Professor Carlos E. Ottolenghi died suddenly on July 26, 1984, at the age of eighty, after a long and fruitful life devoted entirely to the practice and teaching of orthopaedic surgery and traumatology. His death took place at the National Academy of Medicine of which he had been a member since 1978.

Professor Ottolenghi graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Buenos Aires in 1926, and was interested in orthopaedics and traumatology from the beginning of his career. In 1929, he was awarded a Fellowship at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute of Bologna, Italy, where he trained under Vittorio Putti.

On returning to Argentina, he immediately joined the Orthopaedic Department of the Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires, where he remained until the time of his death. From 1944 to 1975, he was Chief of the service, and he subsequently became Consulting Chairman. During this period, he developed a national orthopaedic school, and had hundreds of Argentine and foreign disciples.

Professor Ottolenghi attained the highest teaching positions: from 1963 to 1970, he was Full Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Buenos Aires, and he subsequently became Emeritus Professor.

A restless mind moved him to participate in different scientific societies, with multiple achievements. He was President of the Argentine Medical Association, the Buenos Aires Academy of Surgery, the Argentine Surgical Association, and the Argentine Associate of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (of which he was a founder), and he was an Honorary Member and was nominated in 1969 as River Plate Master in his specialty. He was granted the title of Master of Argentine Medicine by the Prensa Médica Argentina and was also an Honorary or Correspondence Member of The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Fracture Association, The American Orthopaedic Association, the International Orthopaedic Association, the French and Italian Societies of Orthopaedics, and almost all Latin American societies of the specialty. In addition, he was one of the founding members of the Latin-American Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology and served as its President from 1965 to 1968; in 1981, he became Honorary President. In 1972, he was elected First Vice President of the Société Internationale de Chirurgie Orthopedique et Traumatalogique (SICOT).

Concern for the welfare of his community moved him to participate in different public organizations such as the national Commission for Rehabilitation of the Disabled, of which he was President from 1973 to 1974; he was honored by the latter society with the River Plate Award in May 1984.

His scientific work was vast, including more than 120 papers in national and foreign publications. His book on surgical technique was a textbook for several generations of Latin American students.

Professor Ottolenghi received many decorations from foreign governments, including those of Italy, Chile, and Venezuela, for his contributions to the development of the specialty. Among his major contributions to international orthopaedics were his articles in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, and Revue de Chirurgie Orthopédique on aspiration biopsy of the spine, massive bone transplantation, treatment of bone tumors, and hip osteotomy in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Professor Ottolenghi’s great affection for the specialty as well as his outlook and insight moved him to create, in 1970, the Ottolenghi Foundation for the progress of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, to promote its development in his country. The Foundation, together with the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research and the Italian Hospital, created the Center for the Investigation and Study of Orthopaedics and Traumatology with the purpose of putting that objective into practice.

Professor Ottolenghi’s death is deeply mourned by his colleagues and especially by his many national and foreign disciples and collaborators, who will always remember his teachings and the affection and kindness he gave so freely to everyone who was privileged to work near him. He was a stimulating, keen, and encouraging mentor, much loved and respected by the many students from different Latin American countries who attended his lectures and surgical demonstrations. He was also a very great friend, and a great gap has been created by his death.

We extend our deepest sympathy to his beloved wife, Beba, and the rest of his family.

G. V. F.