- A dictionary of medical eponyms

Charles David Kelman

Born  1930
Died  2004

Related eponyms

American ophthalmic surgeon, Born May 23, 1930, Brooklyn, N.Y., Died June 1, 2004, Boca Raton, Florida.

Biography of Charles David Kelman

Charles David Kelman was a man of many talents, described as a true renaissance man. He was a pioneering eye surgeon and a talented musician. He played the saxophone in concert with Dizzy Gillespie and performed at Carnegie Hall. He wrote a musical and had an album released by Columbia Records, and even produced Broadway musicals. An accomplished pilot, Kelman often flew his helicopter to the Lydia E. Hall Hospital in Freeport, New York from his Long Island Home.

Charles David Kelman was born in Brooklyn, New York to David and Eva (Gelles) Kelman. He grew up in Queens where he attended Forest Hills High School. After graduation, he attended Boston's Tufts University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree, then completed his medical studies at the University of Geneva were he obtrained his M.D. degree in 1956. He then interned at the Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. He then completed his ophthalmology residency training at The Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa. In 1960, he entered the private practice of ophthalmology.

Kelman was Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at New York Medical College and an Attending Surgeon at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital.

Kelman was a prolific inventor. In 1962, he invented the cryoprobe, an instrument that freezes cataracts before removal, making cataract extraction a less traumatic task. Eight years later, his forward-thinking style enabled him to make the ophthalmic discovery of the century while sitting in a dentist's chair. As a dental probe pulsates through the hard surface of tooth enamel, he reasoned, ultrasound vibrations could be used to break up a clouded lens. Phacoemulsification, as the technique is called, was the first of the minimally invasive techniques, and the stimulus for small incision surgery, including gall bladder, lumpectomy, vertebral disc surgery and other surgical applications.

Kelman introduced his technique that uses ultrasonic waves in 1967. This new surgery removed the need for an extended hospital stay and made the surgery less painful. It has helped 100 million people nation-wide. He was a co-founder of the International Retinal Research Foundation, along with longtime friend and colleague, Alston Callahan.

Charles David Kelman died of lung cancer in Boca Raton, Florida in 2004. He was survived by his wife Ann and their five children.

Kelman was posthumously awarded the 2004 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research for having revolutionized the surgical removal of cataracts; he turned a 10-day hospital stay into an outpatient procedure and dramatically reduced surgical complications.

We thank William Charles Caccamise Sr MD; and Patrick Jucker-Kupper, Switzerland, for information submitted.

