Elements of Surgery

by Robert Liston

This operation is not often required. I had recourse to it once in bleeding, after very high amputation of the thigh, occurring some days after the operation. The hemorrhage was effectually arrested, but the patient did not recover from the effects of the previous loss of blood, and continued to sink.

Aneurism of the branches of the internal iliac, whether spontaneous or the result of wound, is rare. When it does exist, its signs are sufficiently distinct. The old operation—opening the tumour by direct incision, and tying the vessel close to the cyst—has been performed successfully in one remarkable case on record. But this is attended with much risk, there being no means of commanding the bleeding during the incisions, nor until the ligature is placed and secured. The preferable proceeding is to tie the internal iliac near its origin, as has been put in practice successfully in a few cases. The same incisions are made as for reaching the common iliac, and then the sacro-iliac junction is felt for; with the nail of the forefinger the cellular tissue is cautiously and gently separated, and a needle and ligature placed under the vessel. In a corpulent adult, a needle, with a moveable point, may perhaps be useful, as also the copper spatulæ, to keep the parts aside; and a serrenœud may assist in the securing of the noose. It was the fashion once, and perhaps is so still, for every young and aspiring surgeon, when he was about to attempt lithotomy for the first time, to invent or alter some strange crooked tool, for smoothing, as he thought, his way into the bladder. The rage now, more especially on the other side of the Atlantic, is all for curious aneurism needles and tonsil shavers. It ought never to be forgotten, that the simplicity of any proceeding and of every machine is the measure of their perfection. I have had by me a lot of needles, all very ingenious, at the various operations for aneurism which I have had occasion to perform—many of them of the most difficult nature—and the simple needle has always been found to answer the purpose most perfectly.

Aneurism in the groin is not uncommon, and is very easily recognised. The old operation has been attempted, and unsuccessfully. Ligature has been placed on the distal side of the tumour, with no favourable result. One horrid example of the latter operation is on record, in which the femoral artery had been completely obliterated spontaneously, and nerves, vein, and portions of the muscles, were all included in ligature, by one random thrust of a large sharp needle. The external iliac is to be tied—a proceeding now regarded as one of the regular operations of surgery, and likely to insure a favourable result. It was first undertaken in a case of secondary bleeding after ligature of the femoral, and since, has often been performed for the cure of inguinal aneurism, with almost uniform success. It has also been practised successfully, on account of hemorrhage after amputation. I was under the necessity lately of putting a ligature round the external iliac, on account of profuse bleeding from an opening in the groin, made five weeks previously, to secure the common femoral, on account of hemorrhage from a stump of the thigh. This operation should have been had recourse to in the first instance, the deligation of the common femoral being an operation not likely to be followed by permanent closure of the vessel, in consequence of its shortness, and the branches given off from it both above and below. The patient ultimately recovered from these three capital operations. The incisions are made in the same direction as recommended for ligature of the common and internal iliacs, but not nearly so extensive. This is preferable to incision, either in the direction of the vessel, or of a semilunar form with one of the corners pointing upwards; the abdominal muscles are less weakened, less injury being inflicted on them, and no troublesome bloodvessels are encountered. The artery is well circumstanced for the application of ligature, affording a considerable extent without the giving off of any branches. It is easily exposed by cautious separation of the cellular tissue, and the ligature is secured either towards its middle, or at its upper part, according to the size and situation of the aneurism.

Popliteal aneurism is of more frequent occurrence than any of the preceding; and in regard to it, also, the old operation has deservedly fallen into disuse. It seems in most cases to be occasioned by partial laceration of the coats of the vessel; a sudden pain, and a feeling as of the receipt of an injury on the part, are generally felt, during some violent or unusual exertion; the pain continues, and an unwonted beating is soon perceived in the ham, along with inconsiderable swelling; the tumour with pulsation increases, and may ultimately attain a large size, causing pain, general uneasiness in the limb, and lameness, sometimes œdema. In cases of long duration, and when the patient is cachectic, the bones become diseased, absorption being caused by the pressure of the tumour, and deep extensive abscess may form in the soft parts.

