The world recently lost a great figure in the pantheon of orthopedic surgeons. Henry J. Mankin, M.D., a world-renown tumor surgeon whose orthopedic career spanned over 50 years, passed away at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, on December 22, 2018. He was 90 years old.
Dr. Mankin is survived by his three children, Allison Joan, David Phillip, and Keith Pinkney; and three grandchildren, Sam, Molly and Cameron. He was preceeded in death by his beloved wife of sixty years, Carole Jane Mankin (nee Pinkney).
Private services have been held. A memorial service will take place in the spring.
A native of Pittsburgh, Henry Mankin attended the University of Pittsburgh for both his undergraduate and medical degrees. Dr. Mankin told OTW, in 2009, “Our class had 100 people, only five of whom were women; compare that with this year’s class at Harvard, which has 54% women.”
During his internal medicine internship at the University of Chicago, Henry Mankin was called upon to work as a Naval physician in Nevada. He said, “I got my introduction to orthopedics courtesy of some of the military folks around me who got into fights and broke one another’s limbs.”
In 1957 Dr. Mankin undertook a residency at The Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York, after which time he spent six years at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1966 he returned to the Hospital for Joint Diseases as chief of service and professor at Mt. Sinai.
Dr. Mankin would spend the next 40 years of his career as the chief of orthopedics at the Massachusetts General Hospital and at Harvard Medical School.
Freddie Fu, M.D. said of his dear friend and colleague, “A legend in orthopaedics, Dr Mankin’s contribution to education, research and patient care in our field around the world is tremendous and forever lasting. His iconic, down to earth, and funny demeanor made him so very special!”
The winner of 2004 Diversity Award from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Dr. Mankin was ahead of his time. Constance Chu, M.D. said of her friend and mentor, “Henry Mankin was an inspirational leader who embraced diversity in orthopedic surgery long before it was fashionable. I met him in an elevator at the Mass General in 1991. After hearing that I had graduated from West Point and was interested in orthopedics, he ushered me out at Gray 6 where he introduced me to the large team waiting for him and then exuberantly announced, ‘She is going to be an orthopedic surgeon.’ Shortly thereafter, he shared with me his reverence for articular cartilage and challenged me to figure out how to heal cartilage and prevent osteoarthritis. He was an incredible figure who inspired and shaped the careers of countless orthopedic surgeons, who opened the door for women and minorities, and who devoted himself to everything about orthopedics.I am saddened by his loss.”
Dr. Mankin established a computerized system for tumors that includes all of the tumor patients he treated since 1972. He completed two volumes of the pathology and physiology of orthopedic disease. Dr. Mankin said, “I believe the books are particularly useful for residents, fellows, and people in clinical science. In composing these books I have held in mind that we need to determine the best way to operate on patients and the simplest way to treat fractures. We must consider disease states, what they mean, and what we can understand from them about bones, soft tissue, and joints.”
“It is a great loss,” said Mark C. Gebhardt, M.D. “Whether you knew him or not, you have been influenced by his teachings. At every residency graduation he would start with, ‘Classes come, and classes go…’ and then would talk about teaching as the highest profession; because your challenge as a teacher is for your students to go on and do better and more wonderful things than you could ever imagine as their teacher. And that will remain his ageless legacy.”
The family has requested that donations in Dr. Mankin’s memory be made to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Medical Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, 128 North Craig Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Jim and I send our deepest condolences to the family of Dr. Mankin. He was a true pioneer in the academic orthopedic field. Jim remembers him with great fondness and respect. We hope to attend his memorial services in the spring.
Henry was a source of inspiration for all of us in the field of Orthoapedics. He was a sweet gentleman and scholar who held us to a very high bar. His whimsical sense of humor and that bright twinkle in his eye made each of us feel special. His pioneering surgical and materials approaches were legendary. He was a surgeon’s surgeon, a scholar’s scholar and a liberals’ liberal. With him passes a era not to be replicated. Heartfelt condolences to the family and to all who knew and loved him.
Dr, Mankin saved my leg and my life at 20 yrs old. I’m forever indebted to him. His kindness, intelligence, skill and one of kind sense of humor is unforgettable. I feel extremely lucky and privileged to have come across him in life. He was a rare and unique gift from God for all of us that had the honor of knowing him. Dr Mankin forever lives within me, 60 yrs old now and still carrying his perfect allograft work within me. God Bless Dr. Mankin, my good fortune to have known him is miraculous. Condolences to his lovely family that he spoke of often.
I want to send my sincere condolences to Dr. Henry Mankin’s family. Dr. Mankin was a great and fantastic Orthopedic Surgeon who had a heart of gold. He was a very close friend and classmate with my late father Dr. Richard J. Adler Orthopedist from Pittsburgh PA. They grew up together back in elementary school and they both loved to play basketball against one another. Dr. Mankin was at the University of Pittsburgh along with my late father as classmates for undergraduate studies and medical school. My late father cheerished his friendship and professional relationship with Dr. Mankin. My father was so proud of Dr. Mankin’s accomplishments in the field of research and treatment of spinal tumors. They would talk to one another often from Boston to California to catch up with family news and with specific Orthopedic issues. They would always go to class reunions in Pittsburgh and they kept in touch with other classmates. My late father looked to Dr. Mankin like a younger brother. The last conversation I had with Dr. Mankin is when my father passed away in Dec 2005 and Dr. Mankin called me to give his condolences to my family and I and he said he loved my father like a brother and how special his relationship was with him and we were family to him. I will never forget that conversation . God Bless you Dr Mankin. I hope you and my father are playing basketball again.
My condolences to the family of Dr. Mankin. I met this jolly good man through my mother, Dr. Marva Sprauve-Browne whose femur/hip/life he saved when she contracted bone cancer in 1980. He became my physician in 1985 due to my need for a hip replacement at 21 years old. Dr. Mankin was a fantastic person to know in this life. His purposeful life helped many. May Henry Mankin rest in Peace & Rise in Power!