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One hundred years ago: the physician magician Blakesley presented his ethmoid forceps
A Mudry1, W Lübbers2, W Pirsig3
1Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Stanford University School of Medicine,California,USA.
Background:
The Blakesley fenestrated ethmoid forceps, eponymously named after Theodore Seward Blakesley, belong today in every set of endonasal surgical instruments. This study aimed to go back to Blakesley's original description, and to follow its introduction, variations and acceptation by rhinosurgeons.
Method:
Historical review of literature.
Results:
In 1915, Blakesley described two nasal instruments: a submucous septum resection instrument and an ethmoid instrument. The history of the ethmoid instrument is in close relationship to another quite similar one described by Moriz Weil. The difference between the Weil and the Blakesley ethmoid forceps lies essentially in the base of the cutting jaws, which are narrower in Weil's instrument.
Conclusion:
Blakesley's eponym must only be used for the instrument without the narrower base of the cutting jaws.
