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Experimental procedure on a royal skull base
1Service d'ORL et de Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale, Hôpital Foch, 92150 Suresnes, France; Laboratoire Anthropologie Archéologie Biologie, Université Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France.
European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases
|October 2, 2025
Summary
Medieval surgeon John Bradmore saved Prince Henry by inventing a novel tool for arrowhead extraction and using innovative wound care. This surgical ingenuity dramatically altered English and French history.
Area of Science:
- Medical History
- Surgical Innovation
Background:
- Prince Henry, future Henry V of England, sustained a life-threatening head injury in 1403.
- The injury involved an arrowhead lodged near the base of his skull, posing extreme surgical risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight a historical case of exceptional surgical problem-solving.
- To underscore the impact of medical ingenuity on historical outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Description of John Bradmore's innovative surgical instrument for progressive arrowhead extraction.
- Application of historical wound management techniques including irrigation with wine and specialized dressings.
Main Results:
- Successful extraction of the arrowhead, leading to the Prince's recovery within 20 days.
- Demonstration of effective wound healing through historical therapeutic interventions.
Conclusions:
- John Bradmore's creative surgical approach exemplifies the critical role of innovation in medicine.
- The Prince's survival, attributed to surgical skill, had profound geopolitical consequences, influencing major historical events like the Battle of Agincourt and the Treaty of Troyes.
