Doctors looking through a microscope while performing microsurgery.(http://www.denverhealth.org/portals/0/images/Surgery/microscope.jpg)

http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/95274/view

An example of suture thread used in microsurgery to repair an intestine.

Microsurgery is a procedure that utilizes a powerful microscope and a needle thinner than a human hair. It is a field that is rapidly advancing. In this episode of Medical Monday’s, the hosts talk about Microsurgery. The episode covers the history, science, application, and risks behind the procedure. Primitive forms of the procedure began in the 1500’s. After pioneering breakthroughs, the first high powered medical microscope was used in 1921 and the field was truly born. Today, needles are between 300 and 1 micrometer and microscopes are developing quickly. Today Microsurgery is used by doctors across many disciplines and it has an extremely wide range of uses. It is beneficial because now doctors can perform surgery on new parts of the body that they were previously unable to reach. There aren’t any risks specific to Microsurgery, only risks that typically come with any larger scale surgery. This episode is sponsored by Nick Shah of ‘Shah’s Auto.’

By: Evan Alexander, Brendan Ball, Alexander Slayton, and Brian Luther