THORACIC-SURGERY TECHNIQUES OF SABUNCUOGLU,SEREFEDDIN IN THE 15TH-CENTURY

Serefeddin Sabuncuoglu (1385 to 1470?) is known to be the author of th e first surgery textbook, namely Cerrahiyyet'ul Haniyye (Imperial Surg ery), written in Turkish in 1465. It is the first book to contain colo red illustrations of surgical procedures, incisions, and instruments i n the Turkish-Islamic medical literature. He was the first man to illu strate and mention introduction of a tube into the pharynx and upper e sophagus, removal of foreign bodies in the esophagus by special instru ments of his own design, and use of a silver ringlet in a man after tr acheotomy. He also described and illustrated reduction of sternal frac tures, thoracic puncture through the intercostal space for drainage of empyema cavities, and treatment of rib fractures that have severed th e diaphragm. He was a humble, curious, and intelligent surgeon, and al so a calligrapher and a miniature artist. (C) 1997 by The Society of T horacic Surgeons.