Wilhelm Schulthess, Pioneer in the Treatment of Spinal Deformities: The Testimony of the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute

STUDY DESIGN: The manuscript describes the testimony of the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute about Wilhelm Schulthess, a pioneer in the treatment of spinal deformities.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the intuitions of Wilhelm Schulthess through the documentation still preserved at the Rizzoli institute in Bologna.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Wilhelm Schulthess was a great pioneer in the treatment of spinal deformities. The Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute in Bologna, Italy, awarded the Swiss Clinician in 1911 for his work: "pathology and treatment of spinal deformities" and has always maintained a deep relationships with him.

METHODS: The Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute has an extensive documentation on Schulthess studies and activity. The research allowed to analyze his work, the speech he had read during his award ceremony and some of his machines still preserved at the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute.

RESULTS: The results obtained from the research have allowed to confirm the high quality of the research carried out by Wilhelm Schulthess and his important role in the orthopedic field.

CONCLUSIONS: The intuitions of Wilhelm Schulthess found new glory in recent times with the introduction of the concept of scoliosis as a tri-planar deformity, a concept that he had already identified, described and evolved in his deep academic work.