Leivaditis Vasileios, Mulita Francesk, Baikoussis Nikolaos G, Liolis Elias, Antzoulas Andreas, Tchabashvili Levan, Tasios Konstantinos, Litsas Dimitrios, Dahm Manfred
Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Westpfalz Klinikum, 67655 Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Department of General Surgery, General Hospital of Eastern Achaia-Unit of Aigio, 25100 Aigio, Greece.
Clin Pract. 2025 May 13;15(5):93. doi: 10.3390/clinpract15050093.
Tracheostomy, a critical airway intervention, has a long and complex history that dates back to antiquity. While the earliest references to the procedure appear in Egyptian and Indian medical texts, its development within ancient Greek medicine remains a subject of historical debate. This study explores the evolution of tracheostomy in ancient Greece, analyzing its theoretical foundations, historical accounts, and surgical advancements. Despite Hippocratic opposition, which largely discouraged invasive airway procedures due to the risk of fatal complications, later physicians such as Asclepiades, Aretaeus, and Antyllus made significant contributions to refining airway management techniques. The anatomical studies of Galen further advanced the understanding of respiratory physiology, including early concepts of artificial ventilation. Additionally, this study examines archaeological evidence, such as a marble relief discovered in Abdera, which may depict an early attempt at tracheostomy, providing valuable insight into the practical application of airway interventions in antiquity. By comparing ancient Greek surgical techniques with modern tracheostomy practices, this research highlights the continuity of medical knowledge and innovation. It underlines the role of ancient Greek physicians in shaping the principles of thoracic surgery, offering a broader understanding of how early medical practices have influenced contemporary airway management. The findings contribute to the historical perspective on tracheostomy, emphasizing the timeless pursuit of life-saving surgical advancements and the evolving relationship between theoretical medical knowledge and practical surgical application.
气管切开术是一项关键的气道干预措施，其历史悠久且复杂，可追溯到古代。虽然最早关于该手术的记载出现在埃及和印度的医学文献中，但它在古希腊医学中的发展仍是一个历史争议的话题。本研究探讨了气管切开术在古希腊的演变，分析了其理论基础、历史记载和手术进展。尽管希波克拉底持反对态度，他因致命并发症的风险而在很大程度上不鼓励进行侵入性气道手术，但后来的医生如阿斯克勒庇俄斯、阿雷泰奥斯和安提卢斯对改进气道管理技术做出了重大贡献。盖伦的解剖学研究进一步推动了对呼吸生理学的理解，包括早期的人工通气概念。此外，本研究还考察了考古证据，比如在阿卜杜拉发现的一块大理石浮雕，它可能描绘了早期的气管切开术尝试，为古代气道干预的实际应用提供了宝贵的见解。通过将古希腊的手术技术与现代气管切开术实践进行比较，这项研究凸显了医学知识和创新的连续性。它强调了古希腊医生在塑造胸外科原则方面的作用，更广泛地理解了早期医学实践如何影响当代气道管理。这些发现有助于从历史角度看待气管切开术，强调了对挽救生命的手术进展的永恒追求以及理论医学知识与实际手术应用之间不断演变的关系。
