The early days of arterial surgery

Abstract

Severe arterial bleeding must have been a common, much feared and often fatal complication of trauma since man appeared on Earth. The early surgeons would have used direct pressure on the wound, which would only have provided temporary relief, or learned to apply a tight dressing. If it was an injured limb, this would often result in gangrene. Application of styptics such as turpentine or the use of the cautery or boiling oil is described in ancient Greek, Roman, Hindu and Arab manuscripts. Indeed, boiling oil to cauterise gunshot wounds was strongly advised by John de Vigo in his surgical textbook that was widely used in the 16th century.