Alexis Littré
Encyclopedia
Alexis Littré was a French
physician
and anatomist born in Cordes, located in the present-day department of Tarn-et-Garonne
. He studied medicine
in Montpellier
and Paris
, receiving his doctorate in 1691. In 1699 he became a member of the Académie des Sciences.
In Paris, Littré taught anatomy
and was the author of numerous medical publications. He was the first to give a description of a hernia
l protrusion of an intestinal
diverticulum (Meckel's diverticulum
). This condition is now referred to as "Littré's hernia". He also described the mucous urethral gland
s of the male urethra
. These structures were to become known as "Littré's glands
", and their inflammation
is sometimes called "littréitis".
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
.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and anatomist born in Cordes, located in the present-day department of Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne is a French department in the southwest of France. It is traversed by the Rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name.-History:...
. He studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
in Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, receiving his doctorate in 1691. In 1699 he became a member of the Académie des Sciences.
In Paris, Littré taught anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
and was the author of numerous medical publications. He was the first to give a description of a hernia
Hernia
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....
l protrusion of an intestinal
Intestine
In human anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the pyloric sphincter of the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine...
diverticulum (Meckel's diverticulum
Meckel's diverticulum
A Meckel's diverticulum, a true congenital diverticulum, is a small bulge in the small intestine present at birth. It is a vestigial remnant of the omphalomesenteric duct , and is the most frequent malformation of the gastrointestinal tract...
). This condition is now referred to as "Littré's hernia". He also described the mucous urethral gland
Urethral gland
-External links:* *...
s of the male urethra
Urethra
In anatomy, the urethra is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the genitals for the removal of fluids out of the body. In males, the urethra travels through the penis, and carries semen as well as urine...
. These structures were to become known as "Littré's glands
Urethral gland
-External links:* *...
", and their inflammation
Inflammation
Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...
is sometimes called "littréitis".
In his 1710 treatise Diverse observations anatomiques, Littré was the first to suggest the possibility of performing a lumbar
Lumbar
In tetrapod anatomy, lumbar is an adjective that means of or pertaining to the abdominal segment of the torso, between the diaphragm and the sacrum ...
colostomy
Colostomy
A colostomy is a surgical procedure in which a stoma is formed by drawing the healthy end of the large intestine or colon through an incision in the anterior abdominal wall and suturing it into place. This opening, in conjunction with the attached stoma appliance, provides an alternative channel...
for an obstruction of the colon
Colon (anatomy)
The colon is the last part of the digestive system in most vertebrates; it extracts water and salt from solid wastes before they are eliminated from the body, and is the site in which flora-aided fermentation of unabsorbed material occurs. Unlike the small intestine, the colon does not play a...
.