Medical Terminology Daily (MTD) is a blog sponsored by Clinical Anatomy Associates, Inc. as a service to the medical community. We post anatomical, medical or surgical terms, their meaning and usage, as well as biographical notes on anatomists, surgeons, and researchers through the ages. Be warned that some of the images used depict human anatomical specimens.

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A Moment in History

Jean-Louis Petit

Jean Louis Petit
(1674 – 1750)

French surgeon and anatomist, Jean Louis Petit was born in Paris in on March 13, 1674.  His family rented an apartment at his house to Alexis Littre (1658 – 1726), a French anatomist. Petit became an apprentice of Littre at seven years of age, helping him in the dissections for his lectures and at an early age became the assistant in charge of the anatomic amphitheater.

Because of Petit’s dedication to anatomy and medicine, in 1690 at the age of sixteen, became a disciple of a famous Paris surgeon, Castel.

In 1692, Petit entered the French army and performed surgery in two military campaigns. By 1693 he started delivering lectures and was accepted as a great surgeon, being invited to the most difficult operations.  In 1700 he was appointed Chief Surgeon of the Military School in Paris and in the same year he received the degree of Master of Surgery from the Faculty of Paris.

In 1715 he was made a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences and an honorary member of the Royal Society of London. He was appointed by the King as the first Director General of the Royal Academy of Surgery when it was founded in 1731.

Petit’s written works are of historical importance.  “Traite des Maladies des Os” ( A Treatise on Bone Diseases);  “Traite des Maladies Chirurgicales et des Operation” (A Treatise on Surgical Diseases and their Operations” This last book was published posthumously in 1774. He also published a monograph on hemorrhage, another on lachrymal fistula, and others.

He was one of the first to perform choIecystotomy and mastoidotomy. His original tourniquet design for amputations saved many in the battlefield and the design of the same surgical instrument today has not changed much since its invention by him.

His name is remembered in the lumbar triangle, also called the "triangle of Petit", and the abdominal hernia that can ensue through that area of weakness, the lumbar hernia or "Petit's hernia".

Sources:
1. “Jean Louis Petit – A Sketch of his Life, Character, and Writings” Hayne, AP San Fran Western Lancet 1875 4: 446-454
2. “Oeuvres compl?tes de Jean-Louis Petit” 1837 Imprimerie de F. Chapoulaud
3. Extraits de l'eloge de Jean-Louis Petit Ius dans Ia seance publique de I' Academie royale de chirurgie du 26 mai 1750” Louis A. Chirurgie 2001: 126 : 475- 81


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Prof. Maria F. Cortés, DDS, MSc

Prof. Maria F. Cortés, DDS, MSc

Dr. María Fernanda Cortés Sylvester is a Dentist based in Santiago de Chile. She is a Specialist in Dentomaxillofacial Radiology and has also a Master’s degree in Temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain obtained at the Neapolitan University Federico II, Italy.

Currently she is an assistant professor, lecturer of Human Anatomy at the Faculty of Dentistry of the Finis Terrae University, and  teacher in charge of the first year’s Anatomy course.

She also collaborates as a Postgraduate teacher for students of the “Anatomical Bases of Normal Imaging” diploma program at the Medical school of the same university.

Besides Anatomy, she is also an instructor of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology at the Dentistry faculty of University of Chile for under and postgraduates, and is a lecturer on the morphofunction module for first-years dentistry students at Finis Terrae University.

Due to her background in both Anatomy and Oral Radiology she is part of the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Society of Chile and the AACA (American Association of Clinical Anatomists).

Dr. Cortés has her own private practice in Santiago, Chile where she dedicates to all general aspects in dentistry, collaborating with a multidisciplinary group of dentists. At her private practice, she also focuses on the treatment of patients with temporomandibular disorders.

Clinical Anatomy Associates, Inc is proud to have Dr. Cortés as a contributor to "Medical Terminology Daily" and as a consultant to our team.


La Dra. María Fernanda Cortés Sylvester es cirujano dentista con sede en Santiago de Chile. Es especialista en Radiología Dento Maxilofacial de la Universidad de Chile y tiene una Maestría en Trastornos Temporomandibulares y Dolor orofacial, obtenida en la universidad napolitana Universidad Federico II, Italia.

Actualmente es profesor asistente encargada de la cátedra de Anatomía Humana de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad Finis Terrae., en donde también colabora como docente en el postítulo de "Bases anatómicas de la Imagenología normal", programa de la Escuela de Medicina.

Además de Anatomía, es Instructor de Radiología Oral y Maxilofacial en la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de Chile en pre y postgrado, y colabora como docente en el módulo morfofunción para los estudiantes de primer año de odontología en la Universidad Finis Terrae.

Debido a su desarrollo en estas áreas es parte de la Sociedad de Radiología oral y maxilofacial de Chile y la AACA (Asociación Americana de Anatomistas Clínicos).

La Dra. Cortés tiene su propia oficina odontológica privada en Santiago, Chile, donde se dedica a la odontología general con enfoque en el tratamiento de pacientes con trastornos odontológicos y máxilofaciales.


Contact information

Dr. María Fernanda Cortés Sylvester

Dentistry Faculty
Finis Terrae University
1509 Pedro de Valdivia Avenue
7501015 RM Providencia
Santiago, CHILE


To contact Dr. Cortés  via e-mail, please use our "Contact Us" form.