www.educationforum.co.uk Twentieth Century SurgeryBlood lossIn
1900 Karl Landsteiner discovered blood groups and that only
compatible blood could be transfused successfully paving the way
for a solution to blood lossThe Red Cross set up the first blood
transfusion service in 1926First blood bank set up in Barcelona in
1936World War II speeded up scientific research and in 1944 ACD or
acid citrate dextrose was discovered as a solution to blood
clotting in storageInfection & Aseptic Surgery19th century had
used anti septic techniques to tackle infection e.g. Carbolic
sprayAseptic techniques such as using rubber gloves (Halsted 1889)
and boiling and sterilisation of equipment and clothing (Robert
Koch 1890s) quickly became the norm in the early Twentieth
CenturyDefinitions anti septic means killing germs that exist in
the operating theatre. Aseptic means creating a completely sterile
or germ free theatre before you startPain anaesthesia
improvedBetter anaesthetics were discovered and devised in the 20th
century. Increasingly local anaesthetics and muscle relaxants were
used stopping the need to send the patient under completely for
hours this made recovery quicker and risks smallerExamplesIn 1905
novocaine was used for the first time as a very effective local
anaestheticIn 1942 curare first used as a muscle relaxant reducing
the need for power general anaestheticsPlastic Surgery in the World
WarsPlastic surgery is surgery designed to improve a persons
appearance maybe because of burns or disfigurement and sometimes
because of vanitySkin grafts were first pioneered in the First
World War by Howard GilliesSkin grafts were further improved by
Archie McIndoe during the 2nd World War to treat serious burns such
trials were aided by the use and mass production of penicillin to
reduce infectionPlastic surgery TodayPlastic surgery has advanced
rapidly since the second world war thanks to high technology tools
to join up nerves and repair skinExample in 2006 the French woman
Isabelle Dinoire had the worlds first face transplant. She has her
face horribly maimed by dogHeart SurgeryHeart surgery was extremely
dangerous and rarely tried before the 2nd World WarWar again paved
the way for experimentation and risk taking. In 1944 the American
surgeon Dwight Harken successfully managed to remove bullet
fragments from living hearts. In the same year Canadian Bill
Biggelow developed the technique of lowering the body temperature
to give more time for surgeons to safely cut into the heart and its
arteriesThis paved the way for further experimentation and by 1967
Christian Barnard carried out the first human heart transplant
giving hope to patients with irreparable heart diseaseHigh
Technology Surgery Some examples1895 William Roentgen develops the
X ray machine surgeons can see inside without cutting openHeart
Lung machine invented 1953 allowed for surgeons to temporarily stop
the heart during operationsPowerful microscopes in 1960s allow for
surgeons to join microscopic nerves and blood vessels allowing for
reattaching severed arms and legsArtificial kidney machine invented
by William Kolff 1943 has saved the lives of millions of kidney
failure and patientsInvention of fibre optic surgery and endoscopes
1970s has allowed for key hole surgery operations deep in the body
without general anaesthetic or deep cutsLaser surgery 1958 lasers
cut through skin with much less bleeding lasers can also be used in
cosmetic surgery to make skin appear youngerPossible
Questions1.Choose either 19th century surgery or 20th century
surgery which was more significant?Describe, explain and evaluate
breakthroughs in both maybe use the 4Rs remember to come to a
conclusion2. Which factor has been more important in the
development of surgery science/technology or WarDescribe, explain
and evaluate detailed examples from both factors and come to a
conclusion also hint at the significance of other factors than WAR
and Science/Tech in your answer.
