Eponym:

The hepatorenal recess is commonly referred to as Morison’s pouch, named after the Scottish surgeon James Rutherford Morison (1853–1939).[1]

​

Morison was born in Hutton Henry, Durham, on October 10, 1853.[1] He obtained his medical degree from the University of Edinburgh and later served as a house surgeon to Patrick Heron Watson at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.[1,3] In 1888, he began his surgical career at the Royal Victoria Infirmary as an assistant surgeon and was later appointed honorary consulting surgeon.[1]

Scientific Contributions:

James Rutherford Morison made significant contributions to both anatomy and surgery. He provided a detailed anatomical and clinical description of the hepatorenal recess and emphasized its importance in the surgical management of gallbladder disease, particularly advocating for postoperative drainage of this space.[1]

​

During World War I, Morison served at the Northumberland War Hospital, where he introduced the use of bismuth, iodoform, and paraffin paste (BIPP) for the treatment of contaminated wounds, significantly reducing postoperative sepsis.[3] This technique continues to be used in otolaryngology practice.[1]

​

In collaboration with Sir David Drummond (1852–1932), Morison introduced omentopexy as a surgical treatment for ascites.[4] His name is also associated with the Rutherford Morison incision, an oblique, curvilinear muscle-cutting abdominal incision used in open surgery.[4]

James Rutherford  Morison- Image Obtained From: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

References​

1. Gilliam JW. The Morison pouch. Arch Surg. 1976;111(3):227. doi:10.1001/archsurg.1976.01360210021003

2. Morison R. On gall-stones. Ann Surg. 1895;22:181-204. doi:10.1097/00000658-189507000-00018

3. Sağlam L, Coşkun Ö, Öztürk A. James Rutherford Morison (1853–1939): surgeon’s surgeon. Indian J Surg. 2021;83(5):1321-1323. doi:10.1007/s12262-020-02603-2

4. Morison R. The operative cure of ascites due to liver cirrhosis (Talma–Morison operation). Proc R Soc Med. 1912;5(Surg Sect):37-43. doi:10.1177/003591571200501607