WHAT WERE THE 3 MAIN PROBLEMS WITH SURGERY?

PAIN

INFECTION

BLEEDING

Lesson Objectives

To know and understand the difference between antiseptic and aseptic surgery?

FIGHTING INFECTION

• Joseph Lister realised that germs in the theatre had to be destroyed.

• He used carbolic acid to kill germs, having seen it used in sewers.

• Carbolic Acid was the first ANTISEPTIC.ANTISEPTIC.

Joseph Lister and Carbolic Acid

What were the problems with antiseptics?

It was unpleasa

nt to work with

It burnt the skin of

doctors and nurses

It irritated the lungs

So, rather than trying to fight the germs,

surgeons in Germany developed techniques

for keeping them away…

These techniques were called

ASEPTIC SURGERY

OR

ASEPSIS

Fighting Infection

• In 1878 Robert Koch discovered that bacteria caused septicaemia.

• He also discovered that hot steam killed more germs than carbolic acid.

• He introduced ASEPTIC surgery as a result. • The Aseptic method is applied to all equipment in

the theatre, creating a ‘germ free’ environment.

So, how was aseptic surgery different from

antiseptic?

The idea was to keep the germs out of the operating theatre.All instruments were scrupulously cleanedand surgeons’ hands and clothes were all thoroughly sterilised

A chamber was also used to pass superheated steam over the

instruments, thus killing the germs without the need for disinfecting

chemicals

Rubber gloves!…

The “father” of American surgery, William Halsted, introduced a further innovation.

His nurse complained that the antiseptic chemicals were harming her hands, so Halsted asked the Goodyear Rubber Company to make some gloves…

Halsted realised that the gloves were protecting the patients as well as the nurse…..

…so he introduced caps, masks and gowns for surgery

• ANTISEPTIC SURGERY – is when the germs that are already present are killed.

• ASEPTIC SURGERY – is when the germs are removed before surgery happens.