Historical remarks on the operation of obliterating the vagina by uniting its walls (kolpokleisis) for re-establishing continence of urine in cases of incurable vesico-vaginal fistula : together with a statement concerning the present mode of operation on vesico-vaginal fistulae in Germany / being a reply by Gustav Simon to Nathan Bozeman.

  • Simon, Gustav Wilhelm, 1824-1876.
Date:
[1868?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Historical remarks on the operation of obliterating the vagina by uniting its walls (kolpokleisis) for re-establishing continence of urine in cases of incurable vesico-vaginal fistula : together with a statement concerning the present mode of operation on vesico-vaginal fistulae in Germany / being a reply by Gustav Simon to Nathan Bozeman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    The majority of the patients left their beds on the 2n,d or 3»3 day and made even promenades on the „Hauptstrassel); only in a few cases a slight fever ensued, which caused us to keep them longer in bed. On the 4 th day the sutures were removed and 10 or 14 days after the operation the patients were dismissed. None of them suffered from catarrh of the bladder. The necessity of emptying the bladder was very frequent at first, because, as is easily complained, its capacity had become very much reduced, and admitted only a gradual increase. — But as further evidence of the superiority of the method, I deem it worth mentioning, that not only was I successful with it, but the two women, operated on by my assistants, were cured with equal promptness. Mr. Heine closed a small fistula by 4 sutures, Mr. Hotz performed Kolpokleisis by 13 sutures. The former case healed at once, the latter required only an unimportant operation to make the cure perfect. Mr. Heine had only once (before I came to Heidel- berg) operated after an imperfect method and without success. Mr. Hotz had never operated on a fistula before. After such results you will agree with me, esteemed colleague, that fine silk thread, which is much easier to apply than silver wire, is in no wise inferior to it and that the catheter in permanence is an unnecessary and even detrimental burden to the patient. And you will also feel your- self in justice bound to acknowledge, that the operation of vesico-vaginal fistula has reached in Germany a higher degree of simplicity, perfection and certainty of success than in any other country. ]) I permitted the patients to take walks, because I do not think walking detrimental and I could thus demonstrate to my pupils the uselessness of the permanent catheter and the harmlessness of movements. Generally the patients do remain in bed. But they can assume any position they like and only get up to discharge the urine. If they feel per- fectly well otherwise and ask permission to get up, as it frequently happens', I grant their request.