Eponyms In Medicine Research Articles

Rett Syndrome and the Broader Implications of the Use of Eponyms in Medicine.

Rett Syndrome and the Broader Implications of the Use of Eponyms in Medicine.

Eponyms in Pathology- A Review

Eponyms in medicine have been used widely, as an alternate between the non-possessive and possessive forms. They are used in medicine for better understanding. It also indicates invention, substance with similar appearance, institution name etc., who have discovered or to commemorate their contribution. An extensive review of literature of Eponyms in Pathology by a collection of data from PubMed, Cambridge core, google scholar, Cochrane, and semantic scholar-based medicine articles collected from 2020 - 2021. Articles were searched with a keyword like “Eponyms in pathology and Appearance in pathology “. Those articles about pathological eponyms are included as study reference. Non indexed and poor grammatical articles were excluded. From which data was analysed to interpret the results. The objective of this study was about the understanding and recognizing the complex pathological patterns.

Animal Eponyms in Eye Care

There are many eponyms derived from the animal world that help describe what is observed during an ophthalmological examination. These zoologically-based eponyms tell a story between the animal kingdom and the human eye. Medical nomenclature could be described as suffering from eponymophilia. Eponymous descriptions are ubiquitous in the field of medicine as seen in text in these fields: dermatology, neurology,and trichology. Eponyms, however practical, are profoundly affected by local geography and culture, which can contribute to confusion and misunderstanding, particularly amongst practitioners from different cultures and locations. Deriving meaning from eponyms often necessitates ethnocentric or linguistically exclusive knowledge. While the debate surrounding whether to continue the use of eponyms in medicine roars on, to the authors’ knowledge, a review of animal eponyms used in ophthalmology has been limited, as such, this manuscript will review animal eponyms encountered in ophthalmology and optometry with the aim to clarify meaning and provide a useful reference for practicing and trainee eye physicians. As this work was undertaken to review commonly encountered conditions, no detailed pathophysiology will be described as it is beyond the scope of this article. Of note, not all eponyms reviewed are based on physical appearances (e.g. chicken eyes). CE Notification: This article is available as a COPE accredited CE course. You may take this course for 1-hour credit. Read the article and take the qualifying test to earn your credit. Click here to Enroll (https://www.crojournal.com/animal-eponyms-in-eye-care)

Eponyms in Pediatric Sports Medicine: A Historical Review.

The use of eponyms in the orthopedics literature has come under scrutiny, and there is a growing body of literature evaluating the utility of these terms in modern healthcare delivery. Although the field of pediatric orthopedic sports medicine is a relatively modern subspecialty, it is built on a foundation of over 100 years of pediatric musculoskeletal medicine. As a result, eponyms account for a significant portion of the vernacular used in the field. The purpose of this review is to summarize and describe the history of common eponyms relevant to pediatric sports pathology, examination maneuvers, classification systems, and surgical procedures. Use of eponyms in medicine is flawed. However, an improved understanding of these terms allows for informed use in future scientific discourse, patient care and medical education and may encourage future innovation and research into understanding pediatric orthopedic pathologies.

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Eponyms in medicine

Eponyms in medicine

Tales from previous times: important eponyms in pediatric surgery

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.

Remembering Our Roots

For as long as athletes have been competing, injuries from competition have resulted. Sports medicine has a rich and storied history with significant contributors from many different countries and civilizations. Over time, we have honored the contributions of important figures in sports medicine with the use of eponyms. However, the continued use of eponyms in medicine has been called into question by a number of authors. They cite inaccuracies in definition and context, lack of descriptive value, and the possible celebration of unsavory characters. However, eponyms are pervasive in the medical literature. They bring color and character and allow us to honor those who came before us. Furthermore, eponyms can hide some distressing aspects of a disease. This review of eponyms in sports medicine provides an opportunity to celebrate our predecessors, recognize the international flavor of sports medicine, and promote accurate use of eponyms for the future.

In praise of the literary eponym--Henry V sign

The use of eponyms in medicine is often discouraged. However, the literary eponym should be an exception as it is not linked with many of the difficulties associated with conventional eponyms and offers descriptive brevity and accuracy. Here, we illustrate the point with Henry V sign, which will be familiar to many who have cared for patients in the terminal stage of illness.

