My Science School

UItrasonography or ultrasound is the use of high-frequency sound waves to produce images of structures within the body.

These sound waves are inaudible to humans and are produced by the electrical stimulation of a ‘piezoelectric’ crystal. The waves are aimed at a specific part of the body and are reflected back according to changes in tissue density. The relative position of tissues is gauged by an electronic apparatus which forms images that are displayed as ultrasound scans. These scans provide valuable information for diagnosing and treating a variety of diseases and conditions.

The main advantage of the ultrasound is that sound waves are less harmful than X-rays and can be safely used on pregnant women and children.

Ultrasound technology developed as part of echolocation studies beginning in the late 18th century. Austrian neurologist Karl Dussik was the first person to utilize ultrasound for medical purposes. In 1942, he detected brain tumours in a patient using ultrasound.

Ultrasound was introduced in the field of obstetrics in 1958 by English physician Ian Donald. In the 1980’s the Japanese began experimenting with 3D ultrasound. Rapid technological advances in electronics provided further improvements. Today 4D ultrasounds, in which the ultrasound shows movement, are common.

Picture Credit : Google

Open heart surgery is any type of surgery that involves the surgeon making an incision into the heart or the use of a heart-lung machine.

The first successful open-heart surgery was performed by Dr John H. Gibbon in 1953. This surgery was carried out with the help of a heart-lung machine which took over the functions of the heart and the lungs, allowing Gibbon to operate on the heart.

The heart-lung machine, also known as the cardiopulmonary bypass pump, allows the blood to bypass the heart while the surgeon works on the heart. It draws blood from a patient just before it reaches the heart, adds oxygen to it and pumps it around the body, so that all organs receive oxygen.

This medical marvel was the result of 23 years of painstaking and meticulous research and experimentation conducted by Gibbon. He began work on this machine in 1931, after losing a patient during a cardiac surgery. He was convinced that the patient could have survived if there was a way to maintain the blood circulation during the operation. He carried out experiments on animals and over the years perfected the heart-lung machine.

The world owes Gibbon an enormous debt of gratitude for his persistence in developing the artificial pump. Today, open heart surgeries are much less risky because of him.

Picture Credit : Google