The first choledochoduodenostomy, an anastomosis connecting the common bile duct to the duodenum, was performed in 1888 by the German surgeon Bernhard Moritz Carl Ludwig Riedel. This procedure marked a significant advancement in the surgical treatment of biliary diseases, establishing his influence in a medical landscape transformed by the emergence of antisepsis and germ theory during his career.
Professional Training and Early Appointments
Born in 1846 in Laage, Riedel pursued his medical education at the universities of Rostock, Göttingen, and Jena. He earned his Doctor of Sciences in Medicine before beginning his career as a prosector at Rostock under Friedrich Sigmund Merkel starting in 1872. By 1875, he served as an assistant to Franz König in Göttingen, obtaining his habilitation for surgery in 1877. His foundational training included periods of study under Bernhard von Langenbeck and Heinrich Adolf von Bardeleben. In 1881, he assumed the role of chief physician of the surgical department at the Städtisches Krankenhaus in Aachen.
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Riedel transitioned to the University of Jena in 1888, where he accepted the position of director of the surgical clinic. During his tenure at Jena, he conducted pioneering work in the surgical management of appendicitis and cholecystitis. His expertise and contributions to the field led to his appointment as Privy Medical Councillor and his selection as chairman of the German Society of Surgery in 1907. He was also an honorary member of the Corps Thuringia Jena and held membership in the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.
Lasting Medical Eponyms
The clinical legacy of Riedel is codified through several eponymous medical terms that persist in literature. In 1896, he provided the first description of a thyroid condition characterized by extensive fibrosis, now known as Riedel thyroiditis or ligneous thyroiditis. His anatomical observations also identified a tongue-shaped process of the liver, frequently observed in cases of chronic cholecystitis, which is categorized as Riedel's lobe. Other terms associated with his clinical history include the Riedel goiter, the Riedel'sche appendix, and references to sinus surgery techniques.
Fast facts
- Born: 1846, Laage, Germany
- Died: 1916, Jena, Germany
- Education: University of Rostock, University of Göttingen, University of Jena
- Major appointment: Director of the surgical clinic, University of Jena
- Key medical contribution: First choledochoduodenostomy, 1888
- Honors: Chairman of the German Society of Surgery, 1907
- Burial: Nordfriedhof
- Member: German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
Questions readers ask
What is Riedel thyroiditis?
It is an uncommon thyroid disease where the gland is replaced by extensive fibrosis, first described by Riedel in 1896.
Where is Bernhard Riedel buried?
He is buried at the Nordfriedhof.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of Jena
