Dalfardi B, Yarmohammadi H, Meibodi MK. Insights into Avicenna’s knowledge of the science of orthopedics. World J Orthop 2014; 5(1): 67-68 [PMID: 24649417 DOI: 10.5312/wjo.v5.i1.67]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Hassan Yarmohammadi, MD, Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Neshat Street, Shiraz 7139748479, Iran. yarmohammadihassan@yahoo.com
Research Domain of This Article
Orthopedics
Article-Type of This Article
Letters To The Editor
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World J Orthop. Jan 18, 2014; 5(1): 67-68 Published online Jan 18, 2014. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v5.i1.67
Insights into Avicenna’s knowledge of the science of orthopedics
Behnam Dalfardi, Hassan Yarmohammadi, Mohammad Kalantari Meibodi
Behnam Dalfardi, Hassan Yarmohammadi, Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 7139748479, Iran
Behnam Dalfardi, Hassan Yarmohammadi, Research Office for the History of Persian Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 7139748479, Iran
Mohammad Kalantari Meibodi, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 7139748479, Iran
Author contributions: Dalfardi B, Yarmohammadi H and Kalantari Meibodi M contributed to this work; Dalfardi B, Yarmohammadi H and Kalantari Meibodi M designed the study; Dalfardi B and Yarmohammadi H reviewed the Canon of Avicenna; Kalantari Meibodi M compared Avicenna’s statements to modern medicine; Dalfardi B, Yarmohammadi H and Kalantari Meibodi M wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Hassan Yarmohammadi, MD, Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Neshat Street, Shiraz 7139748479, Iran. yarmohammadihassan@yahoo.com
Telephone: +98-917-3365275 Fax: +98-711-2122970
Received: September 8, 2013 Revised: October 17, 2013 Accepted: November 15, 2013 Published online: January 18, 2014
Abstract
The art of orthopedics traces its history back to ancient civilizations like those of the Egyptians. The evolution of this branch of medicine is indebted to investigations of many scientists, including Greek, Roman and Persian scholars. The Persian physician Avicenna (980-1037 AD) is one such scientist who investigated different aspects of orthopedics. It is possible to analyze Avicenna’s knowledge of orthopedics and his contributions to this branch of medicine by an examination of his epic encyclopedia of medicine, Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb (The Canon of Medicine).
Core tip: The Persian scientist Avicenna investigated facets of orthopedics such as bone fractures and dislocations and ways of diagnosing and managing them. He contributed cutting-edge ideas relative to his era; among them, an early description of compartment syndrome and distinguishing between nerves and tendons.
