NYMC Faculty Publications

Tales From Previous Times: Important Eponyms in Pediatric Surgery

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.1007/s00383-013-3362-0

Journal Title

Pediatric Surgery International

First Page

1

Last Page

10

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Department

Pediatrics

Keywords

Child, Eponyms, Fundoplication, General Surgery, Hirschsprung Disease, History, 18th Century, History, 19th Century, History, 20th Century, History, 21st Century, Humans, Meckel Diverticulum, Pediatrics, Wilms Tumor

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

The use of eponyms in medicine has a long and captivating tradition, which applies to pediatric surgery as well. Unfortunately, even though these eponyms are widely used, oftentimes the fascinating personalities and lives behind these names remain unrecognized or underappreciated, especially among residents, fellows and younger-generation pediatric surgeons. Therefore, in this article, we review 15 names that are frequently used as eponyms in modern pediatric surgery and hereby enlighten the personalities behind them. Given their particular frequency, we choose the following eponyms: Ramstedt pylorotomy, Nissen fundoplication, Murphy's sign and sequence, McBurney's sign and incision, Meckel's diverticulum, Kasai portoenterostomy, Ladd's procedure, Morgagni and Bochdalek hernia, Ravitch operation, Nuss procedure, Hirschsprung disease, Swenson pullthrough, Peña procedure and Wilms tumor. A detailed description of the historical importance of these personalities and their contribution to our field is given. Without the appropriate historical background, it is difficult for the current younger and next generation pediatric surgeons to grasp the full spectrum of the ongoing progress in our field. Therefore, our article conveys not only important insight into the past, but also provides young surgeons with an important historical perspective essential to understand the current and future developments in modern pediatric surgery.

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