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                             Veins and Lymphatics 2018; volume 7:7558

[page 48]                                                          [Veins and Lymphatics 2018; 7:7558]

The social and aestetical
aspects of venous and 
lymphatics disorders: 
Professor Dino De Anna
Vincenzo Gasbarro
Chief Vascular Surgery Unit, Azienda
Ospedaliera Universitaria of Ferrara,
Italy

Speaking of Dino De Anna it is tough
not to be overloaded by personal emotions
in order to give to the readers a clear and
honest image of him. 

He was born in Cordenons (Italy) 72
years ago. He graduated in Medicine at the
University of Ferrara always playing rugby,
always at the highest level, both with
Petrarca Padova and Sanson Rovigo, win-
ning two major series, in 1976 and 1977.

As a young resident in Surgery he meets
Mirella, Prof. Donini’s trusty secretary, who
will become his wife.

Professor Donini, a pioneer in venous
and lymphatic disease. Keen of the physical
prowess of the young rugby player and
knowing him interested in surgery, after a
quick interrogatory, typical of his style,
offers Him to become an attending physi-
cian at the Department of Surgery at
University of Ferrara.

And so the academic career of Dino De
Anna began.

Between ‘70 and ‘80’s he completed the
specialties in general, pediatric, and vascu-
lar surgery.

Dino, being passionate of venous and
lymphatic diseases, picked up and imple-
mented the knowledges of his Masters in
this specific field. We recognize the intu-
ition to join phlebology and aesthetical
medicine, thanks to the close relationship
with Carlo Alberto Bartoletti, pioneer of
aesthetical medicine in Italy.1 Moreover, the
social aspects related to venous leg ulcera-
tion and lymphedema were always a battle
horse in his conferences and lectures.2
Under the push of Prof. Donini, in
November 1986 Dino was one of the
founder members of the Italian Society of
Phlebolymphology, becoming subsequently
the President from 2000 to 2003.

He was a mediator in the process of
merging the major Italian Phlebologic
Societies, culminated in 1996 into the birth
of the Italian College of Phlebology.

The international conferences of phle-
bolymphology he organized in the second
half of the eighties are still remembered for
the presence of the Gotha of phlebology at
that time, including Stemmer, Van deer
Stricht, Simkin, Altman Canestri, Cockett,
Hobbs, Partsch, Ouvry.

He chaired the institute of Surgical
Pathology at the University of Sassari in the
half of nineties, and the Institute of General
Surgery at the University of Udine a few
years later.

From eclectic and dynamic man who
was, He alternated the academic career to
the politics, covering the position of Senator
of the Italian Republic from 1996 to 2001.

In phlebology are remembered his stud-
ies on minimally invasive venous surgery,
being a pioneer in the angioscopy of the
venous system and of the laser ablation of
the greater saphenous vein.3,4

Mention should also be made of his
numerous scientific contributions in diag-
nosis and treatment of lymphoedema.

President of honor of the Italian College
of Phlebology from 2011.

He left us on March 29, 2018.
I am certain that these few notes cannot

define in exhaustive way the personality
and the sensibility of a Man who always
demonstrated honesty and good sense.

Everybody remember his frank and
direct speech.

I will bring me inside his self-irony and
modesty, the most characterizing tracts of
the strong personality of Dino, as well as an
indelible memory of Man and Teacher.

References
1. Donini I, De Anna D, Carella G, et al.

[Mesotherapy in the treatment of lym-
phedema: histologic and ultrastructural
observations]. Chir Patol Sper 1982;30:
25-34.

2. De Anna D, Corcos I. [Social relevance
of venous lymphatic diseases]. Minerva
Cardioangiol 2002;50:34-8.

3. Zamboni P, Feo C, Marcellino MG, et
al. Angiovideo-assisted hemodynamic
correction of varicose veins. Int Angiol
1995;14:202-8. 

4. Corcos L, Dini S, De Anna D, et al. The
immediate effects of endovenous diode
808-nm laser in the greater saphenous
vein: morphologic study and clinical
implications. J Vasc Surg 2005;41:
1018-24; discussion 1025.

Correspondence: Vincenzo Gasbarro, Chief
Vascular Surgery Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera
Universitaria of Ferrara, Italy. 
E-mail: gsv@unife.it

This work is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0 License (by-nc 4.0).

©Copyright V. Gasbarro, 2018
Licensee PAGEPress, Italy
Veins and Lymphatics 2018; 7:7558
doi:10.4081/vl.2018.7558

Figure 1. Dino De Anna, Founder Member and Past President of the Italian Society of
Phlebolymphology. 

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