Details

Jean Civiale's Litholabe

HC.I.2.11

The Litholabe was an early attempt at minimally invasive surgery, used to drill stones from within the bladder for removal. The case has gaps indicating for at least 10 missing items. But does have a sample of a bladder stone. No makers markings on any of the equipment or the box. A old museum label found inside the case reads "The Civiale's trilabe was a most ingenious and exciting piece of apparatus introduced in 1818. Spring blades were passed along a urethral cannula and within the bladder these opened up enabling the stone to be siezed. A fine burr was then introduced also along the cannula and rotated by a bow. Small fragments of stone could then be withdrawn. Later, he devised nibbling forceps which could also be passed along the cannula into the bladder in an attempt to nibble and remove the stone."

Nineteenth century, mid