Knife, commissurotomy

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OBJECT TYPE: cardiac/closed heart/mitral
DATE: 1949
ARTIFACT NUMBER: 2002.0486.001

MANUFACTURER: Hartz, J.F. & Co. Ltd.
MODEL: Unknown
LOCATION: Unknown

More Information

General Information

Serial #: N/A
Part Number: 1
Total Parts: 1
AKA: N/A
Patents: N/A
General Description: silver metal

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length: 21.0 cm
Width: 3.9 cm
Height: 3.7 cm
Thickness: N/A
Weight: N/A
Diameter: N/A
Volume: N/A

Lexicon

Group: Medical Technology
Category: Instruments
Sub-Category: N/A

Manufacturer

AKA: Hartz
Country: Unknown
State/Province: Unknown
City: Unknown

Context

Country: Canada
State/Province: Ontario
Period: This instrument used c. 1949-1954, by Dr. W.G. Bigelow.
Canada: Part of a large collection of medical artifacts, archival material & trade literature transferred to CSTM in 2002 from the former History of Medicine Museum. This instrument originally donated to the Toronto Hospital Archives in 1994, by Dr. W.G. Bigelow, Toronto, Ont. in 1994. Dr. Bigelow used this instrument 1949-1954 in closed heart surgery. Wilfred G. Bigelow (b. 1913) has made numerous important contributions to medical science in general, and to the development of cardiac surgery and the treatment of heart disease in particular.
Function: Used to cut commussure of the heart's mitral valve, in order to improve blood flow.
Technical: Heart valves are made up of leaflets, which touch each other: the edge of this area of contact is known as the commissures. In some patients, specifically those with rheumatic heart disease, the commissures can become scarred and fail to open, impeding blood flow. Commissurotomy knives are used to cut through or 'shave' the blockage, and reopen the commissures. Other methods of accomplishing this include dialation by finger, balloon or other inflatable device. (ref. 5)
Area Notes: Unknown

Details

Markings: "BLADE/ J.F. HARTZ & Co. LTD" stamped into grip. "995.4.16" printed in black ink on reverse.
Missing: None.
Finish: Bright and brushed silver metal.
Decoration: N/A

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Hartz, J.F. & Co. Ltd., Knife, commissurotomy, before 1949, Artifact no. 2002.0486, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, http://collection.ingeniumcanada.org/en/id/2002.0486.001/

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