History of Surgery in Nursing

History of Surgery

• Trepanation, an ancient practice, involved creating holes in the skull, indicating early surgical intervention.
• Neolithic surgeons utilized stone and bone saws for amputations, showing a rudimentary understanding of surgery.
• Remedies in ancient times often combined homemade concoctions with beliefs in divine or evil causes of illness, lacking germ theory knowledge.
• Evidence of dental surgery, including drilled teeth, has been found in the Indus Valley Civilization and ancient Egyptian remains.
• Sushruta, regarded as the "Father of Surgery," authored the Sushruta Samhita, detailing surgical instruments and techniques.
• The Ebers Papyrus from ancient Egypt is one of the oldest medical texts and includes references to surgical procedures, including circumcision.
• Egyptians demonstrated anatomical knowledge through mummification and developed surgical tools such as scalpels, forceps, and cauterization methods, using honey for wound disinfection.
• Hua Tuo, a significant figure in Chinese medicine, was the first to use anesthesia in surgery.
• Hippocrates, known as the "Father of Medicine," and Claudius Galen, the "Father of Experimental Physiology," advanced medical knowledge in Greece, using methods such as bathing wounds in wine.
• Barber-surgeons emerged in medieval Europe, performing basic surgical procedures alongside grooming services in the 13th century.
• The 16th to 18th centuries saw significant surgical advancements; Leonardo da Vinci conducted anatomical dissections, resulting in detailed anatomical drawings.
• William Stewart Halsted introduced rubber gloves in surgery in 1890, enhancing hygiene and safety.
• Ambroise Paré pioneered surgical techniques and battlefield medicine, and American dentists Wells and Morton discovered anesthesia.
• John Hunter innovated with new surgical procedures like tracheotomy, while Dominique-Jean Larrey established the first ambulance service.
• William Harvey identified blood circulation processes, and Marcello Malpighi discovered the existence of tiny blood vessels.
• Joseph Lister initiated antiseptic surgery by spraying carbolic acid during operations to reduce infection rates.
• The 19th and 20th centuries marked milestones, such as the identification of blood types in 1900 and the first successful blood transfusion in 1914; the introduction of antibiotics in the 1940s further reduced postoperative infection risks.