Treatment of Gunshot Wounds to Spine During Late 19th Century.

Abstract

The demand for neurosurgical procedures increased drastically in the late 19th century owing to advances in ballistics during the American Civil War and Crimean War. Surgical care for a gunshot wound to the spine relied on skilled identification and removal of the fractured bone. Hemorrhage control and infection prevention were also imperative for improving survival rates. Although new techniques were implemented, the mortality rate from spinal injuries during this period was staggering. Nevertheless, those 19th century procedural methods provided the basis for present-day treatment for spinal injury patients.