Edoardo Bassini
Encyclopedia
Edoardo Bassini was an Italian surgeon
who was born in Pavia
. In 1866 he received his medical degree from the University of Pavia
, and afterwards joined the Italian Unification
movement as an infantry soldier under Giuseppe Garibaldi
(1807–1882). In 1867 he was seriously wounded and taken prisoner. After his release and recovery, he traveled throughout Europe, furthering his medical studies. He learned surgical procedures in Vienna
under Theodor Billroth
(1829–1894), in Berlin
under Bernhard von Langenbeck
(1810–1887), and in Munich
with Johann Nepomuk von Nussbaum
(1829–1890). He also visited London
, where he met with Thomas Spencer Wells
(1818–1897) and Joseph Lister
(1827–1912).
Afterwards, he was in charge of the surgical department at the hospital La Spezia, and in 1878 became a lecturer in surgery at Parma
. In 1882 he became head of surgical pathology
at the University of Padua
, and later succeeded Tito Vanzetti (1809–1888) as the chair of clinical surgery.
Bassini is remembered for his operative techniques regarding inguinal hernia
repair. In 1884 Bassini introduced a surgical procedure that allowed for reconstruction of the inguinal canal
and restoration of the patient's anatomy
following the removal of the hernia
l sac. It was a landmark operation because the posterior wall of the inguinal canal could be rebuilt and reinforced with only sutures, and no additional reinforcement or prosthesis
was required. Despite the importance of this new surgical method, it didn't become known outside of Italy until 1890.
Bassini is credited for the advocation of antiseptic
practices into Italian surgery, and introduced the use of carbolic acid and eucalyptus
to increase the chances of a patient's recovery and survival.
, as well as other important Italian medical scientists, such as Camillo Golgi
, Bartolomeo Panizza
and Adelchi Negri
.
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
who was born in Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
. In 1866 he received his medical degree from the University of Pavia
University of Pavia
The University of Pavia is a university located in Pavia, Lombardy, Italy. It was founded in 1361 and is organized in 9 Faculties.-History:...
, and afterwards joined the Italian Unification
Italian unification
Italian unification was the political and social movement that agglomerated different states of the Italian peninsula into the single state of Italy in the 19th century...
movement as an infantry soldier under Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
(1807–1882). In 1867 he was seriously wounded and taken prisoner. After his release and recovery, he traveled throughout Europe, furthering his medical studies. He learned surgical procedures in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
under Theodor Billroth
Theodor Billroth
Christian Albert Theodor Billroth was a German-born Austrian surgeon and amateur musician....
(1829–1894), in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
under Bernhard von Langenbeck
Bernhard von Langenbeck
Bernhard Rudolf Konrad von Langenbeck was a German surgeon known as the developer of Langenbeck's amputation and founder of Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery....
(1810–1887), and in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
with Johann Nepomuk von Nussbaum
Johann Nepomuk von Nussbaum
Johann Nepomuk von Nussbaum was a German surgeon who was a native of Munich.In 1853 he earned his medical doctorate from the University of Munich, where he studied under Karl Thiersch and Franz Christoph von Rothmund...
(1829–1890). He also visited London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he met with Thomas Spencer Wells
Thomas Spencer Wells
Sir Thomas Spencer Wells, 1st Baronet was surgeon to Queen Victoria, a medical professor and president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.-Early life:...
(1818–1897) and Joseph Lister
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister OM, FRS, PC , known as Sir Joseph Lister, Bt., between 1883 and 1897, was a British surgeon and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery, who promoted the idea of sterile surgery while working at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary...
(1827–1912).
Afterwards, he was in charge of the surgical department at the hospital La Spezia, and in 1878 became a lecturer in surgery at Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
. In 1882 he became head of surgical pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
at the University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
, and later succeeded Tito Vanzetti (1809–1888) as the chair of clinical surgery.
Bassini is remembered for his operative techniques regarding inguinal hernia
Inguinal hernia
An inguinal hernia is a protrusion of abdominal-cavity contents through the inguinal canal. They are very common , and their repair is one of the most frequently performed surgical operations....
repair. In 1884 Bassini introduced a surgical procedure that allowed for reconstruction of the inguinal canal
Inguinal canal
The inguinal canal is a passage in the anterior abdominal wall which in men conveys the spermatic cord and in women the round ligament. The inguinal canal is larger and more prominent in men.-Site:...
and restoration of the patient's anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
following the removal of the hernia
Hernia
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....
l sac. It was a landmark operation because the posterior wall of the inguinal canal could be rebuilt and reinforced with only sutures, and no additional reinforcement or prosthesis
Prosthesis
In medicine, a prosthesis, prosthetic, or prosthetic limb is an artificial device extension that replaces a missing body part. It is part of the field of biomechatronics, the science of using mechanical devices with human muscle, skeleton, and nervous systems to assist or enhance motor control...
was required. Despite the importance of this new surgical method, it didn't become known outside of Italy until 1890.
Bassini is credited for the advocation of antiseptic
Antiseptic
Antiseptics are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction...
practices into Italian surgery, and introduced the use of carbolic acid and eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
to increase the chances of a patient's recovery and survival.
Bassini's tomb in Pavia
Bassini was buried in his family tomb, in the "Cimitero Monumentale" of PaviaPavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, as well as other important Italian medical scientists, such as Camillo Golgi
Camillo Golgi
Camillo Golgi was an Italian physician, pathologist, scientist, and Nobel laureate.-Biography:Camillo Golgi was born in the village of Corteno, Lombardy, then part of the Austrian Empire. The village is now named Corteno Golgi in his honour. His father was a physician and district medical officer...
, Bartolomeo Panizza
Bartolomeo Panizza
Bartolomeo Panizza was an Italian anatomist born in Vicenza.He received a medical degree in surgery from Padua, and furthered his studies at Bologna and Pavia. In 1809 he became a professor at the University of Pavia, and in 1835 a member of the Academia nazionale delle scienze...
and Adelchi Negri
Adelchi Negri
Adelchi Negri was an Italian pathologist and microbiologist who was born in Perugia. He studied medicine and surgery at the University of Pavia, where he was a pupil of Camillo Golgi . After graduation in 1900, he became an assistant to Golgi at his pathological institute...
.