Eponyms in medical literature linked to nurses

Nursing is one of the oldest professions in the human life. It is a profession within the healthcare sector focused on the care of individuals. An eponym is a word derived from the name of a person. Most of the eponyms in medicine are after physicians and rarely to other healthcare providers like nurses. In Table I [1-8], I highlighted on two famous medical eponyms that are linked to nurses. The association with the name of a nurse represents beyond doubt a special feature and reflects the great contributions, these nurses made. There is no wonder that both eponyms are for females, as it is around the world, nurses have been traditionally female. And despite equal opportunity legislation, nursing has continued to be a female-dominated profession. EPONYMS IN MEDICAL LITERATURE LINKED TO NURSES

Tainted eponyms in medicine: the “Clara” cell joins the list

Eponyms are a time-honoured tradition in medicine as well as the sciences. Some fields of medicine, such as rheumatology and neurology, are particularly fond of them and the term “eponymophilia” has been coined to describe their affinity 1. Those who like their eponyms argue that their use adds flavour to our daily practice and that they are universally understood. They also claim that, as they are everywhere anyway, change would be impractical 2. During the last decade or so, the use of eponyms has become the subject of intense controversy. In 2003, Panush et al. 3 reported on the biography of Hans Reiter, after whom a form of reactive arthritis was named despite the fact that others had described the condition well before him. Apart from being an outspoken lecturer in favour of “racial hygiene”, Reiter served on the advisory board to Hitler's physician, Karl Brandt, who headed the infamous “euthanasia” programme. This systematic killing of patients with mental and other illnesses developed the killing mechanism utilised in the genocide of the Jews, and the Roma and Sinti people. Brandt was executed for this and other crimes in 1948. Moreover, Reiter, as Chief of the Reich Health Service, approved not only the sterilisation programmes but also the deliberate infection of concentration camp inmates with rickettsia. The report by Panush et al. 3 led many physicians, particularly in the USA and Germany, to abandon the use of the eponym in favour of a more descriptive name 4. Panush's work also led to the formal retraction, in 2007, of the initial publication that coined this particular eponym 5. It is probably fair to say that there is no coherent approach to these issues within the rheumatology community. Some have disdained its use, whereas others continue the use of …

On the use of eponyms in medicine

A distinctive feature of medical language is the use of eponyms or denominations constructed using the names of real or imaginary persons. Some consider this practice as inappropriate, because eponyms are sometimes more a reflection of influence and power rather than the real authorship of discoveries. On the other hand, others consider valid the use of eponyms since they are a part of a scientific domain used to name objects and diseases. The fact is that tradition and use have finally imposed eponyms in medical language and demonstrated its usefulness. They facilitate the communication between peers and are also a tribute to the clinical sagacity and observational skills of their discoverers. A reasonable practice is to favor the use of those classical eponyms that have endured the pass of time due to their clinical importance, specificity diagnostic significance or historical relevance. Moreover, the knowledge of the biography or historical environment of discoverers of signs, syndromes or diseases gives us a historical perspective of medicine and sheds light on the past, evolution and present knowledge and practice of medicine.

