J. Englebert Dunphy

John Englebert ‘Bert’ Dunphy (1908-1981) was an American surgeon.

Dunphy’s contribution to the surgical literature was prodigious. Described as a caring physician, a curious biologist, an enthusiastic teacher, and a profound humanist who left a legacy that consists not only of surgical teachings but also of a body of philosophy about patient care

Served as chairman of the American Board of Surgery, Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons and received 10 honorary degrees including six honorary fellowship. Eponymously remembered for the Dunphy sign in the evaluation of appendicitis

Biography

• Born on March 31, 1908 in Northampton, Massachusetts.
• 1929 – AB, The College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts
• 1933 – MD, Harvard Medical School
• 1934 – Embarked on a surgical career at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital with Surgeon-in-Chief was Elliot Carr Cutler (1888-1947) and Chief Resident was Robert M. Zollinger (1903-1992)
• 1940-1945 Captain in the Army; Commanding officer of the Surgical Service 5th General Hospital;
• 1955 – Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
• 1963 – Hon FRCS
• Died on December 25, 1981

Medical Eponyms

Dunphy sign (1953)

Increased abdominal pain, localised to the right lower quadrant, with coughing. [AKA *cough test; *coughing test; cough tenderness]

The patient should first be asked to cough. In the presence of acute peritoneal inflammation this usually elicits a sharp twinge of pain localized to the involved area. It is extremely valuable to elicit this “cough tenderness” and have the patient point with one finger to the exact area of pain. This localizes the area of inflammation before the examiner so much as touches the abdomen. He can thus avoid palpating this area until the remainder of the abdominal examination is completed

Dunphy 1953

Major Publications

• Dunphy JE. The Therapy of Shock: Some Lessons from Military Surgery. Postgrad Med J. 1945 Apr;21(234):111-6.
• Dunphy JE, Hoerr SO, et al. The problem of nutrition in the postoperative care of abdominal wounds of warfare. N Engl J Med. 1946 Apr 25;234:545-52
• Dunphy JE. Splenectomy for trauma; practical points in surgical technic. Am J Surg. 1946 Apr;71:450-60
• Dunphy JE. Some observations on the natural behavior of cancer in man. N Engl J Med. 1950 Feb 2;242(5):167-72
• Dunphy JE, Botsford TW. Physical Examination Of The Surgical Patient. 1953. [Dunphy sign 2e p115]
• Dunphy JE. Changing concepts in the surgery of cancer. N Engl J Med. 1953 Jul 2; 249(1): 17-25.
• Dunphy JE, Botsford TW. Examination of the abdomen. III. The appraisal of abnormal findings. In: Physical Examination of the Surgical Patient. An Introduction to Clinical Surgery. 1975.136-146.
• Lewis FR, Holcroft JW, Boey J, Dunphy E. Appendicitis. A critical review of diagnosis and treatment in 1,000 cases. Arch Surg. 1975 May;110(5):677-84.
• Dunphy JE. Annual discourse — on caring for the patient with cancer. N Engl J Med. 1976 Aug 5; 295(6): 313-9
• Dunphy JE. Reflections. Contemporary Surgery 1977; 10(5): 42-51

References

Biography

• Quigley TB, Crille G Jr, Hoerr SO, Hartwell Haarrison J. As we remember him. American journal of surgery. 1978; 135(3): 279-283
• Zollinger RM. “Bert”. American journal of surgery. 1978; 135(3): 276-278
• Watt Kay A, Gillespie IE, Loewenthal, J. An international surgeon. American journal of surgery. 1978; 135(3): 290-292
• A Festschrift for J. Englebert Dunphy. American journal of surgery. 1978; 135(3): 276-
• Hunt TK. John Englebert Dunphy, Surgery: San Francisco. 1986
• J. Englebert Dunphy: Surgical Icon. 2008
• Bibliography. John Englebert Dunphy (1908 – 1981). World Cat Identities

Eponymous terms

• Eponymythology: Appendicitis eponymous signs. LITFL

Mike Cadogan

Associate Professor Curtin Medical School, Curtin University. Emergency physician MA (Oxon) MBChB (Edin) FACEM FFSEM Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.  Passion for rugby; medical history; medical education; and asynchronous learning #FOAMed evangelist. Co-founder and CTO of Life in the Fast lane | Eponyms | Books | Twitter |