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Related Experiment Videos

Death during operation.

J D Whitby

    British Journal of Anaesthesia
    |March 1, 1975
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Deaths during surgery, historically termed "Death under the Anaesthetic," occurred before anesthesia. Air embolism was a leading cause in early surgical mortality cases.

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    Area of Science:

    • Medical history
    • Surgical safety
    • Anesthesiology

    Background:

    • Surgical mortality predates anesthesia, with documented causes identified as early as 1824.
    • The term "Death under the Anaesthetic" is a misnomer, as fatalities occurred prior to anesthetic advent.

    Observation:

    • A review of 33 reported cases of perioperative death is compared against Dupuytren's 1824 list of seven potential causes.
    • Air embolism was identified as the most frequent cause of death among the reviewed cases.

    Findings:

    • The study analyzes historical surgical mortality, comparing contemporary cases with early classifications.
    • Air embolism emerged as the predominant cause of death in the examined perioperative fatalities.

    Implications:

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    • Understanding historical causes of surgical death informs modern patient safety protocols.
    • This historical perspective highlights the evolution of surgical risk assessment and management.
    • Revisiting early classifications of perioperative mortality provides valuable context for current anesthesiology and surgical practices.