Surgery Before Anesthesia

Trace the history of anesthesia from the 3rd century to today, and explore how doctors performed surgery before anesthetic drugs. The quest for anesthetics that could induce unconsciousness and enable more meticulous surgeries began around the early 3rd century CE. Before anesthesia was widely used, patients had to consciously endure every moment of surgery. So, what methods did doctors use before modern medicine caught up?

Animation by Alexander Hellebaut
Production by TED-Ed
Music by Arthur Brouns
Violin by Krisstofor Kem
Sound Design by Gillis Van Der Wee