Marathon of eponyms

This issue of Oral Diseases, contains a study on an eponymous condition named Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), as it was first described in 1886 by Jonathan Hutchinson but also described independently in the following year by Hastings Gilford. An eponym (from Greek πí [epi, ‘upon’] + őνυμα [onuma, name]), is a person, whether real or fictitious, after whom an item is named or thought to be named. The use of eponyms in medicine and dentistry is widespread; for example, Ruffner (1977) lists 20 000 eponyms. Nevertheless, the use of eponyms is highly contentious. Some argue that healthcare professionals may be baffled by terms that do not accurately outline the condition, that eponyms may not necessarily reflect the truth of discoveries, and suggest eponyms be abandoned in favor of more descriptive terms. Eponyms certainly can have some rather annoying features. For example, many diseases have more than one eponym. Some eponymous authors even have multiple conditions ascribed to them so it may be taxing to distinguish which condition is being discussed (Gorlin was a prime example). Swee (2007) points out that another problem is that some eponyms do not refer to the same person: for example, the Pick cell (foam cell), Pick disease (a neuro-degenerative disorder) and Pick pericarditis were named after, respectively – Ludwig Pick (German pathologist), Arnold Pick (Czech psychiatrist), and Friedel Pick (Czech-Austrian physician). Eponyms can differ between cultures (e.g. Behcet syndrome is often termed Adamantiades syndrome in Greece: Sjogren syndrome is termed Gougerot syndrome in France). As long ago as 1978, the American Dental Association (ADA) stated in their Principles of Ethics Section 15 that ‘The use of eponyms in connection with drugs, agents, instruments or appliances is generally to be discouraged.’ As to eponymous conditions, Woywodt and Matteson (2007) argue ‘Eponyms often provide a less than truthful account of how diseases were discovered and reflect influence, politics, language, habit, or even sheer luck rather than scientific achievement,’ and they state. ‘Moreover, the continued use of tainted eponyms is inappropriate and will not be accepted by patients, relatives, or the public.’ In contrast, Whitworth (2007) believes that eponyms remain ‘a useful reflection of medical history.’Swee (2007) states that ‘Sometimes, perhaps often, things are named falsely or wrongly after persons because of their high social status and high visibility in the field, long after a particular discovery had been made.’ Swee goes on to summarize ‘Despite all these inconveniences, medical eponyms will continue to be used because there is a sense of history to their use.’ Eugene Garfield (1983) in a lengthy essay on eponyms, summarizes as follows: ‘Whatever such disadvantages eponyms may have, I believe they are outweighed by their benefits. Eponyms remind us that science and scholarship are the work of dedicated people. They allow us to immortalize sometimes obscure but deserving persons. It is clear that they represent a natural language way of expressing complex ideas and it is for this reason that they have often been cited as a useful first approach to searching with title-word and citation indexes, as well as with controlled vocabularies.’ The use of eponyms in diseases of the head and neck is mainly in specialties dealing with medically compromised individuals (paediatric dentistry, special care dentistry, oral and maxillofacial medicine, oral and maxillofacial pathology and oral and maxillofacial surgery) and particularly by hospital-centered practitioners. Oral Diseases will publish a series of synopses of eponymous conditions relevant to oral and maxillofacial diseases, presented alphabetically. This series will select some of the more recognised relevant eponymous conditions. Geographic eponyms such as Lyme disease, Coxsackie infections, Ebola and Lassa fever are not included.The information will of necessity be based largely on data available from MEDLINE and a number of Internet websites e.g. http://www.whonamedit.com and, as many journals (e.g. the Journal of the American Medical Association) no longer use the possessive for eponyms (reasoning that the eponymized persons did not own the disease), this style will be used. Past experience suggests that papers on eponyms will almost certainly contain discrepancies and excite controversy (Evereklioglu, 2007) and we trust that readers will continue to contribute to this on-going debate.

Poland’s Syndrome: Current Thoughts in the Setting of a Controversy

Poland's syndrome is a rare congenital disorder that is characterized by hypoplasia of the pectoralis muscles and ipsilateral webbing of the fingers. The name of this condition pays homage to Dr. Alfred Poland of Guy's Hospital, who in 1841 described a case of these two deformities during the autopsy of a 27-year-old convict. An exploration of the historical series reveals a clear progression of knowledge about this syndrome, accumulated by scientists across Europe and America. As such, the name "Poland's syndrome" stands as a point of contention to those who oppose the injudicious use of eponyms in medicine. An analysis of the relevant literature reveals a stepwise understanding of what has come to be known as Poland's syndrome.

Pierre Robin syndrome: An update

'Pierre Robin' is one of the most readily recognised eponyms in medicine, yet it is a poorly understood nonspecific grouping of malformations that has no prognostic significance. Previously known as 'Pierre Robin syndrome', the way this diagnostic entity is viewed is now undergoing change. It is the purpose of this paper to review previous thinking about Robin and provide an update on recent clinical observations. A computerised literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE, AJOL and OMIM was conducted for published articles up to March 2006. Mesh phrases used in the search were: Pierre Robin syndrome, Robin anomalad and Robin sequence (RS). This relatively uncommon association of micrognathia with cleft palate and upper airway obstruction which was initially thought to be a specific disease and entire treatment regimens established to deal with presumed problems is now understood to be a grouping of clinical findings that does not represent a distinct multiple anomaly syndrome. The condition is therefore now described as 'Pierre Robin sequence'. Evidence of distinct cytogenetic anomalies has also highlighted the aetiological heterogeneity associated with RS in recent times. Infants with Robin sequence can present with varied problems, some of them emergencies. Clinicians must be aware of the high prevalence of associated syndromes and the possible contribution of other syndromic features to the problems for proper patient care. Candidate loci and potential candidate genes are currently being proposed in the literature for RS.

