During ancient times, people used their fingers or household items like sticks, arrowheads, and clothing to examine or clean wounds. The use of human fingers was quite funny and innovative at the same time. The nail acted like a sharp end and the remaining part was a handle with the unique ability to feel the foreign materials within the wound, which the probe itself cannot do. These characteristics of the human finger proved to be a precursor to the early probe instrument. In this blog, we will understand the evolution of probes from ancient times to the 21st century.
Evolution during ancient times:
Before the Renaissance, most of what we know about surgery came from Roman bronze tools or the literature provided by Hippocrates and Gallen. The first sample book on surgical instruments was written by Albucasis and appeared around 1000 AD. However, we have copies of these books, they have uncleared and inconsistent content.
In some ancient books, the content is clear but tricky to understand. For example, the Greeks used different terms for probes and specific words in combination with probes, like a surgical probe with a spatula or spoon.
If we talk about the material of a probe instrument, we don’t have any evidence, but it is believed that early probes were made from organic material. For example, Galen used wooden surgical tools, and Hippocrates used garlic stalks for wound depth measurement. However, according to the latest research, most metal probes used in this period were made of bronze with other tools incorporated at their extremities, such as a spatula or spoon. Other metals used included gold, silver, lead, and copper.
Examples of Ancient Surgical Probes:
- Specillum: Specillum was a basic instrument used in ancient times. It came in different designs.
- Malleable Specillum: It was used to evaluate abnormal openings in the body known as fistulas.
- Eyed Specillum: An instrument designed with a hole to carry ligatures for treatment purposes or to remove nasal polyps.
- Olive-headed Specillum: An instrument with a round tip, used to apply medicines on ears, eyes, or other wound sites. Its oval-shaped design size is used as a standard to measure the size of the cervical opening for gynecology.
- Spathomele or Spatula-Probe: It was also a kind of surgical probe. It was made of bronze and can be found in museums today. It had a flat, spatula-like end used for several purposes, such as pressing the tongue during dental treatments, applying medicines, and disseminating soft tissues.
- Ear Specillum: This tool was often mentioned in ancient literature, and surprisingly, the same type of tool has been used for over 2000 years and is still in use today. The scoop at its terminal removed earwax or other unwanted objects from the body. It was also used to examine or clean private body parts.
Evolution during the Modern Period:
- The original and clear manuscripts from the 14th century and the printed literature of the 15th century helped to understand the clear picture of probes for early medical practices.
- By the 16th century, silver probes became the first preference for surgeons because they were easy to shape and less likely to corrode. They usually had a hole and a blunt end. The development of long probe instruments started this century to examine gunshot wounds.
- In the 17th century, the introduction of Woodall highlighted the importance of probes for measuring wound depths and applying treatments.
- By the 19th century, porcelain-tipped probes were introduced. The probes were specifically designed to detect lead in bullets.
- By the 20th century, electrical techniques and galvanometers were applied to identify metal fragments within the body.
Today, probes are available in several sizes and designs. They are known by the name of the scientist who discovered them or the specific function for which they are developed. Many biomedical companies are developing such instruments worldwide.
Examples:
- Gilmore probe: It examines dental complications.
- Tendon drawing probe: It diagnoses tendon injuries.
- Measuring probe: It measures the length and depth of wounds and body openings.
- Ear Hooklet Probe: It cleans or removes foreign objects from the ear.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the evolution of a probe instrument from simple tools like sticks, rods, and fingers to advanced devices represents a significant development in medical technology. Early probes have laid the foundation for developing more complicated instruments over centuries. Today, probes are considered sophisticated instruments equipped with electrical and ultrasonic properties.
Please visit our website, Artema Med, for more information.
