Mikhail Pavlovich Konyukhov (01.06.1937–20.01.2022)

Abstract

On January 20, 2022, Mikhail Pavlovich Konyukhov, a remarkable person, doctor, and scientist, Doctor of Medical Sciences, professor, Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, orthopedic and trauma surgeon of the highest qualification category of H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Сhildren’s Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, died at the age of 85.

Full Text

Mikhail Pavlovich was born in the village of Kolpaki, Glinkovsky district, Smolensk region. In 1960, he graduated from Smolensk Medical Institute and then worked as a chief physician and surgeon at the Polnovskaya district hospital, Gdovsky district, Pskov region for 3 years.

In 1963, he started his studies at the clinical residency of Leningrad H. Turner Research Children’s Orthopedic Institute. Since then, his life has been inextricably related with the institute, where Mikhail Pavlovich made his way from a graduate student, followed by the head of the department of foot pathology and systemic diseases, to a chief researcher at H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Children’s Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery.

In 1969, he defended his Ph.D. thesis “The influence of arthrodesis surgeries on the growth and development of the foot in children with the consequences of poliomyelitis.” His supervisor was Professor Z.A. Lyandres, the first graduate student of H. Turner and the founder of pediatric orthopedics. Thus, Mikhail Pavlovich became the successor of Turner’s traditions at the institute.

During 1979–1981, he was the head of the scientific and organizational department.

In 1990, Mikhail Pavlovich defended his doctoral thesis “Surgical treatment of congenital foot deformities in children,” and his results are successfully used in various clinics in Russia and neighboring countries. Mikhail Pavlovich is a highly qualified traumatologist-orthopedist with a high-level certificate. He developed 23 new surgical treatment methods for lower limb deformities in patients with systemic and congenital pathologies, which are protected by 18 copyright certificates for invention and 5 patents. He proposed and introduced fundamentally new methods of treating children and adolescents with congenital dislocations of the lower limbs; flat valgus; and reduced deformities of feet, rocker bottom foot, severe clubfoot, and gigantism. He established his own scientific school, and five Ph.D. theses on the treatment of congenital foot deformities and malformations were defended under his supervision.

In December 2001, Mikhail Pavlovich delivered a commencement address “Modern concepts and prospects in the treatment of lower limb deformities in children with congenital and systemic pathology.” In it, based on his many years of experience (more than 4,000 surgical interventions), he formulated the main guidelines for the conservative, surgical, and restorative treatment of lower limb deformities in children with congenital and systemic pathologies.

Professor Mikhail Pavlovich is the author of more than 300 printed works published in journals and collections, including the monograph “Orthopedics of the first year of life”; chapters in the national manuals “Orthopedics,” “Pediatrics,” and “Traumatology”; and more than 20 guidelines and manuals. He was the editor of four collections of scientific papers focused on the treatment of patients with pathology of the lower extremities and feet. Under the leadership of Mikhail Pavlovich, several scientific studies were conducted, which dealt with the treatment of lower limb deformities in children with congenital and systemic pathology of the skeleton. Moreover, a study on the complex planned subject “Prevention and treatment of relapses and secondary deformities of the lower extremities in patients with systemic hereditary and congenital diseases of the musculoskeletal system” was conducted under his guidance.

Mikhail Pavlovich is a great scientist and a prominent specialist not only in St. Petersburg but throughout the Russian Federation. He devoted much time in training young orthopedic traumatologists.

In the book “Chronicle of H. Turner Research Children’s Orthopedic Institute,” he speaks with great warmth about his supervisor Professor Z.A. Lyandres, as well as about V.I. Akatov, I.I. Mirzoeva, G.G. Epstein, and O.P. Zaidel as glorious Turner followers, and expressed his dream of opening a rehabilitation center in the Institute.

In 2012, in a solemn atmosphere at the Great Hall of the Catherine Palace, by decision of the Academic Council of the Institute, Mikhail Pavlovich was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of the Turner Institute with the award of an honorary doctor’s medal, a diploma, a mantle, and a square academic cap.

For his long-term and impeccable work, Mikhail Pavlovich repeatedly received gratitude from the Ministry of Health of the RSFSR. In 1977, he was awarded the “Excellence in Health” badge. In 2006, he was awarded the title of Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation. Mikhail Pavlovich cherishes the medal “In memory of the 300^th anniversary of St. Petersburg.” He is a veteran of labor and was awarded a commemorative P.P. Melnikov (the first Minister of Railways) badge.

Mikhail Pavlovich worked with us until the last day. All these years, he literally put little patients on their feet. He was invariably kind, friendly, and attentive to children, their parents, residents, graduate students, and young colleagues.

A scientist, heaven born doctor, and brilliant person, Mikhail Pavlovich will forever remain in the hearts of his students, followers, colleagues, and everyone who knew him.

His name is forever inscribed in the history of H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Children’s Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery.

In loving memory.

Administration, academic council, staff of H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Сhildren’s Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery Editorial Board of the Pediatric Traumatology, Orthopaedics and Reconstructive Surgery