Létiévant
Encyclopedia
Jean Joseph Emile Létiévant (1830 - Marboz (Ain Department), Lyons
– 1952) was a French surgeon remembered for drawing the first aesthesiography.
, Montpellier
and Paris
. In 1858, he became a medical doctor with his thesis: "Trauma in child-birth compared to ordinary trauma; followed by the relation between an epidemic of puerperal metro-peritonitis at the Lyons Maternity Hospital in 1858". From 1861 to 1865, he was head of the Surgical Clinic at the Lyons Medical School. In 1867, he was appointed head surgeon at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Lyons. In 1873, he also became assistant professor of anatomy and physiology.
From 1858 to 1880, Létiévant published a book and forty articles. The French Academy of Science awarded him the sum of one thousand francs for his treatise on nervous sections.
The treatise of nervous sections is a 548-page book which mentions 226 references in five languages: Latin, French, English, Italian, and German. Létiévant had not only read Galen
and Ambroise Paré
, but Paul Broca
, Charles-Édouard Brown-Séquard
, and even Silas Weir Mitchell
. Two of the main topics of this treatise are: 1. Aesthesiography
(from the Greek: aisthêsis) a new concept proposed by Létiévant, is a map of the incomplete anaesthesia which "facilitates the interpretation" of the cutaneous nerve lesions. Létiévant presents nine illustrations drawn by himself. 2. Tingling sign. Létiévant had already observed that pressure over the median nerve at the site of the repair or at a point distal to the repair, caused painful tingling in the fingers. It was then, in 1915, correctly interpreted as Tinel's sign
.
In 1869, Létiévant, at several meetings of the medical society in Lyons, asked his colleagues their opinion on the possibility of repairing a radial nerve transsection. He repaired it on 4 August.
At Létiévant’s funeral, his pupil, friend and successor at the Hôtel-Dieu as head surgeon, Daniel Mollière said: "Saying goodbye to this great soul who has just entered into eternity, let us write on his tomb these two words from the Book of Revelations, which define him so well : FIDELIS ET VERAX".
His contributions to surgery and rehabilitation, the quality of his observations conveys a poignant freshness.
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
– 1952) was a French surgeon remembered for drawing the first aesthesiography.
Biography
Jean Joseph Emile Létiévant studied medicine in LyonsLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1858, he became a medical doctor with his thesis: "Trauma in child-birth compared to ordinary trauma; followed by the relation between an epidemic of puerperal metro-peritonitis at the Lyons Maternity Hospital in 1858". From 1861 to 1865, he was head of the Surgical Clinic at the Lyons Medical School. In 1867, he was appointed head surgeon at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Lyons. In 1873, he also became assistant professor of anatomy and physiology.
From 1858 to 1880, Létiévant published a book and forty articles. The French Academy of Science awarded him the sum of one thousand francs for his treatise on nervous sections.
The treatise of nervous sections is a 548-page book which mentions 226 references in five languages: Latin, French, English, Italian, and German. Létiévant had not only read Galen
Galen
Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamon , was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher...
and Ambroise Paré
Ambroise Paré
Ambroise Paré was a French surgeon. He was the great official royal surgeon for kings Henry II, Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III and is considered as one of the fathers of surgery and modern forensic pathology. He was a leader in surgical techniques and battlefield medicine, especially the...
, but Paul Broca
Paul Broca
Pierre Paul Broca was a French physician, surgeon, anatomist, and anthropologist. He was born in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, Gironde. He is best known for his research on Broca's area, a region of the frontal lobe that has been named after him. Broca’s Area is responsible for articulated language...
, Charles-Édouard Brown-Séquard
Charles-Édouard Brown-Séquard
Charles-Édouard Brown-Séquard FRS , also known as Charles Edward, was a Mauritian physiologist and neurologist who, in 1850, became the first to describe what is now called Brown-Séquard syndrome.-Early life:...
, and even Silas Weir Mitchell
Silas Weir Mitchell
Silas Weir Mitchell was an American physician and writer.He was son of a physician, John Kearsley Mitchell , and was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. Two of the main topics of this treatise are: 1. Aesthesiography
Aesthesiography
Aesthesiography comes from the Greek word “aesthesis” meaning "sensibility," and “graphy” in order to visualize hyposensibility of the skin. This term has been proposed by the French surgeon Létiévant....
(from the Greek: aisthêsis) a new concept proposed by Létiévant, is a map of the incomplete anaesthesia which "facilitates the interpretation" of the cutaneous nerve lesions. Létiévant presents nine illustrations drawn by himself. 2. Tingling sign. Létiévant had already observed that pressure over the median nerve at the site of the repair or at a point distal to the repair, caused painful tingling in the fingers. It was then, in 1915, correctly interpreted as Tinel's sign
Tinel's sign
Tinel's sign is a way to detect irritated nerves. It is performed by lightly tapping over the nerve to elicit a sensation of tingling or "pins and needles" in the distribution of the nerve.It takes its name from French neurologist Jules Tinel .For example, in carpal tunnel syndrome where the...
.
In 1869, Létiévant, at several meetings of the medical society in Lyons, asked his colleagues their opinion on the possibility of repairing a radial nerve transsection. He repaired it on 4 August.
At Létiévant’s funeral, his pupil, friend and successor at the Hôtel-Dieu as head surgeon, Daniel Mollière said: "Saying goodbye to this great soul who has just entered into eternity, let us write on his tomb these two words from the Book of Revelations, which define him so well : FIDELIS ET VERAX".
His contributions to surgery and rehabilitation, the quality of his observations conveys a poignant freshness.