Senna-Ricketts Bone Suture

Senna-Ricketts Bone Suture: History and Significance

The Senn-Ricketts bone suture is a surgical technique that was developed by American surgeon Nicholas Senn (1844-1908) in the late 19th century to treat bone deformities caused by rickets. Rickets is a bone disease that occurs due to a lack of vitamin D and calcium in the body.

The bone suture was developed by Senn together with the German surgeon Friedrich Ricketts (1865-1936), who was the first to describe the disease associated with vitamin D deficiency - rickets. The technique involves cutting and rearranging bones that are prone to deformation to correct their shape. The bones are then secured with metal plates and screws to ensure proper healing.

The Senna-Ricketts bone suture was a revolutionary discovery for the treatment of rickets and bone deformities that were previously considered incurable. The technique made it possible to restore bone functionality and improve the quality of life of patients. In addition, it became the basis for the development of modern methods of surgical treatment of bone deformities.

Currently, the Senna-Ricketts bone suture is used in surgery as one of the methods for correcting bone deformities. The technique has been improved and adapted for use in various fields of surgery, such as orthopedics, traumatology, plastic surgery and others.

Thus, the Senna-Ricketts bone suture is an important medical discovery that changed the approach to the treatment of bone deformities and led to the development of new methods of surgical treatment. It continues to be an important tool for many surgeons around the world.



Senna Ricketts was an American surgeon who developed and described bone suture technology that is still used today. This method allows you to connect broken bones without removing them completely.

The story of Senna Ricketts begins in Paris, where he worked on the construction of the Mont Blanc tunnel. At that time, the technology for bone reconstruction did not exist, and many patients with limb fractures underwent amputation. Ricketts decided to invent a new technique to help such people.

In 1885, he wrote a report on his discovery and submitted it to the American Journal of Medicine. The article was called “Bone suture or bone without scars.” Ricketts' method involved healing the fracture with plaster and fusing the bones with sutures and tying instruments. The threads were stretched from above and below, which led to the formation of a skeleton.

The ricketts suture has proven to be very effective. It reduced the risk of amputation for fractures by two-thirds. It was also much less invasive than other reconstructive surgery methods and much less expensive.

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