Prof. Dr. Dietrich Tönnis passed away

Prof. Dr. Dietrich Tönnis passed way at the age of 83 on Saturday, August 21, 2010. This webside will be continued in memory of an extraordinary scientist and a special person.

Dear Colleagues,

You probably ask yourself why I am publishing my scientific papers in the web instead in our Orthopaedic papers. There are two reasons: In the last years my papers, and especially the updates, became continously longer because I could add here so many very good radiographies, which are more convincing than words. The other reason: I want to leave my best papers to the younger Orthopaedic generation where you easily find it. My books on Congenital Dysplasia and Dislocation of the Hip in English and German, Springer Verlag 1984, are sold out. But here in the web they are continued.

Introduction

The first paper gives a survey of the whole diagnosis and treatment of the congenital dislocation of the hip with all our experience up to now. Then follow specials of open and closed reduction and of the dangers of osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Since the begining we have worked on normal and pathological measurements, mainly angles, in children and adults.

The early treatment of the acetabular dysplasia with acetabuloplasties follows and the the triple pelviic osteotomies in adults. Our newest and very important investigation is that of the congenital decrease of torsional anomalies of the hip. So far only the increase of the femoral anteversion was noted and treated. But the additional acetabular anteversion up to zero or negative values is a great problem which we handled now and described here.

Finally a new treatment of the Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is added and then special cases like a sirenomelia. Not always known is the iliosacral syndrom of pain, although it was described by Saxl 1931 and Bragard 1933. But after the detection of the slipped nuclear disc of the spine was found, it was forgotten. We detected it again and describe it here shortly as well as some other interesting problems.

Dortmund, August 2009
Prof. Dr. med. Dietrich Tönnis