Eponyms in esophageal surgery, part 2

Eponyms in medicine are frequently criticized because they may not represent the person who first described a syndrome or disease. Although eponyms are very commonly used, most readers are probably unaware of who it was that named the diseases and whether the original description of the disease still corresponds to the modern definition. The 10 most common eponyms in esophageal diseases were revisited. The men and the disease behind Barrett's esophagus, Boerhaave's syndrome, Mallory-Weiss syndrome, Cameron ulcer, Schatzki ring, Paterson-Kelly syndrome, Plummer-Vinson, Chagas's disease, Zenker diverticulum and Killian diverticulum are reviewed here.

The Wenckebach phenomenon: a salute and comment on the centennial of its original description.

In 1899, Karel F. Wenckebach unraveled the complicated arrhythmia that bears his name--one of the most famous eponyms in medicine. He reported his findings before the benefit of clinical electrocardiography or the discovery of the sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes. Born and educated in The Netherlands, Wenckebach first worked in Utrecht in the physiology laboratory of T.W. Engelmann, his respected mentor, where he became familiar with kymographic recordings and rhythm disturbances in frog experiments. He then entered country practice in 1891, where he gained great respect for practicing physicians as well as the importance of clinical experience. In 1896, he returned to Utrecht to work again in the laboratory with Engelmann. In 1898, a woman consulted Wenckebach about her irregular pulse. His investigation of her irregular heart action by using radial arterial pulse tracings and experimental atrial and ventricular pulse tracings from the heart of a frog enabled him to discover the mechanism of partial heart block. In later years, he continued to be a leader in academic medicine, chairing the departments of medicine in Groningen, Strasbourg, and Vienna. He achieved fame for investigating cardiac arrhythmias and other contributions and is considered to be one of the founders of modern cardiology. He is remembered for his insight into atrioventricular conduction, which is as valid today as it was a century ago.

Sir William Bowman: His contributions to physiology and nephrology

The use of eponyms in medicine is most common among Western European countries. While in some instances it is the name of a patient that has been used to describe a disease (Christmas disease) or that of the location in which a finding was first noted (Balkan nephropathy), in general it has been the name of the author credited with the first reported observation that has been employed [1, 21. As a rule, the profession is not equally familiar with the thousands of eponyms that have been used sometime or another, but are now relegated to medical dictionaries or forgotten altogether. In general, it is the ones used in anatomy that are better remembered and used in the common language of medicine. One can only speculate why within the discipline of anatomy only a few of the many authors who first described a structure are immortalized with the adoption and continued use of their name into the universal anatomic nomenclature. One factor that appears to contribute to the acceptance of an anatomic eponym is the functional significance of the observation made and the link it provides to theretofore unexplained phenomena, as opposed to those eponyms that are mere descriptive morphologic observations. This most likely accounts for the acceptance of Bowman's capsule, intimately familiar to every nephrologist and so well remembered by most graduates of medical school. Who was William Bowman, why was his relatively simple observation of a membrane so important, and what were his notions of the kidney and its functions as a whole?

The implications of the diagnosis of Robin sequence.

"Pierre Robin" is one of the most readily recognized diagnostic eponyms in medicine, yet it is a poorly understood nonspecific grouping of malformations that has no prognostic significance. Although the science of dysmorphology and in particular those who study children with clefts would be reluctant to forego the use of this diagnosis, the reality is that fewer than 20 percent of children with micrognathia and cleft palate should have this term applied. The syndromic diagnoses of 100 children with Robin sequence are presented and discussed in relation to morphologic characteristics. Upper airway obstruction and its relationship to feeding problems is also discussed.

Occurrence of Disease and Syndrome Eponyms in the Titles of Medical Literature

No quantitative data on the use of eponyms in medicine are available. This paper attempts to quantify the frequency of occurrence of 91 personalized disease and syndrome eponyms (DSE) in the titles of medical documents. By employing the subject heading-title word correlation technique of Montgomeryand Swansonit was found that 72.2 percent of the 2,435 papers listed in the 1973 Index Medicushad at least one of these 91 candidate DSEs in their titles; another 195 (8.0 percent) titles had the corresponding descriptive or non-eponymic synonyms, and the remaining 480 (19.8 percent) titles did not have either of these two matching elements. Thus, the ratio of occurrence of the personalized DSEs to their descriptive names in the titles of the medical literature examined appeared to be 9:1. It was further noted that, while about 80 percent of the pertinent literature could be retrieved on the basis of a title search with DSEs and their descriptive synonyms, about 20 percent of the relevant documents will be missed.