General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

gold tone metal

Dimensions

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

Length

17.7 cm

Width

1.3 cm

Height

5.0 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

North America

State/Province

Unknown

Period

This type of instrument used c. 1949-1954.

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's collection of instruments included those used by himself, and by other physicians. 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

" J.F. HARTZ Co. LTD/ A1/ L.R" stamped into one side of grip; "995.4.26" printed in black ink on reverse.

Missing

None.

Finish

gold tone metal.

Decoration

N/A