Leopold Ritter von Dittel

Leopold Ritter von Dittel.

Leopold Ritter von Dittel (May 29, 1815 – July 28, 1898) was an Austrian urologist born in Fulnek, a community now located in the Czech Republic.

Dittel received his medical doctorate in 1840 from the University of Vienna, and as a young man worked as a physician in Trentschin-Teplitz. From 1853 to 1857, he was an assistant to Johann von Dumreicher (1815-1880) and a surgical assistant at the university hospital in Vienna. Later, he became surgeon-in-chief of the Allgemeines Krankenhaus, and in 1865 attained the title of associate professor.

He is credited for developing a number of innovative diagnostic and surgical practices in the field of genitourinary medicine. He is remembered for his pioneer diagnostic work with the cystoscope, a device that was a recent invention of urologist Maximilian Nitze (1848–1906).^[1] In urology, the cystoscope is used for endoscopic detection of bladder tumors and other urinary disorders. With Felix Legueu (1863–1939) and Émile Forgue (1860–1943), the "Dittel-Forgue-Legueu operation" is named, defined as a surgical procedure for closure of vesicovaginal fistulae (VVF).^[2]

A medical instrument used for treatment of stenosis of the urethra known as a "Dittel urethral sound" is named after him.^[3]

Written works

• Ueber Klumpfuss, (1851) - treatise on clubfoot.
• Skoliose, (1853) - treatise on scoliosis
• Beiträge zur Pathologie und Therapie der Männlichen Geschlechtstheile, (1859) - Contributions to the pathology and treatment of male genitalia.
• Sekundäre Luxation des Hüftgelenkes, (1861) - Secondary dislocation of hip.
• Der Kathederismus, (1864)
• Beitrag zur Lehre der Hypertrophie der Prostata, in Oesterreichischer Medizinischer Jahrbericht, (1867) - Contribution to the teaching of hypertrophy of the prostate.
• Der Steinsauger, in Allgemeine Wiener Medizinische Zeitung, (1870)
• Die Stricturen der HarnrÖhre (in Franz von Pitha - Theodor Billroth's Handbuch der Chirurgie), (1872) - Strictures of the urethra.
• Zur Behandlung der Hypertrophie der Vorsteherdrüse in Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift, (1876) - For treatment of hypertrophy of the prostate gland.
• Operationen der Blasensteine, (1880) - Operations for bladder stones.
• Nierencalculose, (1881) - kidney calculus.

References

• DITTEL, LEOPOLD RITTER VON - JewishEncyclopedia.com Jewish Encyclopedia, (biography and list of publications by Leopold von Dittel)