Robert May

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Biography

• Born November 7, 1912, Klagenfurt, Austria (some dates 1912/1914)
• 1938 – MD, University of Innsbruck
• 1940s – Promoted the use of peripheral venous pressure measurement for venous function assessment
• Early 1950s – Worked at the Franz-Josef-Krankenhaus in Vienna under Prof. Felix Mandl (1892–1957), a pioneer in sympathetic surgery and endocrine pathology.
• 1954 – Performed a thrombectomy on a patient with right-sided iliofemoral thrombosis, leading to a fatal pulmonary embolism. This clinical case led to the identification of a fibrous web dividing the left common iliac vein – later contributing to the understanding of what became known as May–Thurner syndrome.
• 1956 – Published seminal observations on the pelvic vein spur (Beckenvenensporn) with Josef Thurner. The duo examined 430 cadavers and identified the anomaly in 22% of cases, showing that it developed postnatally.
• 1950s–1960s – Trained under notable vascular specialists including A. Weber (Bad Nauheim), René Leriche (1879–1955) and Jean Kunlin (Paris), and C.G. Rob and J.F. Cockett (London).
• 1957 – Co-authored pivotal paper with Josef Thurner (1927- ) identifying the anatomical basis for left iliac vein compression (May–Thurner syndrome)
• 1960s–1970s Fluent in several languages and known for his erudition; began publishing extensively in vascular surgery and phlebology; advocated for routine phlebography by radiologists
• 1974 – Authored the book Chirurgie der Bein- und Beckenvenen (Surgery of the Leg and Pelvic Veins), discussing therapeutic approaches to pelvic venous conditions.
• Died June 16, 1984 in Ischia, Italy

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Medical Eponyms

May–Thurner Syndrome

Definition: Compression of the left common iliac vein by the overlying right common iliac artery, leading to venous outflow obstruction and predisposition to iliofemoral DVT.

First described: 1956 by Robert May and Josef Thurner after investigating 430 cadavers; found in 22% of cases. Validated clinically after a fatal pulmonary embolism exposed its pathophysiologic relevance.

Key publication: May R, Thurner J. Beckenvenensporn und Iliakale Thrombose. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 1957.

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May perforating vein

Also known as the mid-calf perforator of May; May-Vene; May-Perforans. This vein is a recognized anatomical structure in the study of lower limb venous anatomy.

Definition and Anatomical Location:

The May perforating vein is situated approximately at the mid-calf level, traversing between the two heads of the gastrocnemius muscle. It serves as a connection between the small saphenous vein (Vena saphena parva) and the gastrocnemius veins. This vein is one of several perforators that facilitate communication between the superficial and deep venous systems of the lower limb.

Clinical Significance:

In cases of venous insufficiency, the May perforating vein can become incompetent, leading to a phenomenon known as a “blow-out.” Clinically, this may present as a visible or palpable bulge at the skin surface, often referred to as the “Gastrocnemiuspunkt” (gastrocnemius point). Such incompetence can contribute to the development of varicose veins and other chronic venous disorders.

Eponymous Recognition:

The vein is named after Dr. Robert May, acknowledging his contributions to the field of phlebology and his work in identifying and describing this specific perforator vein. While the use of eponyms in anatomical nomenclature has declined in favor of more descriptive terms, the “May perforating vein” remains a term recognized in certain clinical and anatomical contexts.

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Major Publications

• May R. La cause de la phlébite pelvienne du coté gauche. Société Européenne de Chirurgie
• cardiovasculaire, Zürich, 1956
• May R, Thurner J. Ein Gefässporn in der Vena iliaca communis sinistra als Ursache der überwiegend linksseitigen Beckenvenenthrombosen [A vascular spur in the vena iliaca communis sinistra as a cause of predominantly left-sided thrombosis of the pelvic veins]. Z Kreislaufforsch. 1956 Dec;45(23-24):912-22.
• May R, Thurner J. The cause of the predominantly sinistral occurrence of thrombosis of the pelvic veins. Angiology. 1957 Oct;8(5):419-27.
• May R. The cause of predominantly sinistral occurrence of thrombosis of the pelvic veins. Minerva Cardioangiol Eur. 1957 Oct-Dec;3(4):346-9. 
• Thurner J, May R. Probleme der Phlebopathologie, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Phlebosklerose [Problems of phlebopathology with special reference to phlebosclerosis]. Zentralbl Phlebol. 1967 Aug 15;6(3):404-82.
• May R. Alltagsprobleme und Alltagskomplikationen bei Venenerkrankungen. 1980

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References

Biography

• Hach W, Hach-Wunderle V. Robert May (1912–1984) und die Phlebologie in seiner Zeit. Gefässchirurgie 2000; 5: 200–207
• Hach W, Hach-Wunderle V. Robert May (1912-1984)* Das wissenschaftliche Werk. Zentralblatt Für Chirurgie, 2001; 126(6): 429–432.
• Hach W, Hach-Wunderle V. Die Geschichte des May’schen Beckenvenensporns. Gefässchirurgie, 2014; 19(4): 365–370.

Eponymous terms

• McMurrich JP. The occurrence of congenital ahhesions in the common iliac veins and their relations to thrombosis of the femoral and iliac veins. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, 1908, 135:342.
• Cockett FB, Thomas L. The iliac compression syndrome. The British Journal of Surgery, 1965, 52: 816-821.
• Cockett FB. Venous causes of swollen leg. The British Journal of Surgery, 1967, 54: 891-894.
• Harbin MM, Lutsey PL. May-Thurner syndrome: History of understanding and need for defining population prevalence. J Thromb Haemost. 2020 Mar;18(3):534-542.
• Junianto I, Zuhri E, Andriantoro H, Indriani S, Siddiq T, Adiarto S. May-Thurner Syndrome: A Forgotten Cause of Deep Vein Thrombosis. Int J Angiol. 2022 Nov 2;34(2):122-125.
• Mangla A, Hamad H. May-Thurner Syndrome. 2024 Mar 11. In: StatPearls
• Skalina T. Perforators of the leg and calf (venae perforantes cruris). Radiopaedia

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