Mikhail Veniaminovich Kolokoltsev (8 March 1904, Kazan — 2 April 1994) was a surgeon, Doctor of Medical Sciences, professor, and Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation. He headed the Department of Hospital Surgery at the Gorky Medical Institute (1959–1970), and was the founder and first head of the institute's Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics (1970–1975). He was the author of the Kolokoltsev dermatome — the first Soviet instrument for taking a skin flap for skin grafting. The Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Neurosurgery at PIMU bears his name.[1][2]

Early years and path into medicine

Mikhail Veniaminovich was born into the family of a teacher of Russian language and literature, V. V. Kolokoltsev. In 1911 the family moved to Nizhny Novgorod. At the Lomonosov school he took up skiing and athletics, achieving notable sporting results. After school he entered the Vetluga Forestry Technical College, upon graduating from which he was sent as a technician to the Krasnaya Sosna plant. During these years he became friends with the future designer of hydrofoil ships and ekranoplans Rostislav Alekseev — both later became avid yachtsmen.[1]

In 1929 Kolokoltsev entered the Lobachevsky University. Already in his third year he joined the student surgical circle, where he studied alongside the future cardiac surgeon B. Korolev and E. Nechaev, spending much time in the operating room of the Sormovo Hospital (now City Hospital No. 12). He began operating as a fourth-year student under the guidance of surgeon Pyotr Mitrofanovich Kirnos.[1]

Upon graduating from the institute in 1934 he was assigned to the outpatient clinic of the Krasnoye Sormovo Plant, but spent all his free time working unpaid at the Sormovo Hospital. He then moved to the medical institute as an assistant in the Department of Topographic Anatomy and Operative Surgery, headed by Viktor Markovich Durmashkin; at the same department worked the future academician and president of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR Nikolai Nikolaevich Blokhin. Later he moved to the surgical clinic at the regional hospital under the guidance of Professor Vladimir Ivanovich Iost, where he gained experience in general and purulent surgery, traumatology, urology and plastic surgery.[1]

The war years and the creation of the dermatome

During the Soviet-Finnish War Kolokoltsev worked at a divisional hospital on the Karelian Isthmus. During the Great Patriotic War he was the lead surgeon of a specialized 1200-bed evacuation hospital housed in three buildings: on Sverdlov Street, Figner Street, and Kholodny Lane. Under his direction more than 3,000 amputation operations were performed. The acute need for frequent skin grafting for the wounded prompted him to create the dermatome — an instrument for cutting a skin flap. This instrument was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union and bears the name of its creator. Experience with the dermatome was summarized in the monograph "The Author's Dermatome and Its Use in Free Skin Grafting" (1947); later Kolokoltsev developed the formula for a special adhesive for use with this instrument.[3][1][2]

In 1936, even before the war, Kolokoltsev took part in a 1,000-kilometer ski trek across the Nizhny Novgorod region and was a member of the national team; in 1937 he took first place in the 1000 m race at athletics competitions in Germany.[1]

Scientific and teaching career

From the very first days of the founding of the Gorky Institute of Restorative Surgery, Traumatology and Orthopedics (1946), Kolokoltsev worked there as a surgeon — operation No. 1 belongs to him. At the institute he developed and introduced advanced plastic and osteoplastic amputations and re-amputations, ensuring effective prosthetics and restoration of the supporting function of limbs for those injured by wounds, burns and frostbite.[1]

In 1959 he took charge of the Department of Hospital Surgery of the Gorky Medical Institute and led it until 1970. In 1949 he received the degree of Candidate of Medical Sciences, and in 1966 he was awarded the academic title of professor without defending a doctoral dissertation.[3] In 1970 he founded the Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics of the Gorky Medical Institute and was its first head until 1975. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medical Sciences, the title of professor, and Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation.[1][2]

Personality and legacy

Kolokoltsev lived for 90 years and left a lasting memory among colleagues, students and neighbors. He lived at house No. 21 on Ulitsa Nevzorovykh), where a memorial nameplate has been preserved. Kolokoltsev was awarded the title "Honorary Citizen of Nizhny Novgorod" and received two Orders of the Badge of Honor and five medals.[4] He was fond of yachting, sailing on the 1905-built yacht "Bukan," and took part in races Vetluga (disambiguation). In sailing, Kolokoltsev became the winner of the Volga Regatta in 1939 and 1945, and placed as a runner-up in 1937, 1938, 1940 and 1944; he was the founder and head of the Sailing Federation of the City of Gorky.[4] His students became well-known doctors in Nizhny Novgorod. Since 1970 the athletics "M. V. Kolokoltsev Prize" has been held annually.[4][2]

The Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Neurosurgery of the Volga Research Medical University (PIMU) bears the name of M. On the building of the NNIITO (Upper Volga Embankment, 18) a memorial plaque has been installed in his honor; Kolokoltsev is buried at the Bugrovsky Cemetery in Nizhny Novgorod, in section 8.[3] V. Kolokoltsev.[2]

Sources

  1. history.nizhgma.ru — Museum of the History of NizhGMA — View Person (archive)
  2. redprosvet.info — Kolokoltsev (archive)
  3. именарегиона52.рф — Kolokoltsev Mikhail Veniaminovich — In 1966 he was awarded the academic title of professor without defending a doctoral dissertation; the degree of Candidate of Medical Sciences was received in 1949…
  4. parusniy-sport.org — Kolokoltsev Mikhail Veniaminovich — Kolokoltsev was awarded the title "Honorary Citizen of Nizhny Novgorod" and received two Orders of the Badge of Honor and five medals. (archive)