Bibliography

  • A propos de quelques cas de mononucleose infectieuse. Genève 1956.
    [Medical doctoral thesis, University of Geneva] Cryosurgery of retinal detachment and other ocular conditions.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat Monthly, January 1963, 42: 42-46.
  • Cryogenic ophthalmic surgery.
    C. D. Kelman, I. S. Cooper.
    American Journal of Ophthalmology, November 1963, 56: 731-739.
  • Cryophthalmic surgery. A resume of the text presented with the film.
    C. D. Kelman, I. S. Cooper.
    Transactions. American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, November–December 1964, 68: 1009-1011.
  • Complications of cryosurgical cataract extraction.
    C. D. Kelman.
    International Ophthalmology Clinics, March 1965, 5: 81-93.
  • A new cryosurgical instrument for treatment of retinal tears.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Transactions. American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, March-April 1966, 70 (2): 288-290.
  • Effects of freezing on ocular tissues. I. Clinical and histologic study of corneal endothelium.
    H. H. Chi, C. D. Kelman.
    American Journal of Ophthalmology, April 1966, 61 (4): 630-641.
  • Cryoextraction of cataracts.
    C. D. Kelman.
    International Ophthalmology Clinics, summer 1967, 7 (2): 335-346.
  • Histopathology of corneal endothelium after freezing.
    H. H. Chi, C. D. Kelman.
    International Ophthalmology Clinics, Summer 1967, 7 (2): 369-380.
  • Phaco-emulsification and aspiration. A new technique of cataract removal. A preliminary report.
    C. D. Kelman.
    American Journal of Ophthalmology, July1967, 64 (1): 23-35.
  • Cryotherapy, a new and experimental approach to the treatment of periodontal disease.
    R. B. Odrich, C. D. Kelman.
    Periodontics, Brookline, Massachusetts, November-December 1967, 5 (6): 313-317.
  • Ophthalmologic findings with oral contraceptives.
    E. B. Connell, C. D. Kelman.
    Obstetrics and Gynecology, April 1968, 31 (4): 456-460.
  • Eye examinations in patients taking oral contraceptives.
    E. B. Connell, C. D. Kelman.
    Fertility and Sterility, New York, January-February 1969, 20 (1): 67-74.
  • Physics of ultrasound in cataract removal.
    C. D. Kelman.
    International Ophthalmology Clinics, Fall 1969, 9 (3): 739-744.
  • Extracapsular cataract extraction.
    C. D. Kelman.
    International Surgery, March 1969, 51 (3): 199-201.
  • Phaco-emulsification and aspiration. A progress report.
    C. D. Kelman.
    American Journal of Ophthalmology, April 1969, 67 (4): 464-477.
  • Cataract emulsification and aspiration.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Transactions of the Ophthalmological Societies of the United Kingdom, 1970, 90: 13-22.
  • Intracapsular lens extraction through a small incision.
    C. D. Kelman.
    American Journal of Ophthalmology, February 1970, 69 (2): 277-283.
  • Ultrasonic emulsification and aspiration of traumatic hyphema. A preliminary report.
    C. D. Kelman, D. L. Brooks.
    American Journal of Ophthalmology, June 1971, 71 (6): 1289-1291.
  • Systemic pilocarpine toxicity in the treatment of angle closure glaucoma.
    J. J. Greco, C. D. Kelman.
    Annals of Ophthalmology, Chicago, January 1973, 5 (1): 57-59.
  • Phaco-emulsification and aspiration of senil cataracts: a comparative study with intra-capsular extraction.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology, January 1973, 8 (1): 24-32.
  • Phaco-emulsification and aspiration. A report of 500 consecutive cases.
    C. D. Kelman.
    American Journal of Ophthalmology, May 1973, 75 (5): 764-768.
  • Symposium: Phacoemulsification. History of emulsification and aspiration of senile cataracts.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Transactions. American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, January-February 1974, 78 (1): OP5-13.
  • Symposium: Phacoemulsification. Summary of personal experience.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Transactions. American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, January-February 1974, 78 (1): OP35-38.
  • Phacoemulsification in the anterior chamber.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Ophthalmology, November 1979, 86 (11): 1980-1982.
  • YAG laser anterior capsulotomy.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Journal. American Intra-Ocular Implant Society, Summer 1984, 10 (3): 359-360.
  • Parachute cataract surgery.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Transactions of the New Orleans Academy of Ophthalmology, St. Louis, 1984, 32: 159-163.
  • The neodymium: YAG laser.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Transactions of the New Orleans Academy of Ophthalmology, St. Louis, 1984, 32: 202-225.
  • Basic principles of IOL design.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Transactions of the New Orleans Academy of Ophthalmology, St. Louis, 1984, 32: 78-98.
  • In defense of the Omnifit lens.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Fairfax, Virginia, January 1988, 14 (1): 100-101.
  • The history and development of phacoemulsification.
    C. D. Kelman.
    International Ophthalmology Clinics, Spring 1994, 34 (2): 1-12.
  • In vivo evaluation of a collagen corneal allograft derived from rabbit dermis.
    E. W. Kornmehl, B. K. Bredvik, C. D. Kelman, M. B. Raizman, D. P. DeVore.
    Journal of Refractive Surgery, November-December 1995, 11 (6): 502-506.
  • In tune with the father of phacoemulsification.
    C. D. Kelman.
    Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, October 1997, 23 (8): 1128-1129. Biographical etc:
  • C. D. kelman:
    Through my eyes : the story of a surgeon who dared to take on the medical world.
    New York 1985.
  • Suresh K. Pandey, E. John Milverton Franzco, and Anthony J. Maloof Franzco:
    History of Ophthalmology: A tribute to Charles David Kelman MD: ophthalmologist, inventor and pioneer of phacoemulsification surgery.
    Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology, Carlton, Australia. 2004, 32 (5): 529-533.
  • Wikipedia.
  • Obituary on the the homepage of the Interrnational Retinal Research Foundation.
  • Ivan Oransky:
    Charles Kelman. The Lancet, 2004, 364 (9429): 134.
We thank Patrick Jucker-Kupper, Switzerland, for information submitted.

What is an eponym?

An eponym is a word derived from the name of a person, whether real or fictional. A medical eponym is thus any word related to medicine, whose name is derived from a person.

What is Whonamedit?

Whonamedit.com is a biographical dictionary of medical eponyms. It is our ambition to present a complete survey of all medical phenomena named for a person, with a biography of that person.

Disclaimer:

Whonamedit? does not give medical advice.
This survey of medical eponyms and the persons behind them is meant as a general interest site only. No information found here must under any circumstances be used for medical purposes, diagnostically, therapeutically or otherwise. If you, or anybody close to you, is affected, or believe to be affected, by any condition mentioned here: see a doctor.