tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post115395860325135971..comments2024-02-18T13:53:30.168-08:00Comments on Surgeonsblog: Memorable patients: part twoSid Schwabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14182853083503404098noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-80884976281597733692014-05-27T09:19:10.034-07:002014-05-27T09:19:10.034-07:00As a newbie surgeon, I am googling "failed my...As a newbie surgeon, I am googling "failed my surgery" and I find your blog. Thanks for sharing your experience with others, I really enjoy and I always learn something from your post. I try to find your book in google play but can't find it...lifmd13https://www.blogger.com/profile/04649848794666959842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-42659212680459967872010-04-03T19:57:23.411-07:002010-04-03T19:57:23.411-07:00I just wanted to say that was a great story. I am...I just wanted to say that was a great story. I am in my first year of practice and you reminded me how important your senior partner is in mentoring you through your first cases. It reminds me of the importance of teaching and being a mentor. I felt for you as you had to operate on your partner and had the unexpected (or expected) complications. It would be hard for any surgeon to be in those shoes. Hope you are enjoying your retirement and keep the stories coming!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04856900935951127919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-89508922671510803912010-03-25T22:05:27.360-07:002010-03-25T22:05:27.360-07:00Someone else told me that, too. Wonder if they rea...Someone else told me that, too. Wonder if they read this. Maybe they owe me money?Sid Schwabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14182853083503404098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-69344831731617172762010-03-25T21:05:25.858-07:002010-03-25T21:05:25.858-07:00Great story. The thing I hate to tell you is that...Great story. The thing I hate to tell you is that I think that Grey's Anatomy plagiarized it in last week's episode (Season 6 Ep 16: Perfect Little Accident). The situation in that episode is your story almost exactly, down the presentation, chromic suture allergy, and the mentor/student relationship that led the younger surgeon to use chromic instead of their preferred vicryl. I hope they asked you first!Nicholas Fogelson, MDhttp://www.academicobgyn.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-44309931120088923312010-01-02T10:32:46.830-08:002010-01-02T10:32:46.830-08:00Could be, although he was around 70 when he died.Could be, although he was around 70 when he died.Sid Schwabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14182853083503404098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-82170460340323484052010-01-02T10:25:36.468-08:002010-01-02T10:25:36.468-08:00Do you suppose he had some hypercoagulable state? ...Do you suppose he had some hypercoagulable state? Adhesion in a virgin abdomen, dvt from a central line, and died of a PE? I don't know that the literature days anything about adhesions in virgin abdomens and clotting, but it would make sense with the whole inflammatory cascade / clotting cascade / tissue restructuring pathways dovetailing as they do.Ewall67noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-81243195884092384342008-01-23T00:17:00.000-08:002008-01-23T00:17:00.000-08:00I was 2 years out from fellowship, and I'd just mo...I was 2 years out from fellowship, and I'd just moved back to where I did my fellowship, having worked for a year in California. A few weeks into work, an old attending of mine from residency called. His dad, who lived in town, was having an uncontrollable lower GI bleed and he wanted me to be his surgeon. Great. Really great. The case was hard, the anastamosis low, and of course there were bubbles. I did some anastamotic patchwork, the bubbles stopped but I agonized about diverting him regardless. I didn't. He did fine. Well, not entirely fine, he did get a wound infection and now has a hernia. His son doesn't want me to touch it and I think I'm fine with that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-1155010302241899562006-08-07T21:11:00.000-07:002006-08-07T21:11:00.000-07:00Oh man, my heart was in my throat the entire time....Oh man, my heart was in my throat the entire time.<BR/><BR/>It takes a strong character to function under that kind of pressure.<BR/><BR/>Either that, or functioning under that kind of pressure builds character.<BR/><BR/>Hell of a way to find out.....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-1154408489714553302006-07-31T22:01:00.000-07:002006-07-31T22:01:00.000-07:00How awful! I can certainly imagine your distress....How awful! I can certainly imagine your distress. I suppose the analogous situation for me would be performing ECT on a colleague. ECT is so controversial anyway.<BR/><BR/>Post-op psychosis, too. He likely didn't remember any of it afterwards. I've been consulted on hundreds (maybe more) of post-op delirium cases, and that seems to be the rule.<BR/><BR/>The one who seemed to remember the most was only able to recall that she'd been very frightened, and that she felt confused.<BR/><BR/>Great story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-1154108978577948572006-07-28T10:49:00.000-07:002006-07-28T10:49:00.000-07:00Typical Murphy's law...Operate on a healthcare pro...Typical Murphy's law...Operate on a healthcare professional, especially another MD, and you are guaranteed WEIRD complications. Never fails...Keagirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03318775083734764508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-1154097866527489572006-07-28T07:44:00.000-07:002006-07-28T07:44:00.000-07:00These stories (sagas?) are fantastic,I hope you ke...These stories (sagas?) are fantastic,I hope you keep them coming.james gaultehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537303135780186926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-1154046246493323962006-07-27T17:24:00.000-07:002006-07-27T17:24:00.000-07:00Another great question! Two possibilites: first, c...Another great question! Two possibilites: first, chromic catgut causes much more tissue reaction than the newer synthetic absorbable sutures; so it could be that his response was just a very exaggerated local reaction as opposed to true "allergy." He was, far as I know, never tested for allergy: but the local reaction was very impressive. Second: it may be that he'd had it used on him on some minor procedure or another. In the back room of my mind, lo these many years later, there rattles a possible memory of something to that effect.Sid Schwabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14182853083503404098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-1154030502720970202006-07-27T13:01:00.000-07:002006-07-27T13:01:00.000-07:00That's an excellent question!! It was a long time ...That's an excellent question!! It was a long time ago, and I can't honestly say I remember (I practiced with him for five years, then moved to where I am now 25 years ago.) Knowing "Doug" if he did change, it was with reluctance... But he was a great guy who, incredibly sadly, died of a PE about a year into retirement, having just returned from buying another cow....Sid Schwabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14182853083503404098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-1154028137663241532006-07-27T12:22:00.000-07:002006-07-27T12:22:00.000-07:00This post reinforces for me that perserverance bui...This post reinforces for me that perserverance builds character. <BR/><BR/>I am dying to know how quickly your pt switched his suture material of choice, or if he ever did...Intelinursehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17609767439508682181noreply@blogger.com