 Plastic surgery in ancient world represented by the surgery of Roman civilization
Added: 01/19/2006 |
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Almost all our knowledge about plastic surgery in ancient world is represented by the data about Roman medicine. The simple techniques used at that time were rather successful. But not all the surgeries were that simple. Some of them were performed on such a high professional level that they still impress physicians. The plastic surgery of Rome benefited from the ideas of freed slaves who wanted to get rid of scars and brandings of slavery.
Speaking about plastic surgery in ancient world, it is necessary to mention the surgery in ancient Rome. In spite of a great number of questionable doctors who practiced at those times, the surgery system in the Roman civilization was advanced. The ancient Romans got their knowledge from the Greeks. It was the knowledge that gave them the opportunity to perform the operations on the skin. It is necessary to mention the fact that the simple techniques of the plastic surgery in ancient world were rather successful. Common surgeries were quite different. They ranged from the removal of small tumors to hernia. The plastic surgery in ancient world was performed at such a highly professional level that it has impressed medical students up to now.
The Romans had various techniques for operating eyes. One of the variations was aimed at minimizing cataracts. The first plastic surgeon who worked on eyes used a very small needle to push it through the eye and break the cataract. After that the broken pieces were suctioned with the help of a small hole in the needle. This procedure was able to save at least the moderate level of sight to the patient.
There were a lot of operations performed at that time. For example, there is a story telling about a person whose earlobes were repaired after long years of wearing heavy earrings. The surgeon trimmed the excess lobe and sewn the hole together.
It is interesting to know that plastic surgery in ancient world managed to benefit from the freed slaves who prompted an expensive but pretty common plastic surgery. It was possible to remove the scars and brandings of the freed slaves for a certain price. With the help of this operation the people could not be recognized as former slaves.
It is worthy to mention the amazing operations which were performed on the brain. Head injuries caused such conditions as relieved pressures on the brain and incurable headaches. Such a procedure as trepanation managed to give relief to those who suffered from the diseases. For this procedure the surgeons used cylindrical drills and drilled a circle in skulls. They rotated the drill using a bow-like device. The device resembled the ones that were used to rub the sticks together while making the fire. However strange it may seem, the patients of that time had rather a high survival rate though most of the operations were performed without any kind of anaesthesia.
Modern scientists are able to get an insight into the advancement and methods of the surgery in Rome thanks to the ancient tools used by ancient surgeons. The discoveries of tools in the remains of Pompeii are considered to be among the best ones. Archaeologists found the house of an ancient surgeon there. In the house they discovered the tools in their pristine condition under the volcano ashes. These scalpels, bone forceps and scissors gave clues to the process of treatment and surgery in Roman society. Most of the modern knowledge of Roman medicine is taken form the "House of the Surgeon".
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