Alexis Littré

Alexis Littré (July 21, 1658 - February 3, 1726) was a French physician and anatomist. He studied medicine in Montpellier and Paris. In 1691, he received his doctorate from the University of Paris. In 1699, he became a member of the Académie des Sciences.

In Paris, Littré taught anatomy and is known for his numerous medical publications. He was the first to give a description of a hernial protusion of an intestinal diverticulum (Meckel's diverticulum). This condition is now referred to as Littré's hernia. He also described the mucous urethral glands of the male urethra. These structures were to become known as Littré's glands, and their inflammation is sometimes called littreitis.

In his 1710 treatise "Diverse observations anatomiques", Littré was the first to suggest the possibility of performing a lumbar colostomy for an obstruction of the colon.

References

* [http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/1197.html Who Named It?, Alexis Littré]

External links

*cite journal
title=Historical landmarks in operations on the colon-surgeons courageous
journal=Current Surgery
author=Cotlar, A.M
volume=59 |issue=1 |date=January 2002 |pages=91–95
publisher=Elsevier
doi=10.1016/S0149-7944(01)00606-7