List do redakcji

Perinatologia, Neonatologia i Ginekologia, tom 5, zeszyt 4, 235-236, 2012
LIST DO REDAKCJI
Grzegorz H. Breborowicz (redaktor naczelny)
Klinika Perinatologii i Ginekologii
Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Karola Marcinkowskiego
Polna 33, 60-535 Poznań
tel.: (+ 48-61) 8419204 fax : (+ 48-61) 8419411
e-mail: [email protected]
Re: “Zastosowanie cewnika Foleya do preindukcji porodu”
by Patro-Malysza et al.
Dear Dr. Breborowicz,
My apologies for not writing in Polish. I am writing concerning a 2011 article in
Perinatologia, Neonatologia i Ginekologia entitled “Zastosowanie cewnika Foleya
do preindukcji porodu” by Patro-Malysza et al. [1] While the scientific results are
interesting and potentially very useful, I feel the need to point out a factual error
in the authors’ stated history of balloon dilators.
The authors stated that labour-inducing, cervical ripening balloon dilators were
first used by Robert Barnes in 1861. This is a very common view [2-4] but it is incorrect.
Robert Barnes was not the first to describe these balloon dilators. Barnes, himself,
attributed this to James Murray (and, by extension, Murray’s supervisor,
Alexander Keiller) and his air-filled rubber balloon [9, 10]. Furthermore, Murray’s
balloon was preceded by both Antoine Mattei’s air-filled sheepskin dilator [11]
and Horatio Storer’s chemically-sterilized goldbeaters-skin, water-filled balloon
[12]. Many have overlooked Storer’s contributions, including his prescient
warning about the dangers of dilator rubber breaking down: “apt to be chemically
acted upon by [fluids of the vagina] to become offensive and from absorption of
the products of its decomposition there is danger of pelvic cellulitis” [12].
Paying attention to history in the sciences is vitally important. So is questioning
commonly held historical beliefs. In this particular case, had more people done
so, many more mothers might have survived childbirth.
James Andrew Smith, PhD, P. Eng.
Assistant Professor
Ryerson University
Toronto, Canada
References
[1]
[2]
[3]
Patro-Malysza J., Leszczynska-Gorzelak B., Marciniak B., Michalowska A., Michalak
S., Oleszczuk J. (2011) Zastosowanie cewnika foleya do preindukcji porodu. Perinatologia, Neonatologia i Ginekologia 4(3): 143-8.
Guinn D.A., Goepfert A.R., Christine M., Owen J., Hauth J.C. (2000) Extra-amniotic
saline, laminaria, or prostaglandin E(2) gel for labor induction with unfavorable cervix: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet. Gynecol. 96: 106-12.
Guinn D.A., Davies J.K., Jones R.O., Sullivan L., Wolf D. (2004) Labor induction in
women with an unfa- vorable Bishop score: randomized controlled trial of intrauterine Foley catheter with concurrent oxytocin infusion versus Foley catheter with
extra-amniotic saline infusion with concurrent oxytocin infusion. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 191: 225-9.
236
J.A.Smith
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
Pettker C.M., Pocock S.B., Smok D.P., Lee S.M., Devine P.C. (2008) Transcervical
Foley Catheter With and Without Oxytocin for Cervical Ripening: A Randomized
Controlled Trial. Obstet. Gynecol. 111: 1320-1326.
Mozurkewich E. (2000) Commentary on Foley catheter insertion for preinduction
cervical ripening was faster and more efficacious than prostaglandin E2 gel. Evid.base. Obstet. Gynecol. 2: 41.
Lurie S., Rabinerson D., Feinstein M., Mamet Y. (1998) Cervical balloon for dysfunctional labor following amniotomy. J. Perinat. Med. 26: 125-126.
Freedman L. Simplified Foley insertion for cervical ripening. J. Fam. Pract. Online
2002;14. URL: http://www.jfponline.com/pages.asp?aid=3003 Accessed: Dec. 14, 2012.
Kilavuz O., Vetter K. (1998) The umbilical ring – the first rapid in the fetoplacental
venous system. J. Perinat. Med. 26: 120-2.
Keiller A. (1859) Air-Dilators and Plugs in Obstetrics Practice (Letter). Medical
Times and Gazette 18: 639.
[10]
Barnes R. (1861) On the Indications and Operations for the Induction of Premature
Labour and for the Acceleration of Labour. Obst. Trans. 3: 107-141.
[11]
Mattei A. (1855) Essai sur l’accouchement physiologique. Paris, France: Victor Masson.
[12]
Storer H.R. (1859) The Uterine Dilator. Am. J. Med. Sci. 38: 107-113.