title: Wangensteen's transformation of the treatment of intestinal obstruction from empiric craft to scientific discipline.
abstract: Dr. Owen Wangensteen, who is considered by many to be the greatest surgical educator of the 20th century, is recognized for his revolutionary studies of intestinal obstruction. He defined the criteria for the early diagnosis of intestinal obstruction with the aid of a stethoscope and X-ray examination. Moreover, be discovered that suction through a nasal catheter extended to the stomach could relieve the distention by gas as effectively as enterostomy. In his innovative studies, Dr. Wangensteen reduced the mortality from intestinal obstruction from more than 60% to 5%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville 22908, USA.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Edlich
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D013502:General Surgery / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000266:history* / Q000628:therapy; D013396:Suction / Q000266:history*; D014481:United States