John Homans
Encyclopedia
John Homans was an American
surgeon
who described Homans' sign and Homans' operation.
and Harvard Medical School
. His residency
was undertaken at Massachusetts General Hospital
, and was followed by work in Baltimore
and London
. He returned to Boston to the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital
in 1912. Towards the end of his career he worked at Yale University
as the Carmalt Visiting Professor, returning to Peter Bent Brigham during World War II
.
He worked on developing hypophysectomy
with Harvey Cushing
, and they and Samuel James Crowe published the first evidence of the link between the pituitary gland
and the reproductive system
in 1910.
Homans later worked on peripheral vascular disease, helping to popularise the ligation
of the saphenofemoral junction for treatment of varicose veins
, and advocating ligation of the superficial femoral vein to stop migrating clots causing pulmonary embolus. He described the sign which bears his name in 1944., and reported the first instance of deep venous thrombosis occurring in flight in 1954 in a doctor who had flown between Boston and Caracas. He was also interested in lymphoedema, developing the Homans operation for this condition.
He was a founding member of the Society for Vascular Surgery, the fourth meeting of which saw the establishment of the John Homans lecture in his honour. He is also commemorated by the John Homans Chair of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and the John Homans Fellowship in Vascular Surgery at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
who described Homans' sign and Homans' operation.
Biography
John Homans was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1877, and was educated at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
. His residency
Residency (medicine)
Residency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
was undertaken at Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
, and was followed by work in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He returned to Boston to the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital is the largest hospital of the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts. It is directly adjacent to Harvard Medical School of which it is the second largest teaching affiliate with 793 beds...
in 1912. Towards the end of his career he worked at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
as the Carmalt Visiting Professor, returning to Peter Bent Brigham during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He worked on developing hypophysectomy
Hypophysectomy
Hypophysectomy is the surgical removal of the hypophysis . It is most commonly performed to treat tumors, especially craniopharyngioma tumors. Sometimes it is used to treat Cushing's syndrome due to pituitary adenoma...
with Harvey Cushing
Harvey Cushing
Harvey Williams Cushing, M.D. , was an American neurosurgeon and a pioneer of brain surgery, and the first to describe Cushing's syndrome...
, and they and Samuel James Crowe published the first evidence of the link between the pituitary gland
Pituitary gland
In vertebrate anatomy the pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland about the size of a pea and weighing 0.5 g , in humans. It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain, and rests in a small, bony cavity covered by a dural fold...
and the reproductive system
Reproductive system
The reproductive system or genital system is a system of organs within an organism which work together for the purpose of reproduction. Many non-living substances such as fluids, hormones, and pheromones are also important accessories to the reproductive system. Unlike most organ systems, the sexes...
in 1910.
Homans later worked on peripheral vascular disease, helping to popularise the ligation
Ligature (medicine)
In surgery or medical procedure, a ligature consists of a piece of thread tied around an anatomical structure, usually a blood vessel or another hollow structure to shut it off. With a blood vessel the surgeon will clamp the vessel perpendicular to the axis of the artery or vein with a hemostat,...
of the saphenofemoral junction for treatment of varicose veins
Varicose veins
Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and tortuous. The term commonly refers to the veins on the leg, although varicose veins can occur elsewhere. Veins have leaflet valves to prevent blood from flowing backwards . Leg muscles pump the veins to return blood to the heart, against the...
, and advocating ligation of the superficial femoral vein to stop migrating clots causing pulmonary embolus. He described the sign which bears his name in 1944., and reported the first instance of deep venous thrombosis occurring in flight in 1954 in a doctor who had flown between Boston and Caracas. He was also interested in lymphoedema, developing the Homans operation for this condition.
He was a founding member of the Society for Vascular Surgery, the fourth meeting of which saw the establishment of the John Homans lecture in his honour. He is also commemorated by the John Homans Chair of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and the John Homans Fellowship in Vascular Surgery at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital.