540 OPERATIONS ON THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. 



branes, as well as by the support contributed by the pseudo-plug- 

 ging, which results from the twisting of the external coat. 



This process is a comphcated one, but it has been modified in, 

 several ways. In one process only two ordinary artery forceps are 

 used ; one applied at some distance from the end of the artery, 

 transversely to its axis, and the other holding the vessel by its end 

 in continuity to its length. Keeping the first tight on the vessel, 

 the torsion is made by ten or twelve complete rotations of the 

 second. 



Another still simpler mode consists in grasping the mouth of 

 the bleeding vessel, and giving it a number of rotations with a 

 strong artery forceps, the artery being thus twisted without tear- 

 ing or entirely dividing it. Nothwithstanding all these modifica- 

 tions, torsion is not applicable to large arteries, and cannot super- 

 sede the ligature. It is slower in performance ; it is more painful ; 

 it requires a greater isolation of the vessel ; and the possibility of 

 untwisting, and with it, secondary hemorrhage, is always to ba 

 feared. 



