A letter respectfully addressed to the Commissioners for Transports, Sick and Wounded Seamen, etc., on the subject of the operation for popliteal aneurism. Illustrated by cases, and the description of a new instrument / by Alex. Copland Hutchison.

Date:
1811
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter respectfully addressed to the Commissioners for Transports, Sick and Wounded Seamen, etc., on the subject of the operation for popliteal aneurism. Illustrated by cases, and the description of a new instrument / by Alex. Copland Hutchison. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    5/22 (page 5)
    lay before you the only obje&ion that can poflibly be brought againft it: an obje&ion that would naturally arife in the mind of every refiedting prac- titioner. The artery may be faid to be nearer the inner than the outer margin of the fartorius—this mufcle will be neceflanly more difturbed in the operation—its cellular connexions to the fubjacent parts will be deftroyed to a greater extent; and confequently the formation of larger colledtions of pus more favoured, which have not fo ready an exit, from the incifion being lefs dependent. Inanfwer to all this. Gentlemen, I beg fir ft to obferve, that where the operation is performed in the middle of the thigh, or ftill more if higher up, the artery does certainly maintain the courfe above ftated : but about an inch or an inch and half above the part where it pierces the tendon of the triceps mufcle, (the point I would recommend it to be tied at) the fartorius crofles the artery covered only by its fheath, and where it will be found fully as near the outer, as the inner margin of that mufcle. This being a clearly eftablifhed fact, I would there- fore afk, why fhould a preference be given to the method purfued by Mr. Hunter ? lor furely the lower the artery is tied on the forepart of the thigh for Popliteal Aneurifm, the greater will be the chance of the inferior parts of the limb being pro- perly nourifhed; and fhould any accident occur, fuch as fecondary haemorrhage, the artery may be tied higher up, or amputation may be performed.