The First Use of Anesthesia in Surgery: How Anesthesia Revolutionized Surgical Practice and Patient Care

Anesthesia is one of the most important tools used during surgery. Before its creation, surgery consisted of excruciating pain and high mortality rates. Surgeons had to work quickly in order to minimize patient suffering and reduce the chance of infection or death, resulting in a lack of precision and making their work unreliable. Since the successful invention of anesthesia by Dentist William T.G Morton in the mid 1800s, it has revolutionized surgical practices and patient care to this day. 

William T.G Morton was a dentist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. On October 16, 1846, Dr. Morton prescribed Diethyl Ether to a patient, prior to a neck tumor removal that would be performed by Dr. John Collins Warren. This drug was administered by inhaling a pipe, causing it to go through the bloodstream into the brain. The patient reportedly felt no pain, and Warren famously declared, “Gentlemen, this is no humbug.” This quote represents his amazement of the anesthesia's effectiveness. Dr. Morton's discovery was the first publicized use of anesthesia in surgery, and it revolutionized the medical field by completely changing the procedure in which surgeries take place. 

The invention of anesthesia had a significant impact on how surgeries were done and viewed. For the surgeons, it allowed them to perform operations with precision and care without having to rush and worry about the patients well-being. This opened a new door for more complex procedures to be performed without having to resort to amputations. For the patients, surgeries weren’t seen as the last resort, but as a solution to their problems. Surgeries used to be put off by patients as they were typically known for the excruciating pain and loss of limbs that come with it. Patients no longer had to deal with the pain, which significantly improved outcomes for recovery. Furthermore, anesthesia made it possible to treat vulnerable patients, such as children and the elderly, who previously might not have survived the stress and pain of surgery. 

Ever since Dr. Morton’s discovery, there has been a rapid advancement in anesthesia technology. The use of Chlorofoam was introduced by James Young Simpson in 1847. Despite having great risks, it quickly became known for its immediate effects. The safety of anesthesia was improved by the introduction of inhalers and intravenous methods, as well as the later development of local anesthetics like cocaine (in 1884). Today, anesthesia has evolved into a specialized medical discipline, creating new branches of medical study. 

The first publically successful use of anesthesia transformed surgery from a brutal last resort for treating life-threatening conditions into a precise and humane medical practice capable of addressing a wide range of diseases and injuries.

Written by Sofia Bonilla at Incisionary

APA References

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