common hepatic artery, PHA= Proper hepatic artery, GDA= Gastroduodenal artery
Image property of: CAA.Inc. Photographer: David M. Klein
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A [cyst] is a small sac-like structure, usually characterized by a distinct membrane that separates the content from its surroundings. It usually contains serous fluid, but it can also contain semisolid materials. If the cyst contains pus, then it will be called an "abscess".
There are many types of cysts. One of them, shown in the accompanying image is a "ganglion cyst", a serous accumulation of fluids that is usually found near a joint or a tendon in the hands or feet. You can also read the article on "Nabothian cysts".
The image shows a ganglion cyst in the anterior aspect of the wrist.
The same word can be used as a root term, [-cyst-] arises from the Greek word [κύστη], pronounced(kisti), meaning "bladder". It is used in many words such as:
- Cholecystectomy: Removal of the gallbladder
- Cystic duct: The evacuation duct of the gallbladder
- Dacryocystolithiasis: Presence of stones in the lacrimal sac
- Cystoscope: An instrument to view into the urinary bladder
- Cystitis: Inflammation or infection of the urinary bladder
There is similar root term used for bladder: [-vesic] from the Latin [vesicae], also meaning "bladder".
Original image by GEMalone (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.
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Hesselbach's triangle
Hesselbach’s triangle is a triangular region in the lower posterior aspect of the anterior abdominal wall (see yellow inset in the image). It is bound medially by the lateral border of the rectus abdominis muscle, superolaterally by the inferior (deep) epigastric vessels (label “C”) and by the inguinal ligament inferolaterally.
Hesselbach’s triangle is described as the area where a direct inguinal hernia will extrude from posterior to anterior, to protrude directly (hence the name) through the external (superficial) inguinal ring.
Franz Kaspar Hesselbach (1759-1816) was a German surgeon and anatomist who described inguinofemoral hernias in detail, publishing several books on the subject. His name is attached to several regions and structures:
• Hesselbach’s triangle, described in this article
• Hesselbach’s fascia. Known as the cribriform fascia, this perforated fascia covers the saphenous opening in the superior femoral region.
• Hesselbach’s ligament. Also known as the interfoveolar ligament, this is a thickening of the transversalis fascia in relation to the inferior (deep) epigastric vessels.
If you click on the picture, an original image by Hesselbach will appear. This image shows a defect in Hesselbach’s triangle, setting the stage for a direct inguinal hernia, as well as the interfoveolar ligament. Incidentally, Hesselbach's triangle as described today is not the area described originally by Dr. Hesselbach, where the lower border of the triangle was Cooper's ligament.
Initial image property of:CAA.Inc.. Artist:M. Zuptich. Secondary image by F.K. Hesselbach.
Clinical anatomy of the inguinofemoral hernias, as well as abdominal and perineal hernias are some of the lecture topics developed and delivered to the medical devices industry by Clinical Anatomy Associates, Inc. For more information Contact Us.
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The suffix [-plasia] originates from the Greek word [plasis] or [plassein], meaning "to form", or "to develop". In medical terminology the suffix [-plasia] is used to mean "development". Here are some applications of this term:
- Aplasia: the prefix [a-] means "absence of" or "no", therefore "no development", or "no formation"
- Dysplasia: the prefix [dys-] means "abnormal" - abnormal development
- Hyperplasia: the prefix [hyper-] means "excessive" - excessive development
- Neoplasia: the prefix [neo-] means "new", therefore "a new development" or a "new formation". The term [neoplasia] is used to denote a malignant condition, a cancer tumor.