THE OLDEST SURGICAL INSTRUMENT IN THE WORLD

The oldest surgical tool

There is evidence that the surgical knife dates back as far back as the Mesolithic era, around 8000 BC. One of the oldest surgical procedures was trepanation or trepanning, the art of drilling a hole into the skull. Findings suggest that flint knives were crafted to perform this procedure, and it is presumed that the skull was opened to allow the demons that caused headaches, melancholy or epilepsy to escape the body.¹ Ancient Peruvian tribes also practiced trepanation. Findings in the community of Papahuasi, near the Huallaga River, reveal that the local indigenous people used an instrument known as Tumi for the procedure.²

This artifact closely resembles a scalpel. It has a handle on one end, and a sharp blade on the other. Archaeologists also found stone mortars used to grind plants and other medical tools on the site, revealing that these pre-Columbian tribes possessed medical knowledge, and the Trepanned patients received herbal medical treatment to heal.

The Dark Ages

The first to use the word “scalpel” were the Romans. The word comes from the Latin ”scallpellus”, which was crafted during the golden age of surgery in Rome. During the second century AD, Celsus and Galen were the leaders of surgery and followed the teachings of Hippocrates. The ancient Romans were proficient in the art of making cutting instruments. Spears, knives and lances made out of bronze and iron have been found in many archaeological sites, like Pompeii.

After this century came the Dark Ages, where knowledge of surgery was lost and advancements in surgical instruments stopped. Medicine fell into the hands of religious fanatics. Superstitions further crippled medical knowledge. It wasn’t until the 16^th century when Ambroise Paré, a barber surgeon, improved and refined surgical instruments more than anyone else before his era.³ During Paré’s time, physicians were the educated ones in diagnostics and academic medical practice, but the general tasks were left to barber surgeons. A doctor would diagnose and order the administration of procedures, which were carried out by barber surgeons. The latter also cut hair and pulled teeth for a living, so any surgical procedure would cause the patient pain. Sometimes, the pain was so excruciating, that patients would lose consciousness and faint. A quick and painful procedure was warranted at that time, since there was no use of antibiotics or anesthesia. Pain was an accepted part of surgery until Paré discovered that a gentle handling improved and transformed his patients. In1537 he broke away from traditional practices. He replaced the boiling oil solution needed to cauterize gunpowder-driven wounds with a soothing balm made from egg yolk, rose oil and turpentine. The following day, Paré was amazed to find that the patients who had received this new treatment were resting peacefully, while the cauterized ones were suffering in great pain and swelling around the edges of their wounds.⁴ Paré’s discoveries exerted a powerful influence over physicians and medical knowledge of the 16^th century. He is considered the father of modern surgery.

It wasn’t until the 18^th century that the profession of making surgical instruments was recorded in history. In the United States, the manufacture of surgical instruments developed slowly. It was after the first and second World Wars that American industry managed to catch up in manufacture leadership. John Sklar, for example, saw the need for American made surgical instruments and founded a company in 1892. He became the main surgical instrument provider for the American military forces during these wars and managed to establish himself at the forefront of the surgical marketplace shortly thereafter.