Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026
08:17
A Mouse Model of Orthopedic Surgery to Study Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction and Tissue Regeneration
Published on: February 27, 2018
[The elderly and surgery in the Middle Ages].
1Service de gériatrie, Centre Hospitalier Jean Leclaire, Sarlat-la Canéda, France. drjpmartin@orange.fr
Vesalius : Acta Internationales Historiae Medicinae
|July 8, 2009
Summary
Medieval surgeons rarely operated on elderly patients due to high risks. However, some surgical procedures were adapted for older individuals, with modified drug dosages and avoidance of bleeding for those over 70.
Area of Science:
- Medical History
- Surgical History
- Geriatric Medicine
Context:
- Historical surgical practices and perceptions of elderly patients.
- Limited documentation of surgical interventions for older adults in medieval texts.
Purpose:
- To investigate the surgical treatment of elderly patients in medieval times.
- To analyze the works of four prominent medieval surgeons regarding geriatric care.
Summary:
- Medieval surgeons viewed the elderly as high-risk patients, with few explicit references in surgical texts.
- Despite risks, some elderly patients underwent surgery, with age-specific modifications like adjusted drug dosages and avoidance of bleeding for those over 70.
- Surgery to alter signs of aging may have been a lucrative practice.
Impact:
- Provides insight into historical geriatric surgical considerations.
- Highlights the evolving approaches to elderly patient care in surgery.
- Contributes to the understanding of medieval medical ethics and practices.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Metabolism
Geriatric patients show significant variation in how their bodies process medications, which can change how effective and safe treatments are. The liver is the primary organ where drug metabolism occurs, involving two main types of chemical reactions: phase I and II. Phase I metabolism is driven by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, which includes key types such as CYP3A, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9. Research indicates that while aging doesn't notably alter the levels or activity of these enzymes, it...
01:28Cardiomyopathy VII: Pre and Post Operative Nursing Management
Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy may undergo a septal myectomy (Morrow procedure). This procedure involves excising a portion of the hypertrophied septum below the aortic valve using a heart-lung machine to improve blood flow through the LVOT. Effective preoperative and postoperative nursing management ensures successful patient outcomes, minimizes complications, and...
01:22Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption
As individuals age, their body's physiology evolves, affecting drug pharmacokinetics. The most apparent changes occur in the gastrointestinal tract, where an increase in gastric pH, a delay in gastric emptying, and a reduction in gastrointestinal motility are observed. Remarkably, these changes do not substantially modify the absorption of orally administered drugs, particularly those absorbed via passive diffusion.Transdermal drug delivery emerges as a highly viable method for older adults due...
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion
In geriatric patients, renal physiology undergoes significant changes, including diminished renal blood flow and a lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR), leading to alterations in medication clearance. Drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, lithium, and digoxin, which rely on glomerular filtration for removal from the body, particularly impact pharmacokinetics. These drugs tend to have slower clearance rates in older adults, necessitating careful dosage considerations.Evaluation of renal...
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
01:22Aneurysm IV: Nursing Management
Vigilant monitoring for aneurysm rupture is essential for patients undergoing aortic surgery.Preoperative Nursing ManagementContinuously monitor the patient for manifestations of aneurysm rupture, such as pallor, weakness, tachycardia, hypotension, abdominal, back, groin, or periumbilical pain, changes in consciousness, and a pulsating abdominal mass. Regularly assess the patient's peripheral pulses.Instruct the patient to consume a clear liquid diet the day before surgery and administer...