Friedrich Stelzner
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Stelzner is a German academic surgeon, scientist and educator with specialization in gastrointestinal surgery. He served consecutively as Professor and Chairman of three university departments and was inducted as President of the German Society for Surgery in 1985. Stelzner contributed more than 80 books and book chapters to the literature and authored over 450 publications and presentations. Throughout his scientific career, Stelzner investigated questions of functional anatomy and its impact on surgical operative methods.
, Czechoslovakia
on 4 November 1921, the only son of the railway official Georg Stelzner (1889–1959) and his wife Helene Brandner (1908–1969). Stelzner’s mother Helene came from the nearby town of Cheb
, where her father was a master craftsman.
Friedrich Stelzner spent the first years of his life in Františkovy Lázně
and attended secondary school in Cheb
. Subsequently he attended medical school in Berlin
, Würzburg
, Giessen and Munich
and graduated Summa cum laude in 1945. Stelzner soon after began his surgical residency at the University of Erlangen where he was boarded in General Surgery in 1949. Three years later, he was appointed as a Private docent based on a thesis that focused on the radical removal of rectal cancer with preservation of anal continence function.
in 1955. He received a scholarship from the British Council
to complete additional training in colorectal surgery at London's St. Mark's Hospital
. The collaboration with leading colorectal surgeons in Britain
left a strong impression on Stelzner and strengthened his desire to specialize in this field. Inspired by the experience, Stelzner wrote the first edition of his standard work on anorectal fistulas. For this monograph, Stelzner was awarded the Langenbeck prize, the highest scientific award of the German Society for Surgery in 1960. In collaboration with the anatomist Jochen Staubesand, Stelzner investigated the exact structure of the hemorrhoidal vessels. He demonstrated that hemorrhoids are not enlarged venous structures, but rather arteriovenous cushions for which he coined the term corpus cavernosum recti. These cushions have great importance for the anal continence. Stelzner also developed the concept of anorectal continence organ. He pointed out that this organ shows significant differences in males and females. This has bearing on the details and the outcome of anorectal surgical procedures. Further studies revealed the spiral structure of the esophageal wall muscles. Stelzner worked with the anatomist Werner Lierse in these studies and made use of translucent muscular preparations and serial sections of esophagi,
which were processed in situ. Knowledge of the exact structure of the muscular wall of the esophagus forms the basis of surgical procedures for treatment of achalasia
and gastroesophageal reflux disease
.
and diverticulitis
. In 1976, Stelzner received simultaneous offers to chair the surgical departments of the universities of Vienna
and Bonn
and Stelzner decided to assume the department leadership in Bonn
. A number of morphological studies from this period focus on the causes of pilonidal sinus disease
disease and of tract-forming suppurative hidradenitis
as well the embryology and function of the pelvic structures. In 1985, Stelzner became President of the German Society for Surgery.
to visualize and study the spontaneous activity of gastrointestinal sphincter
systems. Other work established the existence of two separate lymphatic system
s, which are located beneath the epithelia and deeply in the mesenchyme
.
Childhood and Education
Friedrich Stelzner was born in Františkovy LázněFrantiškovy Lázne
Františkovy Lázně is a town in Cheb District of Karlovy Vary Region in the western Bohemia , near the town of Cheb with about 5,200 inhabitants....
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
on 4 November 1921, the only son of the railway official Georg Stelzner (1889–1959) and his wife Helene Brandner (1908–1969). Stelzner’s mother Helene came from the nearby town of Cheb
Cheb
Cheb is a city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic, with about 33,000 inhabitants. It is situated on the river Ohře , at the foot of one of the spurs of the Smrčiny and near the border with Germany...
, where her father was a master craftsman.
Friedrich Stelzner spent the first years of his life in Františkovy Lázně
Františkovy Lázne
Františkovy Lázně is a town in Cheb District of Karlovy Vary Region in the western Bohemia , near the town of Cheb with about 5,200 inhabitants....
and attended secondary school in Cheb
Cheb
Cheb is a city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic, with about 33,000 inhabitants. It is situated on the river Ohře , at the foot of one of the spurs of the Smrčiny and near the border with Germany...
