Two Hundred Years of Surgery

Episode Synopsis

Over 100 years ago, basic technologies such as disinfection, hemostasis, and anesthesia finally allowed surgeons to use the lancet in body cavities. But human beings still had a long way to go before surgery was to become safe and effective. From the discovery of the X-ray in the 19th century to robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery today, this field has undergone dramatic changes over the past 200 years, and its scope is being constantly expanded.