title: On the history and definition of Preiser's disease.
abstract: In 1910, Georg Preiser (1876-1913) described five cases of rarifying osteitis. Based on his imaging studies, he diagnosed post-traumatic avascular necrosis (AVN) of the scaphoid without any sign of primary fracture. This was followed by an article in 1911 in which Preiser related his findings to Kienböck's disease and Köhler's disease of the tarsal navicular. Upon searching the literature, we found descriptions and discussions of Preiser's imaging; however, the original images have never been published. We reproduce Preiser's original imaging in this current review. All of these appear to show a fracture and no signs of AVN, suggesting that Georg Preiser misinterpreted his findings. There is no apparent uniformity in the literature regarding the definition, description, or aetiology of Preiser's disease, and it is for this reason that we find the use of eponyms to be confusing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands afkallen@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kallen
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Strackee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography / Q000266:history*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history*; D005858:Germany; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010020:Osteonecrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000266:history*; D021361:Scaphoid Bone / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000266:history*
keywords: Preiser’s disease; avascular necrosis; eponym; idiopathic avascular necrosis; naviculare; nontraumatic avascular necrosis; osteochondritis dissecans; post-traumatic avascular necrosis; scaphoid; scaphoid bone