On appendicitis : two clinical lectures delivered at St. George's Hospital / by William H. Bennett.

  • Bennett, William H. (William Henry), Sir, 1852-1931.
Date:
[between 1880 and 1899?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On appendicitis : two clinical lectures delivered at St. George's Hospital / by William H. Bennett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the abdomen through the semilunar line; the smaller the incision the better—three inches, or at the most four inches, will generally suffice for dealing with the most difficult case. This, how- ever, judging from the scars I have sometimes seen resulting from operations by others, is not the opinion or experience of all surgeons. Person- ally I never “ deliver ” the caecum and appendix in the manner depicted in some of the books un- less it is absolutely necessary, because I am sure that the less the caecum is dragged out of the belly the better it is for the patient. I think I am correct in saying that I have in the course of a large experience found it necessary in only a few cases to draw the caecum completely out through the abdominal wound, as in the great majority of cases it is quite easy to free all ad- herent structures and remove the appendix with- out much disturbance of the caecum from its bed —this I regard as an important detail. Of the complications, serious and otherwise, following operation, there is nothing more distressing and sometimes more grave than the abdominal dis- tension apt to ensue in some of these cases after removal of the appendix, and I have noticed that the less the intestine is pulled out and dragged from its normal position, the less is the tendency to distension afterwards. A moment’s consideration is enough $o show that this is not remarkable. In the actual removal of the appendix the habits of surgeons differ to some extent. When possible I