1960s; earliest use found in ‘Richard Gordon’ (b. 1921) (real name Gordon Ostlere). Alteration of orthopaedic, perhaps by confusion with -pod, or perhaps humorously after taxonomic words in -pod.
Definition of orthopod in US English:
orthopod
nounˈɔːθəpɒd
Medicine slang
An orthopaedic surgeon.
Origin
1960s; earliest use found in ‘Richard Gordon’ (b. 1921) (real name Gordon Ostlere). Alteration of orthopaedic, perhaps by confusion with -pod, or perhaps humorously after taxonomic words in -pod.