Caries of elbow joint : operation of excision, with recovery of useful arm : presented to Medical Society of the State of New York at its annual meeting 1862 / by N. C. Husted.

  • Husted, N. C. (Nathaniel C.), 1825-1891.
Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Caries of elbow joint : operation of excision, with recovery of useful arm : presented to Medical Society of the State of New York at its annual meeting 1862 / by N. C. Husted. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    degeneration he thinks the loss of power in the limbs may be attributable. The regeneration of the removed bone, by preserving the periosteum, is a question still in abeyance, and requires the con- firmation of dissections not yet made. M. Verneuil, well known as a careful observer, presented several cases of excision of the elbow-joint to the French Academy in 1859, to show that, by dissecting ofl and preserving whatever of periosteum the disease has left, the shortening ordinarily ensuing might be obviated. Thus, in one case where four inches of bone were removed and this precaution taken, the shortening was but two inches. In another instance a cylinder of periosteum was preserved with satisfactory results. Conclusions. The general conclusions drawn by Dr. Hodges in reference to the operation of excision of the elbow joint, I will now give in full, and acknowledge most cheerfully the great service he has rendered to the profession by his careful and learned exposition of this great improvement in the surgical art. His conclusions finally are these : First.—That although partial excision had been practiced upon several occasions, and by Mr. Wainman in England, so early as 1758-59, the first complete excision of the elbow joint was per- formed by the elder Moreau in 1*794. Second.—That excision for traumatic cause appears to be a safer operation than amputation, and ordinarily preserves a limb of very considerable usefulness. This is especially true of those occurring in civil practice. Third.—That excision for anchylosis is only adapted to cases where the arm has stiffened in a straight position, or in one of extreme flexion, unless special circumstances authorize the risk of an operation frequently ending in no improvement of the anchylosis. Fourth.—That in excision for disease death occurs once in 7 14 15 cases; and that the operation fails of its primary inten- tion—the riddance of the disease with the preservation of a use- ful arm—by death, amputation or other cause, once in 3 17-34 cases. Patients recovering are usually able to resume 'their or- dinary occupations. Fifth.—That partial excision, either for traumatic or organic lesions, is a frequent cause of unfavorable results.