Answer to Letter Regarding our Publication “Thecaloscopy Part III - First Clinical Results” from Drs. Stranjalis and Sakas

Dear Sir,

We would like to thank our Greek colleagues [1] for the comments on our publication “Thecaloscopy Part III - First Clinical Results” as well as the first 2 parts [2] [3] [4].

Dr. Stranjalis et al. criticised the use of the term thecaloscopy to describe the procedure of the endoscopy of the lumbar subarachnoidal space. The authors recommended thecoscopy as a more appropriate name for the procedure.

The term thecaloscopy, so far used and coined by us, was chosen following considerations of the anatomic structure of the thecal sac. Taking thecal as the first word, we produced the complex word thecaloscopy analogically, its form akin to the creation of the word ventriculoscopy, and this was agreed by all the co-workers in this international study.

We believe that language is a vital structure in all countries. It should be functional, easy to speak and pleasant to the ear. When comparing studies of languages we have found that the basics of all languages are very similar. With regard to our knowledge of Greek language, the term thecoscopy is also inappropriate if one is to be grammatically, scientifically and historically correct.

Thecoscopy is a complex word consisting of two words, theca from the modern Greek language and scopy from the ancient Greek language. To be absolutely correct, it is necessary to use words from the same historical era, therefore the correct word in the modern Greek language would be thecoscopisi, like gastroscopisi. Another historically correct variant could be thylacoscopy, also a complex word, consisting of the words thylacos and scopy. Thylacos is the word for thecal sac used by Hippocrates. However, to be scientifically correct, one must further orientate the term to the neural system due to the existence of the theca of the long abdominal muscle.

The correct word in the modern Greek language could be neurothecoscopisi or meningothecoscopisi. This is not easily spoken by those whose mother tongue is not Greek and who are more concerned with the content than the name. Another variant could be neurothylacoscopy or meningothylacoscopy as derived from the ancient Greek language.

Using the rules the Greeks use in their own language, we are told that it is possible to create a word play as in ancient drama and tragedy. For example, thylacoscopy becomes thycaloscopy or even thecaloscopy in conjunction with the ancient and modern Greek language, further combining thylacos and theca, different Greek words for the same anatomic structure.

There is no doubt that we have borrowed the word thecaloscopy from the Greek language and that colleagues all over the world will use this term for the procedure lumbar subarachnoidal endoscopy in the future. We do believe that the name itself is of less importance than the procedure, as long as people understand the exact meaning of the word.

References

• 1 Stranjalis G, Sakas D E. Thelacoscopy/thecoscopy.  Minim Invas Neurosurg. 2004;  47 258
• 2 Warnke J P, Tschabitscher M, Nobles A. Thelacoscopy: The endoscopy of the lumbar subarachnoid space, part I: Historical review and own cadaver studies.  Minim Invas Neurosurg. 2001;  44 61-64
• 3 Warnke J P, Mourgela S, Tschabitscher M, Dzelzitis J. Thelacoscopy part II: Anatomical landmarks.  Minim Invas Neurosurg. 2001;  44 181-185
• 4 Warnke J P, Koppert H, Bensch-Schrietr B, Dzelzitis J, Tschabitscher M. Thelacoscopy part III: First clinical applications.  Minim Invas Neurosurg. 2003;  46 94-99