International Museum of Surgical Science
A trip through the International Museum of Surgical Science in Chicago will make you glad you live in the modern world instead of the “good old days”! Wired has a gallery of exhibit photos ranging from a skull that belonged to a trepanation patient to early x-ray machines. Pictured is a vest used in 1899 to correct scoliosis. If this were posted as a “What Is It?” I would guess it to be an instrument of torture. Link -via Digg
(image credit: Jim Merithew/Wired.com)
Comment (5)
Permalink
Please share:  email
this 
|
| Neatorama Shop » Funny T-Shirts | ||
 |
 |
 |
See more Outrageously
Funny T-shirts » 
|
||
They Removed the Scar Tissue and Read “Hamburger”
John Manley of Wilmington, North Carolina suffered frequent pneumonia and coughing spells for over a year before the real culprit was found: there was a jagged inch-long piece of plastic lodged in his left lung. It turned out to be part of a utensil from Wendy’s Hamburgers. Manley was referred to Dr. Momen Wahidi, director of interventional pulmonology at Duke University for removal of the object.
Wahidi said Manley’s case presented challenges because so much scar tissue had formed around the object. But he was soon able to uncover more and more of the mystery item. He called out letters — an A, a B, a U, an R.
“We figured out during the case that it was saying hamburger,” Wahidi says. “But why would something that says hamburger be in this patient’s body?”
Manley thinks he probably inhaled the plastic when he gulped a drink. He now drinks with a straw. Link -via Terra Sigillata
|
Comment (8)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Surgical Videos from the 1930s
(YouTube Link)
Courtesy of the British Medical Asssociation, Wired has a collection of seven videos from the 1930s showing common surgeries. They’re good demonstrations of what has changed and what hasn’t in the past seventy years of medicine. The video above is of a Caesarean birth. Others include brain, ovarian, and tonsil surgeries. Note that these videos are medically graphic and not for the squeamish.
|
Comment (9)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Terrifying Surgical Tools of Old
Think your health care plan is bad? Consider yourself lucky that you don’t live back in the middle ages when "advanced" surgeries were done using these 20 seriously scary surgical tools. Yikes.
This one to the left is the Arrow Remover:
Arrow Remover – Not much is known about this tool, but it is hypothesized that it was inserted into the wound in a contracted position, with the central shaft used to grasp the arrow. The blades, which appear to have their sharp edges facing outward, were then expanded using the scissor-like handles…
From the Upcoming 
ueue, submitted by 
|
Comment (7)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
6 Crazy Veterinary Procedures
Veterinary medicine is a truly interesting field. On one hand, many procedures and medications are created for and tested on animals before they are used on humans. Alternatively, because there are so many species of animals out there, sometimes a basic medical procedure can present a whole new series of problems when applied to a certain animal. When veterinarians work with zoo residents or wild animals, they are confronted with even more challenges, often times needing to drug the animal before they can even investigate the cause of its discomfort.
Looking at the amazing care veterinarians provide does not only show what ingenious and fantastic people these animal doctors are, but also how amazing and unique each of their patients are.
Elephant Acupuncture
Regardless on your opinion of Eastern medicine, it’s undeniable that the countries that practice these methods are true believers in their effectiveness. That in mind, it’s only fair that they would use these same cures and treatments on their animals. Of course, then the question arises, “how do you provide a 5,300 pound elephant with acupuncture?”
Tun was a 15 year-old Asian elephant with a long-lasting leg injury caused by a male elephant crushing her when she was only 4. The zoo veterinarians worried she would have a hard time supporting her body as she continued to age and gain weight. They decided to bring the zoo’s resident acupuncturist, Oh Soon Hock, in to give her some therapy. Oh Soon Hock had performed this therapy on cheetahs, orangutans and giraffes, but never on the world’s largest land mammal, the elephant.
Tun’s biweekly electric acupuncture sessions were expected to last for almost six months. To get her to lay down and cooperate, her keepers cooed at her, gently tugged on her ears and rewarded her with bits of fruit. While handling the sessions well for the most part, she would occasionally become restless from lying on one side. Acupuncture is generally a painless procedure, but that didn’t leave Oh out of danger from the unanesthetized animal. Once, the electric charge in the needles led her whole body to jerk violently.
After only a month and a half, she already began showing a noticed change. “After the first treatment, she was more mobile. Now her leg can be bent better and her muscles are more relaxed,” said Oh.
Sturgeon Sterilization
It may seem a little strange to sterilize an animal to help save a species from extinction. It also may seem a little strange to sterilize a fish at all. But that’s just what researchers from the University of Georgia did in order to help protect the wild short-nosed sturgeon population.
As to why you would “fix” an animal that’s going extinct, the fact is they sterilized a captive-bred sturgeon for release into the wild population. The number of farmed sturgeons is just fine, it’s the wild ones the doctors were concerned about. This special fish was going to be placed in the wild so the scientists could gather more information about the sturgeons, like their habitat viability, mortality rates, and distribution. At the same time, the scientists wanted to protect the gene pool of her wild counterparts.
