Observations on aneurism of the abdominal aorta / [Alexander Monro].

  • Monro, Alexander, 1773-1859.
Date:
1827
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on aneurism of the abdominal aorta / [Alexander Monro]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    there was only a small quantity of clear serum. The lungs, as to texture, were in general perfectly sound, only a few very hard roundish tubercles, not much larger than garden peas, were felt in them, immediately below their surface, and a few bands of cellular substance connected them, in certain points, particularly the right lobes, and to the tendon of the diaphragm. The pe¬ ricardium was nowise diseased ; it contained a little yellowish serum. The heart was pale and uncommonly small. Both the heart itself, and the large vessels proceeding from it, were quite empty of blood. u All the effused matter being removed from the right cavity, and the lungs raised, the diaphragm was discovered to be much diseased, protruded far into the thorax, greatly thickened, of a very deep red or purple colour, with a large ragged perforation in the most prominent part, through which the blood had issued into the right cavity of the thorax. Through this perforation was a communication with a very large and irregular preterna¬ tural cavity situate behind the posterior parietes of the abdo¬ men. This, on the right side, was situate behind the right lobe of the liver, or upper part of the right kidney. By further ex¬ amination, it was found to extend across the spine, then expand¬ ing, run downwards, so as to form a large oblong pouch, corre¬ sponding in situation and extent to the external tumour that had been observed on the left side of the spine. This great cavity was filled with coagulated blood, and such was its capacity, that it contained betwixt three and four pounds. Within, where the cavity crossed the spine, the bones were bare, rough, and great¬ ly eroded, the interosseous cartilages projecting far beyond the wasted bodies of the vertebrae, (I believe the last dorsal and two first lumbar). It was not difficult now to trace the source of the extravasated blood. All the great bloodvessels within the thorax, and in the upper part of the abdomen, were in appear¬ ance perfectly sound, and of a natural size. But about the first and second lumbar vertebrae, the aorta was found to have con¬ creted most firmly with the anterior parietes of the cavity; and searching from within the cavity, it was found, that in this place the coats of the artery were completely eroded and de- 1