It is with sadness that the Board of Directors of the Patellofemoral Foundation learned of the passing of Alan Merchant, MD of Palo Alto CA. Dr. Merchant was a giant in the orthopedic field and he was invariably a kind and generous man. He was thoughtful and worked diligently to explore new techniques and devices to help treat patients.
The Merchant view X-ray is still utilized every day in hospitals around the world to help evaluate the patellar tracking of patients. In typical Al Merchant fashion he preferred that it be referred to as the “axial view of the patella”!
Dr. Merchant was the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award as voted unanimously by the Patellofemoral Foundation BOD.
We are honored to have the privilege of calling him our friend and to have learned from him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wonderful wife Joan and his family.
“Alan Merchant was a friend for over 40 years in the patellofemoral world. He was always a wonderful collaborator, inspiration and friend. In fact, he was one of my early mentors. I remember his 8 mm movie entitled ‘The Perils of Pauline’ about a young girl who had a lateral release for patellofemoral pain. I’ll never forget his final words about Pauline after her lateral release – ‘now Pauline really knows what pain is!’
“Alan and his beautiful wife Joan traveled with my wife, Lynn, and myself in France. It was a joy for us to be with them and enjoy Alan’s infectious laugh. Great people! His memory lives on with countless orthopedic surgeons around the globe, immortalized by the Merchant axial radiograph.
“Alan and Joan hosted one of the earliest International Patellofemoral Study Group meetings in Napa California and was first recipient of the Patellofemoral Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award.” – John Fulkerson, MD