Eleventh And Twelfth Century Documentation Of Surgical Goiter Cosmesis: A Review Of Contributing Literature

Goiters - abnormal swellings of the thyroid gland at the base of the neck - have been regarded throughout history as cosmetically displeasing, resulting in a large number of proposed treatment ideologies originating from many regions across the globe. However, with threats to surgical practice such as the popularization of conflicting religious ideology and increasing fear of undertaking surgical procedures, early documentation of techniques and methods of surgical thyroid practice were critical in developing thyroid surgery. The current review analyzes Albucasis' Kitab al-Tasrif and Frugardii's Practica Chiurgiae as eleventh and twelfth century texts of thyroid proceduralism, with a focus on what we may learn from their efforts.