. Subsequently he attended medical school in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, Giessen and Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and graduated Summa cum laude in 1945. Stelzner soon after began his surgical residency at the University of Erlangen where he was boarded in General Surgery in 1949. Three years later, he was appointed as a Private docent based on a thesis that focused on the radical removal of rectal cancer with preservation of anal continence function.
1955-1967: Member of the Surgical Faculty at the University of Hamburg
Following advice from his mentor Otto Goetze in Erlangen, Stelzner joined the surgical faculty at the University of HamburgUniversity of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
in 1955. He received a scholarship from the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
to complete additional training in colorectal surgery at London's St. Mark's Hospital
St. Mark's Hospital
St. Mark's Hospital is a hospital in the Harrow and Wembley border as well as the London Borough of Harrow and London Borough of Brent border in northwest London, UK. It is the only hospital in the world to specialise entirely in intestinal and colorectal medicine and is a national and...
. The collaboration with leading colorectal surgeons in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
left a strong impression on Stelzner and strengthened his desire to specialize in this field. Inspired by the experience, Stelzner wrote the first edition of his standard work on anorectal fistulas. For this monograph, Stelzner was awarded the Langenbeck prize, the highest scientific award of the German Society for Surgery in 1960. In collaboration with the anatomist Jochen Staubesand, Stelzner investigated the exact structure of the hemorrhoidal vessels. He demonstrated that hemorrhoids are not enlarged venous structures, but rather arteriovenous cushions for which he coined the term corpus cavernosum recti. These cushions have great importance for the anal continence. Stelzner also developed the concept of anorectal continence organ. He pointed out that this organ shows significant differences in males and females. This has bearing on the details and the outcome of anorectal surgical procedures. Further studies revealed the spiral structure of the esophageal wall muscles. Stelzner worked with the anatomist Werner Lierse in these studies and made use of translucent muscular preparations and serial sections of esophagi,
which were processed in situ. Knowledge of the exact structure of the muscular wall of the esophagus forms the basis of surgical procedures for treatment of achalasia
Achalasia
Achalasia , also known as esophageal achalasia, achalasia cardiae, cardiospasm, and esophageal aperistalsis, is an esophageal motility disorder involving the smooth muscle layer of the esophagus and the lower esophageal sphincter...
and gastroesophageal reflux disease
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Gastroesophageal reflux disease , gastro-oesophageal reflux disease , gastric reflux disease, or acid reflux disease is chronic symptoms or mucosal damage caused by stomach acid coming up from the stomach into the esophagus...
.
1967-1987: Professor and Chairman of Surgery
In 1967, Stelzner was offered to head the surgical department of the University of Tuebingen. However, around the same time, the chair position in Hamburg became vacant and was offered to him as well. Stelzner accepted the latter position and was appointed as Professor and Chairman at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf in 1968. Already two years later, Stelzner accepted the chair at the surgical department of the University of Frankfurt. Here he developed a close collaboration with the department chair for comparative anatomy, Dietrich Starck, with whom he identified the enveloping fascias of the rectum and of the neck. These serve as an important lead structures for the radical removal of malignant tumors. Further studies (again with Werner Lierse) described the morphological bases of appendicitisAppendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
and diverticulitis
Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis is a common digestive disease particularly found in the large intestine. Diverticulitis develops from diverticulosis, which involves the formation of pouches on the outside of the colon...
