Gavril Abramovich Ilizarov
Encyclopedia
Gavriil Abramovich Ilizarov was a Soviet physician
, known for inventing the Ilizarov apparatus
for lengthening limb bones and for his eponymous surgery. He was a Hero of Socialist Labor
(1981), a laureate of the Lenin Prize
(1979), and a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
(1991).
, Poland
(now Belovezha in Brest Voblast
, Belarus
) to a Jewish family from the Dagestan
region of the Russian Empire
. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Qusar
(Azerbaijan
), where he grew up. He graduated from Derbent Medical Rabfac (an educational establishment set up to prepare workers and peasants for higher education) then from Crimea Medical School
. In 1944 he was sent to a rural hospital in Kurgan Oblast
in Siberia
. In 1955 he became the head of Surgery Department of a hospital and a surgeon with the air ambulance
.
His residency was carried out in orthopedic surgery
, during which he developed an "external fixator system". In 1961 he created the Kurgan Center of the Restorational Surgery and Orthopedy. He was the head of this center until 1991. It was said that the Center became the largest orthopedic center in the world.
around it, one could separate two halves of a bone slightly and fix them in place, and the bone would grow to fill the gap. He also discovered that bone regrows at a fairly uniform rate across people and circumstances.
These experiments led to the design of what is known as an Ilizarov apparatus
, which holds a bone so severed in place, by virtue of a framework and pins through the bone, and separates halves of the bone by a tiny amount; by repeating this over time, at the rate of the bone's regrowth, it is possible to extend a bone by a desired amount.
Introduction to the Western World
In 1980 during the Cold War era, an Italian photojournalist Carlo Mauri, on the urgings of a Russian colleague, travelled to Kurgan 2000 km east of Moscow, in the then communist Soviet Union. He was to be treated by Ilizarov for a tibial fracture that that healed incorrectly after a skiing accident 20 years previously. Italian doctors had long given up hope of any surgical improvement to the leg. Ilizarov distracted the stiff non-union in his tibia by 2 cm, healing the pseudarthrosis, corrected an equinus deformity by distraction and lengthened his leg. On his return to Italy, the healing of Mauri's leg amazed orthopaedic surgeons. Subsequent to this, Ilizarov was invited to be a guest speaker at the AO Italy conference in 1981.
He also had daughter, Maria, and a son, Alexander.
in the early 1990s to discuss his work, which was still largely unknown there. He died of heart failure in 1992, at the age of 71.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, known for inventing the Ilizarov apparatus
Ilizarov apparatus
The Ilizarov apparatus is named after the orthopedic surgeon Gavriil Abramovich Ilizarov from the Soviet Union, who pioneered the technique. It is used in surgical procedures to lengthen or reshape limb bones; to treat complex and/or open bone fractures; and in cases of infected non-unions of bones...
for lengthening limb bones and for his eponymous surgery. He was a Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labour was an honorary title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries. It was the highest degree of distinction for exceptional achievements in national economy and culture...
(1981), a laureate of the Lenin Prize
Lenin Prize
The Lenin Prize was one of the most prestigious awards of the USSR, presented to individuals for accomplishments relating to science, literature, arts, architecture, and technology. It was created on June 23, 1925 and was awarded until 1934. During the period from 1935 to 1956, the Lenin Prize was...
(1979), and a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
(1991).
Life and work
Ilizarov was born in the town of Belovezh, Polesie VoivodeshipPolesie Voivodeship
Polesie Voivodeship was an administrative unit of interwar Poland . It ceased to exist in September 1939, following German and Soviet aggression on Poland .-Population:...
, Poland
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
(now Belovezha in Brest Voblast
Brest Voblast
Brest Voblast or Brest Oblast is a province of Belarus with its administrative center being Brest.Important cities within the voblast' include: Baranovichi, Brest, and Pinsk.-Geography:...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
) to a Jewish family from the Dagestan
Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and the largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea...
region of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Qusar
Qusar (city)
Qusar is a city in and the capital of the Qusar Rayon of Azerbaijan.-Economy:The economy of Qusar is partially agricultural, partially tourist based, with some industries in operation.-External links:* – World-Gazetteer.com...
(Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
), where he grew up. He graduated from Derbent Medical Rabfac (an educational establishment set up to prepare workers and peasants for higher education) then from Crimea Medical School
Crimea State Medical University named after S. I. Georgievsky
Crimea State Medical University named after S. I. Georgievsky is the institution of higher medical education situated in Simferopol . According to some independent estimations it is one of the most prominent medical schools of Ukraine. The university has 6 faculties and 54 departments...
. In 1944 he was sent to a rural hospital in Kurgan Oblast
Kurgan Oblast
Kurgan Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Kurgan. Population: -History:The oblast was formed on February 6, 1943, just when the Soviet Army decisively defeated Hitler's forces near Stalingrad...
in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. In 1955 he became the head of Surgery Department of a hospital and a surgeon with the air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
.
His residency was carried out in orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
, during which he developed an "external fixator system". In 1961 he created the Kurgan Center of the Restorational Surgery and Orthopedy. He was the head of this center until 1991. It was said that the Center became the largest orthopedic center in the world.
Bone experiments
Ilizarov discovered that by carefully severing a bone without severing the periosteumPeriosteum
Periosteum is a membrane that lines the outer surface of all bones, except at the joints of long bones. Endosteum lines the inner surface of all bones....
around it, one could separate two halves of a bone slightly and fix them in place, and the bone would grow to fill the gap. He also discovered that bone regrows at a fairly uniform rate across people and circumstances.
These experiments led to the design of what is known as an Ilizarov apparatus
Ilizarov apparatus
The Ilizarov apparatus is named after the orthopedic surgeon Gavriil Abramovich Ilizarov from the Soviet Union, who pioneered the technique. It is used in surgical procedures to lengthen or reshape limb bones; to treat complex and/or open bone fractures; and in cases of infected non-unions of bones...
, which holds a bone so severed in place, by virtue of a framework and pins through the bone, and separates halves of the bone by a tiny amount; by repeating this over time, at the rate of the bone's regrowth, it is possible to extend a bone by a desired amount.
Introduction to the Western World
In 1980 during the Cold War era, an Italian photojournalist Carlo Mauri, on the urgings of a Russian colleague, travelled to Kurgan 2000 km east of Moscow, in the then communist Soviet Union. He was to be treated by Ilizarov for a tibial fracture that that healed incorrectly after a skiing accident 20 years previously. Italian doctors had long given up hope of any surgical improvement to the leg. Ilizarov distracted the stiff non-union in his tibia by 2 cm, healing the pseudarthrosis, corrected an equinus deformity by distraction and lengthened his leg. On his return to Italy, the healing of Mauri's leg amazed orthopaedic surgeons. Subsequent to this, Ilizarov was invited to be a guest speaker at the AO Italy conference in 1981.
Family
Svetlana Ilizarova is his daughter. She was trained by her father at the Limb Lengthening and Deformity Correction at the Center of Reconstructive Orthopaedics and Trauma in Kurgan, Siberia. She is currently a Medical Doctor practicing in the United States.He also had daughter, Maria, and a son, Alexander.
Later life and death
Ilizarov made a trip to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the early 1990s to discuss his work, which was still largely unknown there. He died of heart failure in 1992, at the age of 71.