The Impact of World War Two on Surgery (AQA GCSE History)

How important was World War Two for surgical advancement? - Summary

World War Two was incredibly important for surgical advancements. Surgeons like Archibald McIndoe became pioneers in plastic surgery, treating severe burns suffered by pilots using groundbreaking techniques to reconstruct faces and hands. Another major figure, Harold Ridley, developed methods to treat eye injuries, leading to innovations like the use of artificial lenses to restore vision. The mass production of penicillin was also crucial in preventing infections in wounded soldiers, saving countless lives. These advances not only helped soldiers but also improved surgery and treatment for civilians after the war.

However, many of these developments built on progress that had begun before World War Two. For example, the understanding of Germ Theory and the creation of safer surgical methods had been established earlier, laying the groundwork for wartime innovations. What made World War Two different was the increased involvement of governments, which poured resources into medical research to help their armies. The war also highlighted the importance of medical care for everyone, leading to more government interest in public health after the war.

Eye surgery in World War Two

Eye injuries in World War Two

• Around 3% of injuries in World War Two occurred to the eyes

  • Roughly 15,000 soldiers were blinded in the conflict

  • Many of those injured were pilots

• Eye injuries needed to be treated quickly

  • The quicker that soldiers received treatment, the more likely that their eyesight could be saved

Harold Ridley

• Ridley was a well-respected English eye surgeon

• From 1940, Ridley began treating RAF pilots

  • He noticed that pilots with fragments of Perspex in their eyes did not suffer from eye irritation

• In 1949, Ridley developed an intraocular lens

  • This was a clear plastic lens to replace a patient's natural lens

  • It was used to restore vision to a patient after cataract surgery

• Around 20 million operations each year continue to use Ridley's method

Plastic surgery in World War Two

The issue of burns in World War Two

• Aerial warfare caused significant injuries to soldiers in the Second World War

  • Explosions to aircraft fuel tanks caused extensive burns

Archibald McIndoe and the 'Guinea Pig Club'

• Archibald McIndoe aimed to improve the treatment of burn victims

  • McIndoe was the cousin of the famous World War One surgeon, Harold Gillies

  • He worked in the Queen Victoria Hospital, Sussex

• McIndoe's work was very experimental

  • He used saline to bathe burn victims

  • He banned the use of tannic acid, a previous burn treatment

  • He did skin grafts as soon as possible to improve the healing of injuries

    • McIndoe used pedicles, skin grafts still attached to their origin site

• Patients treated by McIndoe were nicknamed 'Guinea Pigs' due to the new methods that McIndoe used

  • Soldiers became part of the 'Guinea Pig Club'. McIndoe:

    • organised sporting events and concerts

    • ensured the men attended social events

  • McIndoe worked hard to integrate members of the 'Guinea Pig Club' back into society

• McIndoe's work was highly respected

  • He was knighted in 1947