Top

Published in:

01-12-2017 | Orthopaedic Heritage

Injuries of the spine and of the spinal cord in the Hippocratic Corpus of medicine

Authors: Demetrios Korres, Konstantinos Markatos, Demetrios Chytas, Anastasios Andreakos, Andreas Mavrogenis

Published in: International Orthopaedics | Issue 12/2017

Abstract

The purpose of this review article is to summarize the views presented in the Hippocratic Corpus of Medicine regarding injuries of the spine, their effect on the spinal cord and the optimal treatment modulus. It is shown that the treatment dilemmas of ancient times in these injuries remain modern since Hippocrates suggested that conservative treatment and letting nature take its course is preferable over a devastating surgical treatment if the spinal cord structural integrity is not compromised. There is also a detailed account of the conservative treatment suggested in the Hippocratic Corpus concerning devices and method of closed spinal relocations.

Promponas KI (2012) The opinion of the Greeks of the Mycenaean and Homeric age for doctors. In: Jubilee Volume for Prof Demetrios S. Korres. Konstantaras Medical Ed, Athens, pp 15–17 [in Greek]

Hippocrates (1959) On joints. Harvard University Press, Cambridge

Korres DS, Mavrogenis AF, Papagelopoulos PJ (2004) Hippocratic beliefs on spine and spinal cord injuries: new or old notions? Orthopedics 27:1078–1079PubMed

Marketos SG, Skiadas P (1999) Hippocrates: the father of spine surgery. Spine 24:1381CrossRefPubMed

Withington ET (1959) Hippocrates on joints, 4th edn. Heinemann, Oxford, pp 200–397

Xarchas KC, Bourandas J (2003) Injuries and diseases of the spine in the ancient times. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 28:1481–1484

Panourias IG, Stranjalis G, Stavrinou LC, Sakas DE (2011) The Hellenic and Hippocratic origins of the spinal terminology. J Hist Neurosci 20:177–187CrossRefPubMed

Sanan A, Rengachary SS (1996) The history of spinal biomechanics. Neurosurgery 39:657–668. discussion 668-9CrossRefPubMed

Hippocrates (1982) On nature of bones. In: Littre PE (ed) Oeuvres Completes d’ Hippocrates. A.M. Hakkert, Amsterdam, pp 162–197

10.

Korres DS (1977) Fractures of the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine. Thesis, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece. [In Greek]

11.

Kladny B (2015) History of conservative spinal therapy. Unfallchirurg 118(Suppl 1):12–18 [In German]

Title: Injuries of the spine and of the spinal cord in the Hippocratic Corpus of medicine
Authors: Demetrios Korres
Konstantinos Markatos
Demetrios Chytas
Anastasios Andreakos
Andreas Mavrogenis
Publication date: 01-12-2017
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: International Orthopaedics / Issue 12/2017
Print ISSN: 0341-2695
Electronic ISSN: 1432-5195
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-017-3527-x

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Injuries of the spine and of the spinal cord in the Hippocratic Corpus of medicine

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 12/2017

Are there four tibia plateau columns?

Results of arthroscopic Bankart repair with Hill-Sachs remplissage for anterior shoulder instability

Comparison between percutaneous and open reduction for treating paediatric talar neck fractures

Outcomes of surgery for acromioclavicular joint dislocation using different angled hook plates: a prospective study

Composite reverse shoulder arthroplasty can provide good function and quality of life in cases of malignant tumour of the proximal humerus

Outcomes of shoulder arthroplasty in haematopoietic stem cell transplant patients