Christian Brothers College, Pretoria, Pretoria University, University of the Witwatersrand and Johannesburg Teaching Hospitals
Known for
Treatment of congenital and acquired conditions of the oesophagus. Management of congenital surgical abnormalities. Surgical management of conjoined twins. Management of gastro-oesophageal reflux especially in cerebral palsy children.
UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust, Sheffield Children's Hospital Alder Hey Children's Hospital / Great Ormond Street Hospital. Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospita], Transvaal Memorial Hospital for Children
Lewis SpitzFRCS (born 25 August 1939 in Pretoria[1]) is a paediatric surgeon who is internationally recognised as a leader in paediatric surgery and is known for his work on congenital abnormalities of the oesophagus, particularly oesophageal atresia, oesophageal replacement and gastroesophageal reflux especially in neurologically impaired children. He championed the plight of children with cerebral palsy and other congenital disorders; demonstrating that appropriate surgery could improve their quality of life. He is the leading authority in the management of conjoined twins and is recognised as the foremost international expert in this field.[2] Spitz is the Emeritus Nuffield Professor of Paediatric Surgery.[3]
In 1974, Spitz was appointed consultant paediatric surgeon at The Children's Hospital, Sheffield, becoming Senior Consultant in 1977.
In 1979, Spitz was appointed to a combined position of Consultant in the surgery department and Nuffield Professor of Paediatric Surgery at the Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital.[3] He built up the department to one of the top 5-10 units internationally.
In 2002, Spitz was awarded the Clement Price Thomas Award, named after Clement Price Thomas, In recognition of his outstanding contributions to treatment of conjoined twins.[6] In 2002, Spitz was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Sheffield.[3] In 2004, Spitz was awarded Denis Browne Gold Medal, named after the surgeon Denis Browne, who was the first president of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons and was notable for being the first paediatric surgeon, within the United Kingdom.[7] In 2004, he was awarded the James Spence Medal.[2] In 2010, Spitz was awarded the Rehbein Medal by the European Paediatric Surgeons' Association for outstanding contributions to the development of paediatric Surgery.[8] In 2012, Spitz was awarded the American Ladd Medal, the highest award of the surgical section of the American Academy of Pediatrics.[3][9]
Spitz was also awarded the Sulamaa Medal from the Finnish Association of Pediatric Surgery,[10] and as an expert visitor, Spitz gave the coveted Sulamaa Lecture.[10]
Bibliography
The following journal articles, written or co-edited by Spitz, have high citation counts, i.e. above one hundred.
Spitz, Lewis (February 1992). "Gastric transposition for esophageal substitution in children". Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 27 (2): 252–259. doi:10.1016/0022-3468(92)90322-X.
Lopez, Pedro Jose; Keys, Charles; Pierro, Agostino; Drake, David Paul; Kiely, Edward Matthew; Curry, Joseph Ignatius; Spitz, Lewis (February 2006). "Oesophageal atresia: improved outcome in high-risk groups?". Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 41 (2): 331–334. doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2005.11.009. PMID16481246.
Craig, Gillian M; Scambler, Graham; Spitz, Lewis (6 February 2003). "Why parents of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities requiring gastrostomy feeding need more support". Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. 45 (3). doi:10.1017/S0012162203000355.
Chittmittrapap, Sootiporn; Spitz, Lewis; Kiely, E.M.; Brereton, R.J. (January 1992). "Anastomotic leakage following surgery for esophageal atresia". Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 27 (1): 29–32. doi:10.1016/0022-3468(92)90098-R. PMID1552439.
Pediatric Surgical Oncology., Lewis Spitz; Peter Wurnig; Thomas A Angerpointner. Berlin,Heidelberg : Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 1989.
A colour atlas of surgery for undescended testes., Lewis Spitz. London : Wolfe Medical Books, 1984.
Surgery in solitary kidney and corrections of urinary transport disturbances., Lewis Spitz; Peter Wurnig; Thomas Angerpointer. Berlin : Springer Verlag, 1989.
Spitz, Lewis; Coran, Arnold G; Teitelbaum, Daniel H; Tan, Hock Lim; Pierro, Agostino, eds. (2003). Operative pediatric surgery (7th ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. ISBN9781444117158.
Strobel, Stephan; Spitz, Lewis; Marks, Stephen D (2016). Great Ormond Street handbook of paediatrics. Pediatric diagnosis and management. (Second ed.). Boca Raton, Hospital for Sick Children (London, England): CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN9781482222821. OCLC1012894018.
^ ab"Emeritus Professor Lewis Spitz". The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2018. The team at Great Ormond Street Hospital managed 40 sets of conjoined twins of which 89% survived elective separation. He was the first paediatric surgeon to a study of the psychological consequences of neonatal surgery and of Hirschsprung's disease and anorectal malformations on subsequent development.
^"Honorary FAAP Winners". 2012 AAP Award Winners. American Academy of Pediatrics. AAP News and Journals Gateway. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
