A case of total laryngectomy (unsuccessful) and a case of abdominal hysterectomy (successful) : in both of which massage of the heart for chloroform collapse was employed, with notes of 25 other cases of cardiac massage / by W.W. Keen.

  • Keen, William W. (William Williams), 1837-1932.
Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A case of total laryngectomy (unsuccessful) and a case of abdominal hysterectomy (successful) : in both of which massage of the heart for chloroform collapse was employed, with notes of 25 other cases of cardiac massage / by W.W. Keen. 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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    mically, artificial respiration was insti- tuted with rhythmical traction upon the tongue (although I doubted whether, in the absence of the larynx, this would be of any value), and the battery was applied over the phrenic. In spite of all of this his heart continued to beat much faster and weaker, he became more cyanotic, and in two to three minutes the heart ceased beat- ing and he was dead. After continuing the above means as nearly as I could judge for ten minutes, as a last resort I opened the upper abdomen, introduced my hand into the abdominal cavity, and between this hand and the right hand, which made counterpressure on the anterior wall of the chest, I masseed the heart. These efforts were continued for nearly half an hour, but without avail. Examination of the specimen by Pro- fessor Coplin and Dr. A. G. Ellis con- firmed the diagnosis of epithelioma. Case II (Igelsrud).—Abdominal hys- terectomy; chloroform collapse; massage of the heart; recovery. Dr. Igelsrud calls attention to the fact that the case is not entirely convincing, for the ordinary means for resuscitation were only tried for three to four minutes, and also trac- tion on the tongue was employed during massage of the heart. He states, how- ever, his personal belief that the massage of the heart was the most effectual of all the means employed. (He has not given me the date of the operation, but it was prior to 1902, probably in 1901.)