HF01-06 THE MAN BEHIND THE MANEUVER: ROBERT J. PRENTISS MD

Joanna Orzel; Andrea Rossman; Ryan Steinberg

doi:10.1097/01.JU.0001191340.67063.51.06

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The Prentiss surgical maneuver is ubiquitously known in any pediatric urology operating room; however, the man behind it is not. We highlight the life and career of Robert J. Prentiss M. D., including and beyond his initial publication of the Prentiss maneuver. METHODS: Primary and secondary sources were reviewed. The Prentiss Family Papers, which include personal correspondence, scientific writings, and memorabilia from his career are housed in the Iowa Women’s Archives and were assessed. RESULTS: Dr. Prentiss was born in Iowa City, IA, the youngest of five children to Lué Bradley and Dr. Henry Prentiss, founder of the Department of Anatomy. He attended the University of Iowa where he obtained his medical degree in 1934 and stayed to complete his residency (and later remained as faculty) under Dr. Nathaniel Alcock. He went on to the San Diego County Hospital where he was the acting chairman of the Division of Urology until 1968. During this time, he published on a variety of topics, including ureteral injury, Papanicolau smears for bladder cancer, and radical perineal prostatectomy. He also established a urology residency program using a community-based model. His eponymous publication, titled “Medical and Surgical Treatment of Cryptorchidism” was published in the American Medical Association (AMA) Archives of Surgery in 1955 and presented at the Section of Urology during the 103rd Annual Meeting of the AMA in San Francisco in 1954 on a trifold posterboard (Figure 1). Besides berating his colleagues for “general disregard of basic principles and poor technical execution of the operation,” Prentiss described his approach to gain more length on the spermatic cord in 18 steps and through careful illustration. In his spare time, Prentiss enjoyed going on fishing trips filled with “imbibing of strong beverages.” His companions were known to document each day of the trip, mostly with descriptions on the quantity and type of alcohol they consumed. His role as a devoted father to his daughters is memorialized through his correspondence, advocating on their behalf. He gave talks, moderated panels, and attended conferences essentially through the year of his death in 1972. CONCLUSIONS: Although the eponym is associated with pediatric urology, Dr. Prentiss made many contributions to the early and burgeoning field of urology. His impact should not be minimized to only testicular descent.

HF01-06 THE MAN BEHIND THE MANEUVER: ROBERT J. PRENTISS MD

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