Jean-Athanase Sicard (23 June 1872 – 28 January 1929) was a French

neurologist Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal c ...

and

radiologist Radiology ( ) is the medical discipline that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide their treatment, within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiat ...

born in

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...

. He studied medicine in Marseille and

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

, where he studied with

Charles Emile Troisier Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

(1844-1919), Édouard Brissaud (1852-1909), Henri-Alexandre Danlos (1844-1912),

Fulgence Raymond Fulgence Raymond (29 September 1844 – 28 September 1910) was a French neurologist born in Saint-Christophe-sur-le-Nais, Indre-et-Loire. Originally trained as a veterinarian, he later studied human medicine under Alfred Vulpian (1826–1887) in ...

(1844-1910) and Georges-Fernand-Isidore Widal (1862-1929). With Widal he performed serodiagnostic studies in

immunology Immunology is a branch of medicineImmunology for Medical Students, Roderick Nairn, Matthew Helbert, Mosby, 2007 and biology that covers the medical study of immune systems in humans, animals, plants and sapient species. In such we can see the ...

. In 1899 he obtained his medical doctorate, and in 1910 was appointed ''chef de service'' at the Hôpital Necker. In 1923 he became a professor of internal

pathology Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in ...

. With

Jacques Forestier Jacques Forestier (27 July 1890, Aix-les-Bains – 17 March 1978) was a French internist who was a pioneer in the field of rheumatology. Forestier studied medicine in Paris, later working at Hôpital Cochin, where he became interested in rheumat ...

(1890-1978), he introduced

lipiodol Lipiodol, also known as ethiodized oil, is a poppyseed oil used by injection as a radio-opaque contrast agent that is used to outline structures in radiological investigations. It is used in chemoembolization applications as a contrast agent in ...

(radio-opaque iodized

poppyseed oil Poppyseed oil (also poppy seed oil and poppy oil) is an edible oil obtained from poppy seeds (specifically seeds of ''Papaver somniferum'', the opium poppy). Poppy seeds yield 45–50% oil. Like poppy seeds, poppyseed oil is highly palatable, ...

) for use in radiological investigations. Lipiodol was injected into a patients'

cerebrospinal fluid Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless body fluid found within the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord of all vertebrates. CSF is produced by specialised ependymal cells in the choroid plexus of the ventricles of the ...

for myelographic diagnosis and localization of intraspinal

cyst A cyst is a closed sac, having a distinct envelope and division compared with the nearby tissue. Hence, it is a cluster of cells that have grouped together to form a sac (like the manner in which water molecules group together to form a bubble) ...

s and

tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...

s. Sicard is also credited for introducing injections of

sodium salicylate Sodium salicylate is a sodium salt of salicylic acid. It can be prepared from sodium phenolate and carbon dioxide under higher temperature and pressure. Historically, it has been synthesized by refluxing methyl salicylate (wintergreen oil) with a ...

for treatment of

varicose veins Varicose veins, also known as varicoses, are a medical condition in which superficial veins become enlarged and twisted. These veins typically develop in the legs, just under the skin. Varicose veins usually cause few symptoms. However, some indiv ...

, as well as alcohol injections for relief of

trigeminal neuralgia Trigeminal neuralgia (TN or TGN), also called Fothergill disease, tic douloureux, or trifacial neuralgia is a long-term pain disorder that affects the trigeminal nerve, the nerve responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions such as ...

. In addition, he was one of the first physicians to become interested in the possibilities of a procedure known as

pneumoencephalography Pneumoencephalography (sometimes abbreviated PEG; also referred to as an "air study") was a common medical procedure in which most of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was drained from around the brain by means of a lumbar puncture and replaced with ai ...

. Along with Frédéric Justin Collet (1870-1966), Sicard is credited with identifying Collet-Sicard syndrome, a disorder in which neck trauma such as a Jefferson fracture causes damage to the

cranial nerves Cranial nerves are the nerves that emerge directly from the brain (including the brainstem), of which there are conventionally considered twelve pairs. Cranial nerves relay information between the brain and parts of the body, primarily to and f ...

Written works

* ''Le liquide céphalo-rachidien''.

, 1902. * ''La névralgie faciale essentielle et son traitement par les injections locales neurologiques''. Paris, 1911. * ''Méthode radiographique d’exploration de la cavité épidurale par la lipiodol''; Written with

(1890-1978). Revue neurologique, Paris, 1921, 28: 1264-1266. Lipide (iodised oil) first used in

radiology Radiology ( ) is the medical discipline that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide their treatment, within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiat ...

. Positive contrast

myelography Myelography is a type of radiographic examination that uses a contrast medium to detect pathology of the spinal cord, including the location of a spinal cord injury, cysts, and tumors. Historically the procedure involved the injection of a radioc ...

with iodised oil (

). * ''Traitement des varices par les injections phlébo-sclérosantes du salicylate de soude''. Written with J. Paraf and J. Lermoyez. Gazette des hôpitaux, Paris, 1922, 95: 1573-1575. * ''L’exploration radiologique des cavités broncho-pulmonaires par les injections intra-trachéales d’huile iodée''. With Jacques Forestier. J méd Franç, 1924, 13: 3-9. * ''Le traitement des varices par la méthode sclérosante''. With L. Gaugier. Paris, 1927; 3rd edition, 1931.

References

''Jean-Athanase Sicard''
@

Who Named It ''Whonamedit?'' is an online English-language dictionary of medical eponyms and the people associated with their identification. Though it is a dictionary, many eponyms and persons are presented in extensive articles with comprehensive bibliograp ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sicard, Jean-Athanase French neurologists French radiologists 1872 births 1929 deaths Physicians from Marseille Academic staff of the University of Paris