The life and legacy of John Robert Cobb: the man behind the angle

Kathleen S. Botterbush Department of Surgery, Division of Neurological Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; and

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Justin K. Zhang Department of Neurosurgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

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Pranav S. Chimakurty Department of Surgery, Division of Neurological Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; and

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Philippe Mercier Department of Surgery, Division of Neurological Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; and

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Tobias A. Mattei Department of Surgery, Division of Neurological Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; and

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Publication Date:
08 Sep 2023
Page Range:
1–8
Volume/Issue:
Publish Before Print
DOI link:
https://doi.org/10.3171/2023.7.SPINE23146
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In 1934, Dr. John Robert Cobb moved to New York to serve as the Gibney Orthopedic Fellow at the Hospital for the Ruptured and Crippled, now known as the Hospital for Special Surgery. In this role, Cobb was faced with a unique task that would shape not only his personal career but also the fields of scoliosis and spine care: to design the first scoliosis specialty clinic. He critically reviewed the treatment methods for scoliosis outlined by prior pioneers in spine surgery and kept his own meticulous records of diagnoses, treatments, and radiographs. Cobb’s work culminated in major contributions to spine surgery that are highly relevant to this day, including the Cobb angle and the Cobb elevator. In this detailed analysis of the career and academic legacy of Dr. John R. Cobb, the authors examine in detail the historical events surrounding Cobb’s great contributions to spine surgery and their lasting impact on our specialty, as well as unique aspects of his personal life. This historical vignette constitutes the first comprehensive analysis of the life, career, and academic legacy of Dr. John R. Cobb, the man behind the angle.

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Contributor Notes

Correspondence Tobias A. Mattei: Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. tobias.mattei@health.slu.edu.

INCLUDE WHEN CITING Published online September 8, 2023; DOI: 10.3171/2023.7.SPINE23146.

Disclosures The authors report no conflict of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in this paper.

Keywords:
spine surgery; scoliosis; Cobb angle; Cobb elevator
Page Count:
8
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