In Memoriam: George Cierny, III MD (1947-2013)

Abstract

The Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) joins the entire orthopaedic community in mourning the loss of George Cierny, III MD (Fig. 1), an orthopaedic leader and legend. Dr. Cierny died on June 24, 2013 following a 7-month-long battle with pancreatic cancer. Fig. 1 A superb clinician-scientist, Dr. Cierny’s contributions to the field of orthopaedics number more than 100 scientific papers and book chapters. Dr. Cierny was born on Dec. 12, 1947 in San Diego, CA. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1969, and attended medical school at the University of California, Los Angeles, receiving his doctorate in 1974. Dr. Cierny completed his surgical internship and orthopaedic residency in 1979 at the University of Texas, Parkland in Dallas. There, he took an interest in the treatment of high-energy open fractures and the study of wound environment. From his experiences, he went on to coauthor landmark papers on open fracture management. After residency, Dr. Cierny continued his education in a Musculoskeletal Oncology and Pathology fellowship at the University of Florida, Gainesville, with Dr. William Enneking who described Dr. Cierny in a conversation with Dr. Richard “Dickey” Jones (June 2013) as “a truly remarkable individual, a really unique thinker.” After joining the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Texas, Galveston, Dr. Cierny combined his expertise of oncology and orthopaedic reconstruction, and applied the principles to musculoskeletal infections. His pioneering work with Infectious Disease specialist Dr. Jon Mader, led to the landmark paper describing the Cierny-Mader classification, staging system, and treatment algorithm for osteomyelitis, which has been accepted worldwide. Dr. Cierny then moved to Atlanta, GA and joined the faculty of Orthopaedic Surgery at Emory University, where he served as Associate Professor and later as full Professor. There, he continued his work on musculskeletal infections. In 1989, Dr. Cierny became a founding member of the MSIS, which is a multidisciplinary educational and scientific forum for the advancement of knowledge in bone and joint infection. An active member from the society’s inception, Dr. Cierny served two terms as President—in 1999 and 2006. Deciding to move back to his childhood hometown, he and his wife and practice partner, Dr. Doreen DiPasquale, relocated from Atlanta to San Diego in 2006. Back in California, they established REOrthopaedics—a practice dedicated to the care of patients with musculoskeletal infections. A superb clinician-scientist, his contributions to the field of orthopaedics include more than 100 scientific papers and book chapters. In 2009, he coedited Orthopaedic Knowledge Update: Musculoskeletal Infection, published by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Cierny has been a guest speaker at numerous national and international meetings, and he was honored as presidential speaker for many orthopaedic organizations where he graced the audience with informative and concise lectures. Dr. Cierny’s contributions to the MSIS have been numerous and impactful. His enthusiasm, energy, and dedication to excellence serve as a role model for everyone to emulate. To encourage research investigating the treatment of orthopaedic infections, the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation established the George Cierny III, MD Bone and Joint Musculoskeletal Infection Fund, accessible at on.oref.org/Cierny. We all will greatly miss Dr. Cierny, a true orthopaedic legend, who leaves a lasting legacy.