Abū al-Qāsim also described the use of…

Abū al-Qāsim also described the use of forceps in vaginal deliveries, and invents the forceps for extracting a dead fetus, as illustrated in the Al-Tasrif.

He introduces over two hundred surgical instruments.

His use of catgut for internal stitching is still practiced in modern surgery.

The catgut appears to be the only natural substance capable of dissolving and is acceptable by the body.

Al-Tasrif will later be translated into Latin by Gerard of Cremona in the twelfth century, and illustrated.

For perhaps five centuries during the European Middle Ages, it will be the primary source for European medical knowledge, and serve as a reference for doctors and surgeons.