Discovering the elusive Beauchêne: the originator of the disarticulated anatomic technique

The identity of the Beauchêne bearing the name of the widely used disarticulated anatomic technique has remained elusive over the years. This article traces the skull technique to its originator, Edmé François Chauvot de Beauchêne (ca. 1780-1830), an anatomist and surgeon. In addition to pioneering this innovative anatomic preparation, Edmé François reported the first known case of an intraneural cyst in 1810 and pulmonary air embolism in 1818. The credit has been incorrectly attributed to Claude Beauchêne, an imaginary anatomist in Paris in the 1850s, or to his famous father, Edmé Pierre Chauvot de Beauchêne (1749-1825), a psychologist and physician. The significant accomplishments of Edmé François Chauvot de Beauchêne (Beauchêne fils or Beauchêne son) in medicine have been overshadowed by those of his distinguished father and should be fully recognized.