Contributions of Medieval Islamic Physicians to the History of Tracheostomy

Abstract

Tracheostomy was first described by Greco-Roman physicians, including Paulus of Aegina. Medieval Islamic clinicians extended the Greco-Roman ideas with substantial contributions to the field of surgery, including tracheostomy. Although Al-Zahrawi (936-1013 CE) stated that he had not heard or read of any Islamic physicians having performed tracheostomy, there is evidence that many prominent Islamic surgeons did practice this lifesaving procedure during medieval times. Throughout the Islamic Golden Age, Muslim physicians advanced the practice of tracheostomy with many modifications of the procedure, instrumentation, and adjuvant medicinal prescriptions.

Tracheostomy: Epidemiology, Indications, Timing, Technique, and OutcomesDiscussion

“…9 Additional contributions of medieval Islamic physicians to the history of tracheostomy have been detailed recently. 10 The first scientific reliable description of successful tracheostomy by the surgeon who performed it was by Antonio Musa Brasavola in 1546, for relief of airway obstruction from enlarged tonsils. 11 From 1546 to 1833, only 28 successful tracheostomies were recorded, and almost all were for relief of upper airway obstruction.…”

“…However, no data exist that give adequate direction as to when it is routinely advisable to change from a translaryngeal intubation to a tracheostomy." 39 A recent comprehensive review of the Project IMPACT database (109 ICUs) documented that tracheostomy placement occurred at a median of 9 d (interquartile range [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] after ICU admission. In a secondary analysis comparing surgical ICU subjects (n ϭ 539) at Barnes-Jewish Hospital with subjects from 18 surgical ICUs in the Project IMPACT database, it was found that tracheostomy placement occurred more commonly in the Barnes-Jewish group (54.2% vs 13.9%, P Ͻ .001).…”

Rhazes (ad 865–925) and his early contributions to the field of pediatrics

“…He lived from 865 to 925 [1][2][3]. Rhazes was among the outstanding physicians and medical scholars in his time and made notable contributions in the fields of theoretical and practical medicine [4,5]. Because of his expertise and reputation, he was appointed as the chief of the main hospital in Baghdad and for a while as a court physician [6,7].…”

The Effect of Saffron on Semen Analysis in Infertile Men with Clinical Varicocele After Varicocelectomy

“…Saffron is used in folk medicine as an anti-spasmodic, eupeptic, pain killer, anti-catarrhal, carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic, aphrodisiac, and emmenagogue. Recent studies have demonstrated that saffron and its constituents have antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-convulsant, anti-depressant, anticancer, and antiinflammatory effects and also reduce withdrawal syndrome and improve male erectile dysfunction (11)(12)(13)(14)(15). ment (16)(17)(18)(19)(20).…”