The first shoulder replacement in Ancient Greek Mythology: The story of Pelops, King of Elis

Nikitas N Nomikos; Chris K Yiannakopoulos

doi:10.1016/j.otsr.2019.04.005

The first shoulder replacement in Ancient Greek Mythology: The story of Pelops, King of Elis

Orthop Traumatol Surg Res. 2019 Sep;105(5):801-803. doi: 10.1016/j.otsr.2019.04.005. Epub 2019 Jul 19.

Authors

Nikitas N Nomikos¹, Chris K Yiannakopoulos²

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece. Electronic address: niknomikos@med.uoa.gr.
² Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece; Iaso General Hospital, 264, Mesogeion Avenue, 15562 Holargos, Greece.

PMID: 31331800
DOI: 10.1016/j.otsr.2019.04.005

Abstract

Medical science and the need for the treatment of diseases and injuries, is as old as human history. This research aims to identify and study the first registered shoulder replacement in Ancient Greek Mythology. After a review of literature, the texts that referred to the myth of Pelops' ivory shoulder were identified and analysed, as were the texts which contain the first citation for shoulder replacement in the prehistoric era.

Keywords: Arthroplasty; Pelops; Prosthetics; Replacement; Shoulder; Trauma.

Publication types

Historical Article
Review

MeSH terms

Arthroplasty, Replacement, Shoulder / history*
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Shoulder / instrumentation
Greece
History, Ancient
Humans
Mythology
Shoulder Prosthesis / history*