Join ESSS and Mr William Lo for a one-off webinar to commemorate the 400th birth anniversary of Thomas Willis!

The “Circle of Willis” is one of the most famous eponymous structures in human anatomy. There is no doubt Thomas Willis at Oxford accurately demonstrated the anastomotic arterial supply at the base of the brain, however, this eponymous name does not reveal the history of the discovery of the ramification, nor does it give credit to the anatomists and artists who have contributed to the understanding of this clinically important structure.

This talk first traces the story of the discovery of the Circle of Willis. Willis’s contribution and innovative approaches are then discussed. Finally, despite Willis not being the first to describe the “Circle”, we will discuss why he still deserves to retain the eponymous title.

In addition to the anatomical relevance, this talk highlights the convoluted yet fascinating history behind an eponymous name, a recurring theme in all fields of medicine.

Mr William Lo is a consultant neurosurgeon at the Birmingham Children's Hospital, one of four national Children's Epilepsy Surgery Service (CESS) centres in England.

Zoom Meeting details:

https://ed-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/4318344052

Meeting ID: 431 834 4052

Passcode: ESSS2021