The History of Surgery Essay Example

đź“ŚCategory: Health, History, Medicine
đź“ŚWords: 841
đź“ŚPages: 4
đź“ŚPublished: 18 January 2022

Imagine being in the early 19th century, in an operating room cold, shivering, and curious. The air in the operating room was so frigid that you could almost see the fog coming from one’s mouth. Doctors and nurses rushing in and out, hearing various screams down the hallway of other patients in other operating rooms. Bloodstained on both the doctor's and nurses’ aprons and shoes. You look around and see many foreign instruments you’ve never seen before. Knives, blades, hammers, and mallets object you would never think you would see in an operating room. The Doctor brings his nurses and begins his procedure. Before you could count three your leg is cut and amputated. No anesthesia, no pain medications…nothing. Now we have anesthesia. Back then people were so terrified of surgery that some even allowed their injuries or disease to linger. In the 19th century, even when surgery is performed, patients died from complications and contaminated equipment. The Advancement of surgery will increase success in recovery and decrease infections in the operating room. 

Today I will discuss the progress of surgery over time, treatment of viruses and infections, artificial intelligence. First, I would like to explain when surgery first began. According to the evolution of surgery by Mountainview Hospital, trepanation was the first surgical procedure in 6500 B.C. Trepanation is the practice of drilling a hole through the skull to expose the brain. This procedure was thought to cure migraines, epileptic seizures, and mental illness. Trepanation was only used as emergency surgery after a head injury. In 1540, the united Barber surgeon company performed bloodletting and tooth extraction. The first hysterectomy was performed in England in 1843.  A hysterectomy is an operation to remove parts of the uterus. This operation helps reduce pelvic pain. In 1846 an American Dentist William Morton was the first to demonstrate anesthesia. Tools like steel scalpels were made for cutting during ancient surgeries. The steel scalpels are made from volcanic glass. It is still used today, and the scalpel makes finer cuts and incisions. 

The first-ever kidney transplant surgery between twins took place in 1954. This surgery flourished several different transplants of organs over time. Now that I talked about the progression of surgeries, Id likes to talk about the treatment of diseases. Viruses and diseases are nothing to ignore. In the article, what to know about viruses, by Peter Crosta, “many viruses are microscopic and can create multiple copies, some can also affect one organism in one way but a different one in another (Crosta2021)”. For example, viruses can cause illness to a cat but not to humans. Some viruses can only survive and multiply in a host. Covid 19, and S.A.R.S are examples of viruses that need a host.  Viruses are made up of DNA or RNA. Viruses are protected by a protein called capsid which surrounds the virus.  Capsid helps the virus bind to and enter the host’s body. Once a virus enters the body of the host, it releases its own genetic code and replicates itself. From there the virus destroys your white blood cells that fight off viruses. Once that it did the virus creates more viral proteins and takes over the body. Viruses can adapt and change their genetic code over time. Which in that case makes it harder to recognize and treat certain viruses? It is very important that viruses a treated as soon as possible before the virus can adapt to the host. 

The transmission of viruses is simple, and you’ve probably already heard before. Viruses can transmit through bodily fluids, direct contact, contaminated food or water, and insects. So, how does surgery play a role in this? Surgical site infection or SSI is infection patients can get during and after surgery. SSI can sometimes take place on the skin and organs. SSI is caused by not having proper skin preparation, traffic in the operating room, contamination of surgical incisions, having emergency surgery, being overweight, and smoking. To reduce infection of SSI nurses must wash patients to prevent microorganisms from getting on the skin, use antibiotics to help prevent the multiplying of organisms, and keep the patient’s body at normal temperature. Also, Staff members are required to wear non-sterile attire and keeping movements to a minimum in the operating room. The main important factor is just having good hygiene in the operating room. Finally artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence isn’t new to the medical field. In the article remote Controlled Robotic Surgery ‘by Poornima Apte, “robotic arms are already helping Physicians with the routine task such as positioning the leg of the patient when performing hip replacement surgery (Poornima2019).” As technology improves AI is becoming more common in an operating room. why is this important you may wonder? In the operating room, surgeons make it difficult under a time limit. 

Surgeons are put under tremendous stress, which can affect a patient's surgery outcome. With the help of an AI, they can make a quick and precise decision that limits the stress of Surgeons.  By having quick decision-making, AI can also decrease the time of surgery and can increase the recovery time of surgeries.  In due time AI can be a great assistant for surgeons. I’ve talked about the progress of surgery over time, treatment of viruses and infections, and artificial intelligence. Although surgery isn’t completely perfect and complications do happen, these small improvements can increase the recovery of surgery and reduce viruses and infections in the operating room.

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