A new forceps for intestinal anastomosis / by Ernest Laplace.

  • Laplace, Ernest, 1861-1924.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new forceps for intestinal anastomosis / by Ernest Laplace. 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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    A NEW FORCEPS FOR INTESTINAL ANASTO- MOSIS. By ERNEST LAPLACE, M.D., OF PHILADELPHIA, PROFESSOR OF SURGERY IN THE MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL COLLEGE. The many short-comings of the present mechanical means for facilitating intestinal anastomosis have resulted in a general tendency to abandon them in favor of the suture method, unaided by any artificial means. The necessity, how- ever, for rapidity and accuracy in suturing while performing the various operations for anastomosis of the intestines, as well as the- simplification of the procedure, has led us to de- vise a forceps which presents the following characteristics: (1) It consists of two rings, introduced into the intes- tines to be anastomosed, and acts as a support to the parts while suturing them. (2) The forceps, being separable into two halves, can be gently withdrawn from a small aperture still unsutured, and the anastomosis is completed by adding one or two sutures. The method offers the following advantages: First, ra- pidity and accuracy of suturing without leaving any foreign substance within the gut; second, an absolute control of the field of operation by means of the assistance of the handles of the forceps; third, the facility with which the forceps are applied, preventing the escape of intestinal contents during the operation. There are five sizes of the forceps, for intestines of vari- ous calibre, as well as for the more delicate work on the gall- bladder (cholecystenterostomy). (Fig. 4.) The preceding illustrations (Figs, i to 22) give a fair idea of the appearance of the instrument, as well as the vari- ous steps in the technic.