. In 1976, Stelzner received simultaneous offers to chair the surgical departments of the universities of Vienna
Vienna General Hospital
The Vienna General Hospital is the University medical center of the city of Vienna, Austria. The AKH is the largest hospital of Austria and Europe, the second largest hospital in the world, and at 85-m high is one of the tallest hospital buildings in the world...
and Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
and Stelzner decided to assume the department leadership in Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
. A number of morphological studies from this period focus on the causes of pilonidal sinus disease
Pilonidal cyst
A pilonidal cyst, also referred to as a pilonidal abscess, pilonidal sinus or sacrococcygeal fistula, is a cyst or abscess near or on the natal cleft of the buttocks that often contains hair and skin debris.-Etymology:...
disease and of tract-forming suppurative hidradenitis
Hidradenitis suppurativa
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a skin disease that most commonly affects areas bearing apocrine sweat glands or sebaceous glands, such as the underarms, breasts, inner thighs, groin and buttocks.-Overview:...
as well the embryology and function of the pelvic structures. In 1985, Stelzner became President of the German Society for Surgery.
from 1987: Professor Emeritus
Stelzner announced his retirement in 1987, but he led the university hospital for another two years until his successor took office in 1989. In the following years, Stelzner continued to perform minor surgical operations. After 1995, he was no longer active as a clinical surgeon. However, his main focus was henceforth on his scientific work. A major innovation was Stelzner's application of PET-CTPET-CT
Positron emission tomography - computed tomography is a medical imaging device which combines in a single gantry system both a Positron Emission Tomography and an x-ray Computed Tomography, so that images acquired from both devices can be taken sequentially, in the same session from the patient...
to visualize and study the spontaneous activity of gastrointestinal sphincter
Sphincter
A sphincter is an anatomical structure, or a circular muscle, that normally maintains constriction of a natural body passage or orifice and which relaxes as required by normal physiological functioning...
systems. Other work established the existence of two separate lymphatic system
Lymphatic system
The lymphoid system is the part of the immune system comprising a network of conduits called lymphatic vessels that carry a clear fluid called lymph unidirectionally toward the heart. Lymphoid tissue is found in many organs, particularly the lymph nodes, and in the lymphoid follicles associated...
s, which are located beneath the epithelia and deeply in the mesenchyme
Mesenchyme
Mesenchyme, or mesenchymal connective tissue, is a type of undifferentiated loose connective tissue that is derived mostly from mesoderm, although some are derived from other germ layers; e.g. some mesenchyme is derived from neural crest cells and thus originates from the ectoderm...
.
Awards and Honors
- Langenbeck prize, the highest scientific award of the German Society for Surgery (1960)
- Honorary doctorate of the University of SeoulUniversity of SeoulThe University of Seoul is a public university located in Seoul, South Korea. It was founded as Kyung Sung Public Agricultural College in 1918 and renamed the University of Seoul in 1997. UOS is one of top 3 universities without medical school...
(1983) - President of the German Society for Surgery (1985)
- Honorary doctorate of the University of Munich (1987)
- Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (1987)
- Officer's Cross, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1993)
- Ernst Jung Gold Medal for Medicine (1997, Ernst Jung FoundationErnst Jung PrizeThe Ernst Jung Prize is a prize awarded annually for excellence in biomedical sciences. The Ernst Jung Foundation, funded by Hamburg merchant Ernst Jung in 1967 grants the Ernst Jung Prize in Medicine, now € 300,000, since 1976 and the lifetime achievement Ernst Jung Gold Medal for Medicine since...
)
Books (Selection)
- The radical resection of rectal cancer with preservation of anorectal continence. Erlangen (Habilitation) (1952)
- The anorectal fistulas. Springer, 3rd Edition, Berlin 1981, ISBN 3-540-10775-4.
- Congress results in change 1949-1983: Results of the Congresses of the German Society for Surgery after the Second World War up to the 100th Meeting.Thieme, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-X-13-107311.
- Proctology. Henning Hansen. Second Edition.Springer, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-540-17507-5.
- Visceral surgery of gastrointestinal sphincter systems. Thieme, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-X-13-107521.
- Perianal fistulas. with Henning Hansen. Urban and Vogel, Munich 2011, ISBN 978-3-89935-266-5.
Autobiography
- Waves and breakers in the life of a surgeon. (in German), Ecomed, Heidelberg 1998, ISBN 3-609-51630-5.