aneurism

Term: aneurism

Origin:  Anc Greek ἀνευρύνειν/-aneurunein(=to dilate)  >

ἀνά/ana(=up, on top) +εὐρύνειν/eurinein(=to widen)

> ευρύς/euris(=wide)

Coined:

Aneurysms were recognized in very early times especially those seen on superficial inspection of the body mainly due to trauma. Galen is considered the first to define and describe the disease but when Greek surgeon Antyllos was the fisrt who tried to operate an aneurysm by incising and emptying the aneyrismal sac between two ligatures. French phycsian Jean François Fernel (1497–1558) early in 1542 cen described the internal aneurism. In 1595 first French surgeon  Jacques Guillemeau (1550–1613) wrote that the “ tumor called aneurism is usually considered to be dilation of the artery (Erichens’s translation in book “Observations on Aneurism, Sydenham Society, 1844)). Giovanni Maria Lancisi (1654 – 1720) published in the 18^th cen the book “De Aneurysmatibus” discussing the etymology of the term of aneurism . He was also of the opinion that an artery must be weaked very musch before it dilates. Finally in 1923 Rudolph Matas (1860-1957), performed the first successful aortic ligation on a human.

Definition:

Aneurism is a abnormal localized, blood-filled bulge in the wall of a blood vessel as a result of weakening of the artery wall.

Sources

RT Adair, Aneurism with report of a case J Nat Med Assoc, 1936 

R Suy. The Varying Morphology and Atiology of the Arterial Aneurysm. A Historical Review. Acta chir Belg, 2006, 106, 354-360