History of removal of nasal polyps

ABSTRACT

Nasal polyps wqere know in antiquity and descriptions of the various methods were mentioned by early medical writers. The Ancient Egyptians knew about them. Hippocrates described 5 types with special treatment for each. Cautery and application of caustics were used. Knives were used early on and described by Galen. Over the years different designs of forceps were employed to pull them out. Snares were introduced in the 19th Century. Galvanic electricity was applied; cocaine and adenaline were in common use in the latter part of the 19th Century. Katakura (1794) in Japan and Siging (1617) in China were the first to record removal of nasal polyps in their respective countries