Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman TimesMilne, John Stewart
History
Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman Times
Milne, John Stewart
Surgery -- History; Surgical instruments and apparatus
Aetius (II. iii. 74) says that adhesion of the sclerotic to the lid may be
separated by means of the pterygotome. Paul (VI. xxii) in empyema of the
lachrymal sac dissects out the part between the sac and the canthus with
the pterygotome, and again in excision of polypus aurium he says it may be
employed. These uses of the pterygotome point to its having been a
sharp-pointed knife of a small size. Albucasis, who conveys entire the
passage on pterygium from Paul, gives figures of both these instruments.
The pterygotome which Albucasis depicts is a small, narrow, sharp-pointed
scalpel (Pl. IX, fig. 2).
_Knife for plastic operation on the eyelid._
Greek, ἀναρραφικὸν σμιλίον.
I have in describing the pterygotome given one instance of the use of the
'scalpel for the plastic operation', viz. to dissect away the base of a
pterygium the rest of which had been separated off by means of sawing with
a horsehair. The plastic operation for entropion seems to have been one
which was very frequently required. We know that granular ophthalmia with
trichiasis as a sequela was very rife. Aetius (quoting from Leonidas) and
Paul give very nearly the same account of the operation to remedy the
trichiasis. Paul says:
'Having placed the patient on a seat either before us or on the left
hand, we turn the upper eyelid outwards, and if it has long hairs we
take hold of them between the index finger and thumb of the left hand;
but if they are very short we push a needle having a thread through
the middle of the tarsus from within outwards. Then stretching the
eyelid with the left hand by means of this thread, with the point of
the scalpel held in the right hand, having everted the eyelid, behind
the thread we make the inferior incision inside the hairs which
irritate the eye, extending from the larger canthus to the smaller
along the tarsus. After the inferior incision, having extracted the
thread and having put a small compress under the thumb of the left
hand, we stretch the eyelid upwards. Then arranging other small
compresses on the canthi at their extremities we direct the assistant,
who stands behind, to stretch the eyelid by means of them. Then by
means of the 'scalpel for the plastic operation' (ἀναρραφικοῦ σμιλίου)
we make the first incision called the 'arrow-shaped' a little above
the hairs which are normal, extending from canthus to canthus and
penetrating only the depth of the skin. Afterwards we make the
incision called the crescent-shaped, beginning at the same place as
the former and carrying it upwards to such a height as to enclose the
whole superabundant skin and ending in like manner as it did. Thus the
whole skin within the incision will have the shape of a myrtle leaf.
Having perforated the angle of this portion with a hook we dissect
away the whole skin. Then washing away the clots with a sponge we
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account