The superficial femoral is to be tied, and the preferable point is where it is crossed by the sartorius muscle. This is always a better practice than removal of the limb, which has not unfrequently been resorted to in cases of large aneurism; there is great risk in such a proceeding, the anastomosing vessels in the thigh are all much enlarged, profuse hemorrhage takes place during the incisions, not completely arrested by any pressure, and probably twenty arteries or more require ligature, as I have witnessed; after all, the occurrence of secondary bleeding is not unlikely. I have tied the femoral artery, with a favourable result, in some cases of very large aneurismal tumour, and in one instance after the cyst had been imprudently punctured. An incision is made from three to four inches in length, and in an oblique direction in regard to the thigh, tracing the inner border of the sartorius muscle, and so placed that its middle may correspond with that part of the artery on which the ligature is to be put. In order to insure the wound being thus situated, there is no need for measurements; these are but a clumsy substitute for anatomical knowledge. The surgeon, well acquainted with the relative situation of the parts, finds it sufficient to ascertain the exact course of the muscle by manipulation, whilst the thigh is slightly bent, and then guides his knife by the eye, unfettered with mathematical diagrams. The muscle is exposed almost by the first incision; the dissection is then continued through the cellular tissue on its inner border, until the sheath of the bloodvessels is reached, the branches of the crural nerve on the fore part being carefully placed aside uninjured; the sheath is cautiously opened immediately above where the muscle conceals it, and the artery separated from its connections to a very slight extent; the needle is then passed, and the ligature applied. The operation, when thus conducted, is exceedingly simple. But embarrassment and delay have often been experienced from following an opposite method, cutting down on the outside of the sartorius; the muscle must either be dissected from its attachments and turned over, or cut across; or the artery cannot be found, and an additional external wound is necessary.

The artery may require ligature at a higher point, either in consequence of wound, or for the cure of femoral aneurism. This disease, however, is very unfrequent. When it does exist, it is usually so situated as not to admit of the favourable application of a ligature below the origin of the profunda; and it may be considered necessary to tie the common femoral. The course of this artery being superficial, is easily ascertained; an incision of convenient extent is made in the same line, penetrating the skin and fatty matter; the cellular tissue is carefully separated, and the sheath exposed; a limited opening is made, with corresponding detachment of the vessel, and the ligature applied, close to the lower edge of the ligament of Poupart. But ligature of the external iliac is in all cases to be preferred, for the reasons already given. This has proved successful in more than one case of double aneurism, one in the groin, the other in the ham.

In ligature of the common and of the superficial femoral, the vein is in more danger than the nerve, and the utmost caution is required lest it be punctured. It has been wounded—I witnessed one instance of it; the opening was drawn together and closed by ligature, inflammation of the vein supervened and proved fatal.

When secondary bleeding occurs, on the separation of the ligature, either after this operation or after that for popliteal aneurism, compression is not to be trusted to, nor should the vessel be tied higher in the thigh. From imprudent reliance on the former method I have known patients perish. An incision must be made in the same line as the former, and a ligature placed on the vessel both above and below the bleeding point, as may be necessary.

The arteries of the leg very seldom require ligature, except for wound. In such cases, the source of the bleeding must be the guide to the incisions, and these should be placed so as to interfere with the muscles as little as possible, always in the direction of their fibres. When the bleeding point is arrived at, the vessel is exposed to a short distance, and tied above and below the wound. During the dissection, it will in most cases be necessary to arrest the bleeding by pressure in the ham, either by the fingers of an assistant, or by means of a tourniquet.

The thigh may be the seat of aneurismal varix, the result of wound, as in the following case. Fourteen years ago, a young man wounded the lower part of his thigh deeply by the accidental thrust of a narrow chisel. The puncture was in the direction of the femoral artery; violent hemorrhage was the immediate consequence, and after he had fainted the wound was stuffed and compression applied. In eight days the parts had healed, and he returned to work as usual. But about twelve months afterwards, troublesome pulsation was perceived in the part, at the same time the veins of the leg became varicose, and a succession of ulcers formed on the lower and anterior portion of the limb. The affection attracted but little of his notice till about six months since, when he observed a considerable swelling in the site of the wound, beating strongly, and the pulsations accompanied with a peculiar thrilling sound and feel—not confined to the tumour, though strongest there, but extending to the groin along the course of the femoral vein, which was evidently much dilated throughout its whole course. At present the tumour is nearly equal to the fist in size, of regular surface and globular form, pulsating very strongly, and imparting to the hand the peculiar sensation of aneurismal varix, remarkably distinct and powerful. The pulsation and thrilling are continued, in a less degree, to Poupart’s ligament, and down to the calf of the leg. On applying the ear close to the tumour, or listening through the stethoscope, the peculiar noise is not only felt, but heard of almost startling intensity—somewhat resembling the noise of complicated and powerful machinery, softened and confused by distance. By making firm pressure on the tumour, the thrill is lost, and the regular pulsation alone perceived; at the same time, the turgescence of the femoral vein disappears, and on compressing the femoral artery in the middle of the thigh, both pulsation and thrilling are arrested, and the swelling much diminished,—but only temporarily, for the collateral circulation is free and complete. He feels little pain, but exercise and exertion of every kind are seriously impeded; constant and firm pressure on the swelling, with uniform compression of the whole limb, has been employed, with the effect of relieving all the symptoms, and rendering the limb much more useful, and by its continuance it is to be hoped that the disease will at least be considerably palliated.