Johann Friedrich Dieffenbach

Johann Friedrich Dieffenbach (born February 1, 1792 at Königsberg, Prussia; died November 11, 1847 in Berlin) was a German surgeon.

Dieffenbach studied theology at the universities at Rostock and Greifswald, and medicine at the Albertina university in Königsberg. From 1813 to 1815, he volunteered for the Befreiungskriege as a hunter. In 1818 he got involved in political student groups in Jena, and had to leave Königsberg in 1820 because of this. In 1822, he became doctor of medicine in Würzburg and started working as a surgeon in Berlin. In 1824, he married Johanna Motherby. In 1832, he became professor at the university of Berlin, and in 1840 became director of the Clinical Institute for Surgery at Charité Hospital. After his death in 1847, Bernhard von Langenbeck (1810-1887) took Dieffenbach's position as director of surgery.

Dieffenbach is known as a pioneer of skin transplantation and cosmetic surgery. He was renowned for his work concerning rhinoplastic and maxillofacial surgery. He was interested in the writings of Joseph Constantine Carpue (1764-1846), a surgeon who performed the first modern rhinoplastic operation in Europe. Dieffenbach wrote numerous articles regarding his personal surgical techniques regarding reconstructive surgery. He also performed newly discovered subcutaneous operations such as tenotomy. Tenotomy is used to lengthen tendons that have developed inadequately. In 1839 Dieffenbach performed the first successful myotomy for treatment of strabismus on a seven-year old boy with esotropia. Prior to the discovery of blood typing and matching, Dieffenbach did extensive research concerning blood transfusions, which he wrote about in an 1828 publication Die Transfusion des Blutes und die Infusion der Arzneien in die blutgefässe.

Reference:
 * Who Named It?; Johann Dieffenbach

Johann Friedrich Dieffenbach Johann Friedrich Dieffenbach