Surgery of the Blood Vessels

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ...solution of suprarenal extract. Internal administration of tincture of guaiac has been recommended, though its action, if it has any, appears to be empirical. Often incision through the capsule of the kidney, stripping the capsule, or an incision into the pelvis of the kidney seems to stop the bleeding. It is supposed that by this latter procedure dilated veins are broken and destroyed. Sometimes the hemorrhage demands a nephrectomy. Bleeding from injuries of the kidney is controlled by firm packing or by suture. Suture is by all means preferable when it can be used. Catgut is the best suture material and is inserted in round needles. The stitch should be interrupted and just tight enough to check the bleeding, for if too tight it will certainly cut through. Even profuse bleeding from the kidney is readily controlled by a few sutures tied gently. The mattress stitch, advocated by some, stops bleeding but injures a great deal of the kidney parenchyma, as all of the kidney substance within its grasp may be destroyed; whereas with a simple interrupted suture, the only tissue affected is in the direct plan of the stitch. Several experimenters have shown the advantage of the simple stitch in this connection, some of the best work along this line being done by James E. Moore and J. Frank Corbett, of Minneapolis. Hemorrhage arising from the bladder is infrequent, for usually blood in the urine is from the kidneys or urethra. However, tumors of the bladder, particularly papillomas, or growths of the prostate may cause severe bleeding. When the prostate is enlarged and its veins engorged, the hemorrhage is often difficult to control unless the prostate itself which causes the engorgement is removed. Irrigating the bladder with hot water is one of the most...