Lazar K. Lazarević, the author who first described the straight leg raising test

Abstract

Objective: To highlight the contributions of Lazar K. Lazarević (1851-1891), physician, scientist, writer, and translator in the field of neurology. During his brief period of professional activities, Lazar K. Lazarević published 78 articles in various branches of medicine. His most important contribution to neurologic science was his description of the straight leg raising test. The article "Ischiac postica cotunnii: one contribution to its differential diagnosis" was published in Serbian in the Serbian Archives of Medicine in 1880, and republished in German in Vienna in 1884. In this article, based on 6 patients from his medical practice, Lazarević correctly explained that stretching the sciatic nerve is the cause of pain during the straight leg raising test. He gave a full description of several maneuvers used to perform the test, and described the control test. Maneuvers described by Lazarević are known by other names.

Conclusions: Analysis of the historical events and documentation indicates that Lazarević could have described the straight leg raising test in sciatica before Lasègue. He identified stretching of the sciatic nerve as the cause of pain and presented several maneuvers, which are now known by other names as labels for various diagnostic categories.