Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-04
TREATING AN ANEURIsM.
A Patient Kept Unconscious FOrty-nine
Hours During an Operation.
From the PAiladelphia Press.


From the PAiladelphia Press.
An aneurism of the poptelial artery was
successfully treated by DR.. D. Hayes Ag-
new at the University hospital last week.
Benjamin Weinstock, the proprietor OF
gentlemen's furnishing store, at 107 North
Ninth street, had for months suffered
from what he took to be a tumor under
the left knee joint. The excrescence con-
tinually grew until it became as large as
ones fist. and very painful. The pulsa-
tions of the vital fluid could be plainly
distinguished by placing the hand upon
the bunch. Finding no relief in the
usual remedies, the patient consulted DR..
D. Hayes .Agnew, and by him was adj
vlsed that he was afflicted with an aneu-
rism, which, if not Immediately reduced,
would be liable to produce sudden death
through bursting. An aneurism of the
pOpIiteal artery is a dIlatatiOn of the
large artery that lies directly under the
bend of the knee. The dilatation of the
artery goes on, the tumor-like bunch
growing until it is no longer able to with
stand the pressure of the blood pumped
from the heart, and hemorrhage results
apply tOurniquet.
There are several ways of treating an
aneurism situated in one of the extremi-
ties. The old method was by an lncision
and tying of the artery, a somewhat dan
gerOus.OperatiOn, JeOpardizing the limb.
Other surgeons have applied the mechani-
cal tOurniquet, stopping the flow of
blood. and thus allowing the blood in the
artery. and turnOr to stagnate and form
-
found not to give the best results. Several
years ago DIR. Agnew adopted the manual
tourniquet, OF, pressure, aud WeinstOc&
was treated in this manner. The patient
was placed under the influence OF NOR
phia on Wednesday morning last and. at
1880 a. m, the operation was begun. DR..
AgneW had invited number of students
to be present and assist him. The limb
was strapped to prevent motion, and the
students we're instructed to take turns at
COMPRISING the femOral artery with both
thumbs just below the groin. Thus the
supply OF blood was shut off from the
main artery, and, by degrees, a lateral
circulation set up in the smaller branch
arteries. Relieved OF the pressure from
above the blood in the sack stagnated, and
at the end of fOrty-nine and a-half hours,
or at II O'Clock IN. on Friday, had formed
a fbrous clOt, entirely closing the pas
sage and shutting OF circulation by the
regular channel. The pressure was then
discontinued and the limb bandaged and
secured at an elevation as a precautiOn.
During the period embraced by the com
pressIOn fifteen medical students took
turns at the work, holding the artery from
fifteen minutes to an hour and a quarter
each. Throughout this time the patient
was kept under the influence OF the OPT
ate, for the operation is extremely painful,
in fact, unbearable, the constant pressure
on the large artery producing excruciat-
ing agony where the benign influences of
mOrphIa are not employed.
Weinstock is doing we'll and will be dis
charged cured in a few days. In time the
bunch, which now feels like fbrOus
mass, will be almost wholly absorbed and
will disappear. DR.. Agnew was assisted
nv DR.. j. W. White and Resident Surgeon
w. ID. Hamaker and the hospital physi-
clans noted the phases OF the case.