Halstead's Principles

Halsted's principles, also known as Tenets of Halsted in the medical community, are the basic principles of surgical technique regarding tissue handling, vascular occlusion, etc. If followed, they improve soft tissue surgical success rate.

These key points were introduced by William Stewart Halsted.

  • Gentle handling of tissue.
  • Strict aseptic technique during preparation and surgery.
  • Sharp anatomic dissection of tissues.
  • Careful haemostasis to improve conditions for the procedure and limit infection and deadspace.
  • Obliteration of deadspace and adequate removal of material.
  • Avoidance of tension

Some scholars also include:

  • Importance of rest postoperatively.

Famous quotes containing the word principles:

    Struggle is the father of all things.... It is not by the principles of humanity that man lives or is able to preserve himself above the animal world, but solely by means of the most brutal struggle.
    Adolf Hitler (1889–1945)