Friedrich Wilhelm Scanzoni von Lichtenfels

Friedrich Wilhelm Scanzoni von Lichtenfels (December 21, 1821 - June 12, 1891) was a German gynecologist and obstetrician who was a native of Prague. He studied medicine in Prague, and spent most of his professional career as chair of obstetrics (1850-1888) at the University of Würzburg, where he succeeded Franz Kiwisch von Rotterau [Erik E. Hauzman "Semmelweis and his German contemporaries" www.ishm2006.hu/abstracts/files/ishmpaper_093.doc (access June 5, 2008)] .

Scanzoni was a leading authority of obstetrics 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 to the chair of pathological anatomy at the University of Würzburg. He was an ardent critic of Ignaz Semmelweis.
*Associated eponyms:
* "Scanzoni maneuver": (Scanzoni forceps technique) A method of applying an obstetrical forceps in order to rotate a fetus.
* "Scanzoni's second os": (hourglass uterine 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

* "Lehrbuch für Geburtshilfe"
* "Die chronische Metritis"
* "Compendium der verloskunde"

References

* "This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia."