Early diagnosis of cancer of the esophagus : a new technic of X-ray examination / Anthony Bassler.

  • Bassler, Anthony, 1874-
Date:
1913
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: Early diagnosis of cancer of the esophagus : a new technic of X-ray examination / Anthony Bassler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    ANTHONY BASSLER, M.D. Professor of Clinical Medicine, New York Polyclinic Medical School and Hospital ; Visiting Physician, New York Polyclinic Hospi- tal ; Chief Gastro-Enterologist, German Poliklinik ; Visiting Gastro-Enterologist, People’s Hospital NEW YORK It is with the hope of adding something of practical value to the diagnosis of early cancer of the gullet that 1 have instituted the practice of a new form of radio- graphic examination of it. My object was to hold the bismuth in the esophagus so that a sharper outline of it could be obtained, such as is observed when plates of the stomach are made in which the pylorus shuts on the stomach contents, allowing the bismuth to distribute itself through the entire organ, thus outlining the curva- tures sharply. Since in the normal individual as well as in those who have only a small degree of cancer for- mation, fluids reach the cardiac end of the gullet in from five to ten seconds, and solids in about twice that length of time, it seemed to me important to plug in some way the lower end of the tube so that the bismuth introduced could fill the gullet and give a sharp outline of its walls, such for instance, as is produced when a cardiospasm is present or a stenosis which holds the bismuth above them. For this purpose, after experimenting with several methods, I concluded to use a simple apparatus made by George -Tiemann and Company, which may be described as follows: To a 120 cm. (4-foot) length of rubber tubing 4 mm. in diameter, is attached a rubber hag covered with a reinforcement of silk, and having a brass tip at its lower end to give it weight. At the upper end of the tube is a cock. An ordinary surgical syringe of about GO c.c. (2-ounce) capacity containing water is used to distend the bag, which, when distended, is fusiform