I used to watch the TV show "ER", and "Trauma: Life in the ER". Nowadays, I really wonder why I wanted to watch a show about work.
Anyways, I got to participate in an ED thoracotomy today (The 3rd one in 6 weeks here). A guy took a sawed off chotgun blast to the leg and back. He had an obviously catastrophic leg injury, but he coded twice during the resuscitation. We had yet to even roll him over to look at his back because we had airway issues and needed a Cordis. Right when we flipped him and noticed holes in his back/neck, he lost vitals, so we cracked his chest.
It was awesome. Did internal compression until his heart started beating again. He had a pulmonary laceration that was bleeding pretty good, so we whip stitched it and ran to the OR. Gave him a wedge resection, tons of blood, and cut off his leg. (And you thought you had a bad day.). First pH in the OR was 6.6.
Good news is, he awake and alert in the SICU. He'll probably get ARDS, but he's alive for now. Pretty freaking awesome day. Then I had to go to stinking clinic, and be the king of Vicodinland for the afternoon. All in all, a good day.
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2 comments:
every time you and ken post something you both seem to be doing a lot cooler stuff than i'm doing. pretty impressive. no thoughts of switching to anesthesia yet damon?
I think about switching sometimes. When I'm rounding, changing dressings. When I'm on call. Anytime I'm in the ED.
Just kidding.
Sort of.
Jason, if you ever decide that you hate your program, you can join the new DO anesthesia program here. They seem pretty busy doing cool stuff.
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