Friedrich Wilhelm Scanzoni von Lichtenfels (21 December 1821 – 12 June 1891) was a German gynecologist and obstetrician who was a native of Prague

Prague

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

. He studied medicine in Prague, and spent most of his professional career as chair of obstetrics (1850–1888) at the University of Würzburg

University of Würzburg

The University of Würzburg is a university in Würzburg, Germany, founded in 1402. The university is a member of the distinguished Coimbra Group.-Name:...

, where he succeeded Franz Kiwisch von Rotterau

Franz Kiwisch von Rotterau

Franz Kiwisch von Rotterau was Professor of Obstetrics at the University of Würzburg and later at the University of Prague. He was one of Semmelweis's principal opponents. In Würzburg he was succeeded by Friedrich Wilhelm Scanzoni von Lichtenfels.A native of Klattau in Bohemia, he earned his...

.

Scanzoni was a leading authority of obstetrics

Obstetrics

Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...

 in 19th century Europe. He is best remembered today for the birthing procedure known as the Scanzoni maneuver. In 1849 he was a major factor in the appointment of Rudolf Virchow

Rudolf Virchow

Rudolph Carl Virchow was a German doctor, anthropologist, pathologist, prehistorian, biologist and politician, known for his advancement of public health...

 to the chair of pathological anatomy at the University of Würzburg

University of Würzburg

The University of Würzburg is a university in Würzburg, Germany, founded in 1402. The university is a member of the distinguished Coimbra Group.-Name:...

. He was an ardent critic of Ignaz Semmelweis

Ignaz Semmelweis

Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis was a Hungarian physician now known as an early pioneer of antiseptic procedures. Described as the "savior of mothers", Semmelweis discovered that the incidence of puerperal fever could be drastically cut by the use of hand disinfection in obstetrical clinics...

.

• Associated eponyms:
• Scanzoni maneuver: (Scanzoni forceps technique) A method of applying an obstetrical forceps
  Forceps
  Forceps or forcipes are a handheld, hinged instrument used for grasping and holding objects. Forceps are used when fingers are too large to grasp small objects or when many objects need to be held at one time while the hands are used to perform a task. The term 'forceps' is used almost exclusively...
  
   in order to rotate a fetus
  Fetus
  A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
  
  .
• Scanzoni's second os: (hourglass uterine
  Uterine
  The word uterine can refer to different meanings:* relating to or near the uterus or womb* having the same mother, but different fathers, see matrilineality...
  
  constriction) A constriction at the junction of the thinned lower uterine segment with the thick retracted upper uterine segment. This condition results from obstructed labor, and is a sign of threatened rupture of the uterus.

Selected Writings

• Die geburtshilflichen Operationen (The Obstetrical Operation), 1852
• Compendium der verloskunde, 1855
• Die chronische Metritis (Chronic Metritis), 1863
• Lehrbuch für Geburtshilfe (Textbook for Obstetrics), 1867