Arthur Keith, the anatomist who envisioned herniosis

Abstract

Arthur Keith (1866–1955) was a renowned anatomist who published 529 contributions emphasizing the interaction between structure, function, and patient care. His only practice was 4 years as a family doctor, although he later trained to be a surgeon. Ten of his many articles related to hernia; two (1906, 1924) dealt with etiology. In these he rejected Russell’s congenital saccular theory of abdominal herniation, since the latter’s assertions regarding peritoneal diverticula were not supported by embryological research. Instead, Keith became the first to hypothesize that defects in the belly wall of adults were brought about by pathological damage to fasciae, aponeuroses and tendons, secondary to systemic connective tissue disease abetted by aging. The pelvis was similarly afflicted, leading to vaginal prolapse, the most common hernia among women. Diverticula were likely to sprout from a weakened alimentary tract. He stated that prevention was a serious consideration. The surgical establishment, overburdened by dogmas accumulated from 5,000 years of being solely responsible for the care of patients with herniae, ignored his hypothesis for decades. However, recent research in herniology has made him a prophet.