How good was medieval surgery?

• Problems of surgery


  • Blood loss
  • Infection
  • Pain
• Frugardi


  Warned against trepanning, operations on the chest, attempted to remove bladder stones
• Hugh of Lucca and his son Theodoric


  Criticised that pus was not needed for a wound to heal, used wine on wounds to reduce infection and removed arrows
• John of Arderne


  Used opium and henbane to dull pain, performed operations to treat anal abscesses, formed the Guild of Surgeons
• Trepanning


  Drilling holes in the head
• Anaesthetic


  Substance that removes pain
• Cauterisation


  Heated iron to stop bleeding and seal wounds
• Pain treatments


  • No effective painkillers
  • Tooth extraction
  • Pain and shock
  • Opium and hemlock to dull pain
• Infection treatments


  • Didn't know that dirt carried disease
  • Trepanning
  • Too strong a dose of opium could kill the patient
  • Wine on wounds to prevent infection
• Blood loss treatments


  • Amputation for tumours, bladder stones and breast cancer
  • Trepanning
  • Blood loss could kill
  • Bloodletting and cauterisation