Naturally, sterilizing a fish is not quite the same as spaying your dog. To anesthetize the fish, drugs were added directly into its water. The veterinarian, Dr Stephen Hernandez-Divers, inserted two endoscopes with cameras into the fish so he could get a clearer picture of what he was doing. He then had to cut out the ovaries and cauterize the wound, which he was able to do simultaneously using one specialized instrument. He also tied the fish’s fallopian tubes. Throughout the surgery, there were only two pinhole incisions cut into the fish and these both were stitched up as soon as the procedure was over.
The fish recovered from the surgery well and was soon released into the wild to help learn more about our wild sturgeon population.
Owl Eye Surgery
A lot of animals rely much more on their sense of smell or sound than they rely on their eye sight. Owls are the opposite. They are even more reliant on sight than us humans are and will eventually starve to death if they cannot use their extraordinary sight for hunting. So when a great horned owl showed up at the Colorado State University with a damaged cornea, the school’s ophthalmology department knew than something had to be done soon.
Dr. Julie Gionfriddo was placed in charge of the surgery and she opted to attach a piece of the bird’s muscle to the damaged cornea. The muscle worked as a bandage and allowed the eye to heal on its own. After several weeks, the bird’s eye was mostly healed, and a second procedure was done to cut the muscle away so the owl could see again. This operation was performed with the help of a specialized microscope. The cornea was stitched up to let it complete the healing process. Because the eye needs proteins from inside the eyelid, the eyelid was stitched closed as well.
Within the following week, the eyelid was unstitched and the bird finally had its sight back completely. Eventually, the beautiful bird of prey was released back into its natural habitat, none the worse for the entire experience.
Source | Photo: apurdam (Andrew) [Flickr]
Neuticles
These may not be a common procedure, but dogs across the country have had their testicles not only removed, but replaced. Creators of Neuticles claim that dogs who are neutered lose self-esteem, are traumatized from the experience and don’t look as good as other dogs. So to help loving dog owners fix their pets without having to traumatize them, the company has released prosthetic dog testicles designed to trick man and beast alike into believing the pup has not been tampered with.
Reading a variety of pet forums and testimonials, it seems that Neuticles are of greater benefit to dog owners than the dogs. The products seem to sell very well in places like Texas, that are known for having very masculine populations. There are a lot of people feel like they are emasculating themselves by having their dogs fixed, and these people are ideal clients for the Missouri-based company that produces Neuticles. According to their website, over 100,000 animals have been “neuticled” already.
As silly as these products may sound, it seems even stranger that some people are genuinely offended by the concept of artificial dog balls. Who are these people –dog show operators. All dog shows expect the animals being presented to be of breeding stock, as such, all of the dogs must be “intact.” The AKC keeps its eyes out for sneaky pet owners who want to neuter their dogs and still allow them to be show animals. If owners are caught having dogs with Neuticles, they will be permanently barred from future events.
Elephant detox
How do you treat a 9,000 pound animal addicted to heroin? That’s what veterinarians in China had to find out when they encountered an Asian elephant with a major drug problem. The smugglers that illegally attempted to capture Big Brother fed him bananas laced with heroin in an attempt to keep him under control. Unfortunately, when they were arrested, Big Brother started to go through withdrawal symptoms.
So the veterinarians at the Beijing animal protection center Big Brother was sent to had to learn how to make a drug detox program suitable for a mammal of this size. For the first year of the treatment, the elephant had to receive methadone injections five times the dosage given to humans. Gradually, the dosage was lowered until Big Brother was clean and sober. The program took over 3 years for Big Brother to complete, but now he seems happy and healthy.
Turtle gets prosthetic fin
Sea turtles rely heavily on their big front flippers –not only for swimming, but for climbing onto sandy beaches. Without being able to get on dry land, turtles are unable to lay eggs and continue their species. So when a sea turtle missing her front fin was rescued in southwestern Japan, the Sea Turtle Association of Japan arranged immediately began brainstorming. It wasn’t long before everyone involved agreed to give the little girl a new lease on life with the help of a prosthetic fin.
“We need to pay special attention as the forelimbs will have to be strong enough to (allow her) to climb up a beach,” said Erika Akai, a researcher at the non-profit Sea Turtle Association of Japan.
The turtle is believed to have lost its fin after a shark attack, making her a very brave girl. This bravado should help when it comes time for her to re-learn to swim once again with the help of her artificial limb. The team hopes her strength will come back enough for her to be able to lay eggs in the future. The project will begin in May, once there has been time for the rescue group to raise funds and develop a working prototype for the animal’s fin. It will be exciting to find out how the turtle fares.
“We are fully aware that it will be a difficult challenge,” said a spokeswoman for the prosthetic limb company, Kawamura Gishi Co. “But we were moved by the passion of the association and decided to take part in the project.”
