Franz Kaspar Hesselbach

Franz Kaspar Hesselbach (January 27, 1759 - July 24, 1816} was a German surgeon and anatomist who was a native of Hammelburg. He was a pupil, and later Prosector under Karl Kaspar von Siebold (1736-1807) at Würzburg. Later Hesselbach was a lecturer at Würzburg, where one of his students was Konrad Johann Martin Langenbeck (1776-1851). His son, Adam Kaspar Hesselbach (1788-1856) was also a surgeon.

As a surgeon, Hesselbach is best-known for his work with hernia operations. He was the first to describe a handful of anatomical structures, such as the cribriform fascia (Hesselbach's fascia), interfoveolar ligament (Hesselbach's ligament) and the inguinal triangle (Hesselbach's triangle).

Selected writings

 * Anatomisch-chirurgische Abhandlung über den Urspurng der Leistenbrüche. Würzburg, Baumgärtner, 1806. (Hesselbach’s fascia, ligament and triangle described).
 * Neueste anatomisch-pathologische Untersuchungen über den Ursprung und das Fortschreiten der Keisten- und Schenkelbrüche. Würzburg, Staheliano, 1814. (Latest Anatomic-Pathologic Investigations Concerning the Origin and Progress of Inguinal and Femoral Ruptures).