| Popis: |
Modern surgical practice has been evolving over many centuries, but perhaps the two most outstanding steps, certainly in recent times, have been the introduction of anaesthesia and the antiseptic technique. Both these advances occurred in the Nineteenth Century and completely revolutionised surgical practice. Once the value of antisepsis was appreciated, the emphasis came to be placed on asepsis. The discovery of the role of bacteria in infection led to the chemo- therapeutic advances earlier in the Twentieth Century, and eventually to the introduction of antibiotics. Antibiotics have given medical men powerful weapons to fight the microbes that cause so many diseases. With the aid of antibiotics to prevent and control infection surgeons have been able to undertake operations that would have been inconceivable in earlier years. The sword is two-edged, however, for the use of antibiotics has led to bacterial resistance and the creation of new problems unknown before this era. After briefly outlining the development of the antibiotic era, consideration will be given to some surgical advances that have been possible as a result of the use of antibiotics, followed by a discussion of conditions in which surgical treatment has been replaced by use of antimicrobial therapy and others where this has not occurred. Some general aspects of the complications arising out of the use of antibiotics in surgical practice will also be discussed. The field under consideration is so vast that it is possible to discuss only a few aspects. |