If you like these sorts of stories, I highly recommend The Rhino With Glue-On Shoes, a book about vets and their most memorable patients.
|
Comment (8)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
| Neatorama Shop » Science T-Shirts (Geektastic!) | ||
 |
 |
 |
See more Science
T-Shirts » |
||
Twittering Surgery
Surgeons have found a new way to send updates to other doctors, medical students, and the public during surgery -by using the social networking site Twitter! Last week, doctors at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit “Tweeted” an operation to remove a tumor from a kidney.
Dr. Craig Rogers, the lead surgeon in the Henry Ford surgery, said the impetus for his Twittering was to let people know that a tumor can be removed without taking the entire kidney.
“We’re trying to use this as a way to get the word out,” Rogers said.
Observers say Twittering about a procedure is a natural outgrowth of the social networking media revolution.
“Doing this removes a real communication barrier. It helps make something scary much more comprehendable,” said Christopher Parks, co-founder of the Web site changehealthcare.com. “It brings us closer together and makes us more engaged.”
Link -via Geek Like Me
|
Comment (3)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Unbelievable Medical Mistakes
No doubt about it -these are horror stories. There’s the 13-inch metal tool left in a patient’s body, the women who underwent heart surgery scheduled for a different patient, and several cases of surgery on the wrong side of the body. Pictured is Jésica Santillán, who died after a heart transplant from a donor with an incompatible blood type.
The error sent the patient into a comalike state, and she died shortly after an attempt to switch the organs back out for compatible ones failed. The hospital blamed human error for the death, along with a lack of safeguards to ensure a compatible transplant.
|
Comment (12)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Man Has Surgery to Reattach His Hand. For The Second Time!
It’s a fairly rare thing to be clumsy enough to cut off your hand, and I’m sure it’s even rarer to do it twice.
That’s what happened to New Zealand meatpacker Bryan Speers. While cutting meat with a band saw, he slipped and accidentally severed his left hand. He was rushed to hospital where the attempt to reattach his limb was hindered by scarring from a previous operation to attach the same hand after a previous accident!
Eventually surgeons did manage to successfully reattach his hand, and while he is expected to make a recovery, he will have to remain in hospital for quite a while while he regains the usage of his hand.
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by 
|
Comment (9)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
If Jocelyn Wildenstein Reversed Her Plastic Surgery
In case you’re not familiar with her, Jocelyn Wildenstein is a wealthy socialite who is said to have spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $4 million on plastic surgery. There are a couple of different stories out there, both originating from when she found her husband in bed with a 19-year-old Russian model. Either she had surgery to try to keep her appearance young and fresh to try to save her marriage, or she purposely told plastic surgeons that she wanted to look like a cat because he loved big game cats so much. This is what she might look like if she had some of the most drastic surgeries reversed:
Here’s a progression of her look, by the way.
Link via Awful Plastic Surgery
|
Comment (41)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
Not for the Squeamish: 10 People Who Performed Self-Surgery
Skip this one if you’re squeamish. Here’s a gruesome yet fascinating article from The List Universe: 10 people who were forced by dire circumstances to perform surgery … on themselves!
Take, for instance, the self-surgery of one Dr. Leonid Rogozov:
Surgical Procedure: Appendectomy
At the age of 27 Soviet Doctor Leonid Rogozovwas was stationed at the Novolazarevskaya base in the Antarctic. The doctor recognized his own acute appendicitis and worsening condition. Because of the absence of a support aircraft and inclement weather along with the danger of a burst appendix the doctor decided he would have to perform surgery on himself. With the team’s meteorologist holding the retractors, a driver to hold the mirror and other scientists passing surgical implements, he sat in a reclined position and cut out his own appendix under local anesthetic. During the operation he passed out, but was able to continue and complete the procedure in little less than two hours.
Interesting Fact: A detailed report was written by Dr Rogozov documenting the unusual event along with the photo shown above. The doctor made a full recovery and resumed all duties in two weeks.
Link – via mental_floss and i met a possum
|
Comment (11)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
| Neatorama Shop » Party Supplies | ||
 |
 |
 |
See more Party
Supplies » |
||
Vets Reattach Cat's Face After 'Cat'-astrophe
Gentlemen, we can rebuild her. We have the technology. And that’s just exactly what vets did for Edgar, a 4-year-old long-haired feline who lost her face in an accident:
Me-ouch! Veterinarians on Tuesday performed an unusual surgery to reattach the face of a cat they believe was injured by a car’s fan belt, probably because she tried to stay warm under the hood. [...]
Remarkably, Edgar suffered no major blood loss nor any permanent nerve damage from her accident. She just needed to have her facial skin stitched back on during an hour-long surgery, according to veterinary surgeon Michael Pavletic.
"And she should be fine after this," Pavletic said. Besides the skin hanging from Edgar’s face, Edgar seemed normal, Kendrick said. "She was purring and sticking her head up so we could pet her," Kendrick said. "She even tried to chew at her skin. I’d never seen anything like it."
Link - Thanks Denita!
|
Comment (14)
Permalink
Please share: email
this
|
-
Your purchase helps support the blog - Thank you!
