Question for medical types.

[man4allcats]

As a 19th century treatment for gunshot wounds, was cauterization an effective way to control and/or stop bleeding? I was just watching a "Gunsmoke" episode entitled "Larkin" in which Richard Jaeckel played the bad guy, Clay Larkin. In this particular episode, Newly (Buck Taylor) was wounded while trying to bring Jaeckel's character, Larkin, in for trial on murder charges. It was deemed necessary to cauterize Newly's gunshot wound (to the shoulder) in order to stop the bleeding. My question is this: Did such treatments work? I can imagine that a heated piece of iron might have sealed a wound, but what would happen when the instrument was abruptly removed after treatment? I don't mean to be graphic, but wouldn't it have just torn the wound open again? I'm a "Gunsmoke" fan. I don't usually get involved too much in the details, but as a techno-type I can't help but wonder about this.

[AtomicKitten]

1. Yes, and it is still used today in surgery.

Bovie bipolar and tripolar cautery is used in surgery to cauterize bleeders along with the traditional method of suture-ligating bleeding vessels. In GYN surgery, Pitressin, a hemolytic agent, is used to slow down bleeding.

On electrocautery: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovie_cautery_machine

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

2. Dates back to 16th century, and probably even earlier

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambroise_Par%C3%A9

[Reverend_Smitty]

3. I'm not sure how effective the treatment was but...

in modern medical procedures doctors use lasers and other divices to cauterize wounds so I would imagine that would work with the same type of effect...plus since it was so hot, you would be reducing the chance of infection

[juajen]

4. According to my very smart, historian hubbie,

l. It did stop bleeding.

2. It minimized infection around the wound and on the wound proper.

3. If the iron was red hot, not straw colored, it would not stick
to the wound and complicate matters.

[man4allcats]

6. Thanks to all for the many excellent replies thus far,

but especially to this one since it addresses the "sticking" issue. I just didn't see how to get around that.

[Ilsa]

5. Cauterizing tools are still used in some surgeries. It is one

of the smells that bugged me most as a student nurse attending one.

I thought it was also used for amputationslong ago as well.

[Warpy]

7. Eeeew! You too?

I thought the OR might be a great place to work until I was there during an abdominal surgery on a morbidly obese man.

I couldn't see myself handling that smell day after day.

[Lost-in-FL]

8. Smells like burnt hair... I hate it.

[sonsera]

9. I saw it done tonight on "House"

They cauterized a bleeding ulcer in a woman's stomach. :woohoo:
Unfortunately she died later of cancer. :cry:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

10. oh! thanks for the reminder! It's just started on the Left Coast

I woulda missed it. :hi:

[Floogeldy]

11. Stick a soldering iron up your ass and see if you ever take a shit again.

That ought to answer your question. ;)