Surgery

Compressed sponge

I

In pharmacies you could by sponge cuts soaked with molten wax  and pressed  under the name press sponge (Spongia cerata) - already the royal Prussian Medicinal constitution of 1818 knew the wax sponge. Today is the trade in these sponges [Spongia officinalis adriatica (Schmidt, 1862); Spongia officinalis officinalis (Linnaeus, 1759)].

Manufacturing

Spongia cerata was prepared by dipping cleaned and dry sponge pieces in melted wax and pressing weakly between slightly moistened boards. Spongiae compressae are produced by squeezing fine, clean, moist pieces of sponges with string or wrapping them in glass tubes and allowing them to dry. "The spongia compressa seu praeparata is prepared by cutting elongated pieces of cleaned sea-sponge, moistening them with hot water, and wrapping them tightly with a thin string from end to end." It is also necessary to moisten the sponge before wrapping with a dissolution of Only when this prepared sponge is to be used is the twine unwound "(Ernst Blasius, Handwritten Book of All-Surgical Surgery and Ophthalmology: for Use by Future Physicians and Surgeons, Berlin 1838 p.398) ). It is used to form damp, finger-length pieces of cleaned sponges about 3 cm wide by means of strong lacing with twine in the thickness of a leaden lead, dried and stored in this wrapper, and after removal of the cord, used to dilate the sponge Wound ducts "(Gustav Adolf Buchheister, Verlag von Julius Springer, Berlin, 3rd edition, 1893 p. 343).

Application

In the past, laminaria stems, tupelo wood or gentian root were used to dilate wound channels. Particularly frequently one used compressed sponges. "They serve, after removal of the cord, for the widening of wound channels" (Gustav Adolf Buchheister, publishing house of Julius Springer, Berlin, 3rd edition, 1893 P. 343). There were also unconventional applications:

- the Austrian "academic regimental physician" Johann-Georg Schwarzott used it in 1820 to compress an insatiable bleeding in the area of ​​a lower leg - the bleeding stopped within 2 minutes. On the third day the sponge was removed without any bleeding (Medicinisch-chirurgische Zeitung, Salzburg 1820 p. 46).

Kluge (L. Mende, Observations and Remarks, vol. 3, 1826, pp. 26-50) introduced preterm birth by introducing a pressure sponge into the cervix (Adolph Carl Peter Calisien, Medicinisches Lexikon p. 217). Around 1900, the press sponges were rarely used (Gustav Adolf Buchheister, published by Julius Springer, Berlin, 3rd edition, 1893, p. 343).

Geschenk von Mag.Dr. Andreas Winkler - mein Dank!