Timothy Herbert, MD, the hand surgeon who invented the Herbert screw for fixing scaphoid fractures, died Oct. 3 at age 85, according to a published obituary.
Dr. Herbert earned his medical degree from St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School in London in 1965 and completed his orthopedic training at St. George’s Hospital in London. He served as a surgical specialist in the Royal Navy from 1966 to 1970.
He later worked as a visiting surgeon at Sydney Hospital in Australia and served as founding chair of the department of hand surgery at St. Luke’s Hospital in Sydney from 1990 until his retirement in 1996.
Dr. Herbert also served as president of the Hand Surgery Society of New South Wales in Australia and wrote the book “The Fractured Scaphoid.”
Developed in the late 1970s, the Herbert screw was one of the earliest headless compression screws. Threads with different pitches at each end draw bone fragments together, and because the screw sits flush with the bone, it limits soft tissue irritation.
The design allowed surgeons to stabilize scaphoid fractures without prolonged cast immobilization.
Headless compression screws based on his design remain in use today for fractures of the scaphoid, capitellum and radial head.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.
