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[From surgical pain to pain surgery]
Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift
|January 31, 1987
Summary
The development of pain-specialized surgery required a shift in pain perception and the advent of general anesthesia after 1846. This evolution led to specialized surgical approaches for pain management, culminating in Leriche's "Chirurgie de la douleur".
Area of Science:
- Medical History
- Surgical Innovation
- Pain Management
Background:
- Historical attitudes towards pain significantly influenced medical practices.
- The introduction of general anesthesia in 1846 marked a pivotal moment in surgical history.
- Pre-anesthesia surgery was limited by the challenges of pain and patient management.
Observation:
- The abstract traces the historical progression of surgical approaches to pain.
- Key developments leading to specialized pain surgery are highlighted.
- The work of surgeons like Leriche is contextualized within this historical framework.
Findings:
- A change in the perception of pain was crucial for advancing surgical interventions.
- General anesthesia revolutionized surgical possibilities, enabling more complex procedures.
- The evolution culminated in the establishment of 'surgery for pain' (Chirurgie de la douleur).
Implications:
- Understanding this history informs current pain management strategies.
- The development of anesthesia paved the way for modern surgical safety and efficacy.
- Leriche's contributions underscore the long-standing pursuit of surgical solutions for pain.