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murphy drip

Murphy drip

Murphy drip is a rectal infusion apparatus to administer the medical procedure of proctoclysis, also known as rectoclysis 1. During the procedure, an end of the Murphy drip is inserted into the rectum and large quantities of liquid are infused into the rectum drop by drop. Prior to fluids or medicines being given intravenously, the Murphy drip and hypodermoclysis were the prime routes to administer fluids such as for replacement when patients could not be fed by mouth 2. American surgeon John Benjamin Murphy introduced the drip method of saline infusion per rectum in the treatment of peritonitis 3, 4.

References
  1. Zerwekh, Joyce. (February 1, 2003) Nursing. End-of-life hydration—benefit of burden? Volume 33; Issue 2; Page 1.
  2. Mullane, Mary K. (December 31, 2000) Nursing Forum A glance back in time. Volume 35; Issue 4; Page 41.
  3. Rutkow IM. John Benjamin Murphy, 1857-1916. Arch Surg. 2001;136(3):359. doi:10.1001/archsurg.136.3.359
  4. A SIMPLE METHOD OF GIVING SOLUTIONS BY BOWEL. JAMA. 1916;LXVI(14):1022. doi:10.1001/jama.1916.25810400001015
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