Whereas John Hunter (1728-93) the anatomist, zoologist, physiologist, pathologist and museum collector receives unceasing eulogy, his work as a practising surgeon is curiously neglected. As far as can be determined, there are no studies devoted to his instruments and operative technique before a personal investigation in 1991, perhaps for the good reason that these would prove inconclusive. Nev...

This paper is Part II of a series of articles on Terahertz heterodyne imaging. In Part I introductory information and techniques were presented. In this paper the authors describe four different types of heterodyne imaging instruments that have been established at their facilities. In Part III (to appear in a future issue of this journal) selected applications of these instruments are discussed.

The aim of this paper is to show the significance of the function of Mechanic of Surgical Instruments in raising up a modern, in 19th century terms, surgical clinic by prof. Ludwik Bierkowski. Exploiting mainly source materials, this article discusses the character of mechanical occupations and his duties. The personality of Gotlob Jentsch, first to take this position, and his immediate success...

Use of the phaco tip technique for lens cleavage and removal does not require manual hydrodissection using a syringe and cannula, or cortical removal using an irrigation/aspiration tip. The phaco tip is the only surgical instrument required for this technique. Its advantages include maintaining a stable intraocular pressure during cortical cleaving hydrodissection and lens removal, which includ...

MORE than two decades after the first efforts toward the application of spectral mixture analysis techniques to remotely sensed data [1], [2], effective spectral unmixing still remains an elusive exploitation goal. Regardless of the available spatial resolution, the spectral signals collected in natural environments are invariably a mixture of the signatures of the various materials found withi...

The procedures for purchasing surgical instruments and consumables are similar to those for purchasing equipment, which were addressed in our “Equipment for eye care” issue (number 73, September 2010). The major difference with consumables is that the number of items in stock (the ‘stock level’) must be monitored constantly. Consumables are generally fast moving and require frequent replacement...

The greatest burden of surgical disease exists in low- and middle-income countries, where the quality and safety of surgical treatment cause major challenges. Securing necessary and appropriate medical supplies and infrastructure remains a significant and under-recognised limitation to providing safe and high-quality surgical care in these settings. The majority of surgical instruments are sold...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Few standardized testing procedures exist for instruments intended for Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery. These testing procedures are critical for evaluating surgical skills and surgical instruments to ensure sufficient quality. This need is widely recognized by endoscopic surgeons as a major hurdle for the advancement of Natural Orifice Translumenal En...

For ease of use and to aid precision, left-handed instruments are invaluable to the left-handed surgeon. Although they exist, they are not available in many surgical centres. As a result, most operating theatre staff (including many left-handers) have little knowledge of their value or even application. With specific reference to cardiac surgery, this article addresses the ways in which they di...