Observations on the history of the cure of popliteal aneurism by compression / by the editor.

Date:
[©1846?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the history of the cure of popliteal aneurism by compression / by the editor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    might be attained by the application of a touniiqviet in the or- dinary way to the upper part of the thigh; however, the pres- sure made by the cu'cular strap of that instrument on the small vessels of the limb being an objection to its use, I constructed an apparatus resembling a common truss for femoral hernia, the spring of which was much stronger, and the pad longer, of a more oval form, and more firmly stuffed, than in the truss. The pad of this instrument was furnished with an inner plate of iron, which was connected with the outer iron plate by means of a hinge close to the junction of the outer plate with the spring, and a tourniquet screw passing through this plate had the effect, when turned, of making a greater or lesser degree of pressure with the pad, on the part to which it was applied. This instrument was put on like a common truss, the pad being placed in the line of the crural artery, immediately below Poupart's ligament, and it was effectually kept in its situation by a soft strap of chamois leather, which passed from the spring of the truss behind, on the inner side of the thigh, and buttoned in front on the outer plate of the pad. With this contrivance I possessed full power over the circulation in the femoral artery, at the same time that the collateral arteries suf- fered little or no compression. The principle of the instru- ment and the object for which it was employed were explained to and easily comprehended by the patient himself, so that he was enabled to regulate the degree of pressure according to his sensations. After a trial, however, of several weeks, he could not be persuaded that the plan adopted was productive of bene- fit. During this pe7nod the tumour had obviously diminished, and its contents had acquired a Jirm consistence; but the patient com plained that the instrument gave him much pain, and that his health and spirits had suffered materially from confine- ment, rigid abstinence, &c. The operation was accordingly agreed to, and I performed it on the first of September, being two months after his admission into the Hospital. From a careful examination of this case, we learn that Mr.