Yet another fantastic day! I spent all this morning in orthopaedic surgery, observing a hip replacement, followed by knee replacement. This surgery was very different to the delicate surgery I observed yesterday in OMF. It was fascinating to be able to see in detail the way these operations are done and even hold pieces of bone that the surgeon had sawed off, to be replaced.
In these past few days, I have learnt vast amounts, but the main thing that I will take away from this experience, is that in the future I certainly want to follow the career path of a surgeon. The human body never ceases to amaze me and having the opportunity to just observe surgery over the past few days as been a extraordinary, let alone being able to perform it myself sometime in the foreseeable future.
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Hospex Course--Day 2
Wow! Today was even better than yesterday, and I thought yesterday couldn't get any better! This morning I got the opportunity to shadow Dr DeNunzio, a consultant radiologist. I was able to observe him performing two balloon angioplasties in the leg. This is a treatment, guided by ultrasound and x-ray, to widen arteries that have become blocked. In order to find the blockage in the artery, a guide wire and catheter are inserted from the groin and dye that can be picked up by the x-rays is flushed through the arteries. It was a brilliant experience to be able to observe this so closely.
Later on in the day, I got the chance to go into one of the hospitals many theatres and observe some truly amazing and life saving surgery. After getting all scrubbed up, I entered theatre 2, where Mr Laugharne and his team had been operating on a woman with a tumour on her tongue. When I arrived, the surgeons had already performed a Tracheotomy to allow the woman to breath without her nose or mouth and they had made an incision from under her ear to under her chin and had began to remove her lymph nodes, where the cancer had spread. I was able to observe the removal of the lymph nodes and then the removal of the half of her tongue with the tumour on. After this another surgeon began to remove a section of the woman's arm, which would later be transplanted back into her mouth, to replace the part of her tongue which had been removed. Unfortunately, I had to leave before they had transplanted the flap onto her tongue, but nevertheless it was an absolutely unforgettable afternoon.
Thanks to all the doctors who made today possible and explained everything to me. I will never forget today! Tomorrow, I am observing a Trauma and Orthopaedic operation. I'll keep you posted!
Later on in the day, I got the chance to go into one of the hospitals many theatres and observe some truly amazing and life saving surgery. After getting all scrubbed up, I entered theatre 2, where Mr Laugharne and his team had been operating on a woman with a tumour on her tongue. When I arrived, the surgeons had already performed a Tracheotomy to allow the woman to breath without her nose or mouth and they had made an incision from under her ear to under her chin and had began to remove her lymph nodes, where the cancer had spread. I was able to observe the removal of the lymph nodes and then the removal of the half of her tongue with the tumour on. After this another surgeon began to remove a section of the woman's arm, which would later be transplanted back into her mouth, to replace the part of her tongue which had been removed. Unfortunately, I had to leave before they had transplanted the flap onto her tongue, but nevertheless it was an absolutely unforgettable afternoon.
Thanks to all the doctors who made today possible and explained everything to me. I will never forget today! Tomorrow, I am observing a Trauma and Orthopaedic operation. I'll keep you posted!
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Hospex course at Royal Derby Hospital--Day 1
For three days this week I am participating in the Hospex course at Royal Derby Hospital. This is a course for potential medical students. The aim is to give prospective students a good insight into the way a hospital works and a few different specialities of medicine. Today was my first day on the course and I had an amazing time!
In the morning I was based in the Cardiac Catheter Suites, which was absolutly fascinating! Following presentation at Medlink about CABG surgery and coronary artery stents, I have been very interested in these procedures and today I got to see it first hand. Although I was unable to go into the theatres myself due to my age, I was able to observe through a glass window and view the procedure through x-ray imaging. Not only was I able to see a stent put in, but I was able to observe pacemaker surgery. Thank you to all the staff, who explained everything they were doing to me, I don't think I've leant so much in a long time!
After lunch, I got the opportunity to shadow Dr Rebecca Thomas, an F1 on a care for the elderly ward. This experience was as equally interesting as the catheter session in the morning. As all doctors have to go through their foundation years, it was brilliant to have the opportunity to see what they do myself, rather than taking it from the TV! Thanks, to Dr Rebecca Thomas for giving me such an enjoyable and useful afternoon.
I can't wait to learn more tomorrow!
In the morning I was based in the Cardiac Catheter Suites, which was absolutly fascinating! Following presentation at Medlink about CABG surgery and coronary artery stents, I have been very interested in these procedures and today I got to see it first hand. Although I was unable to go into the theatres myself due to my age, I was able to observe through a glass window and view the procedure through x-ray imaging. Not only was I able to see a stent put in, but I was able to observe pacemaker surgery. Thank you to all the staff, who explained everything they were doing to me, I don't think I've leant so much in a long time!
After lunch, I got the opportunity to shadow Dr Rebecca Thomas, an F1 on a care for the elderly ward. This experience was as equally interesting as the catheter session in the morning. As all doctors have to go through their foundation years, it was brilliant to have the opportunity to see what they do myself, rather than taking it from the TV! Thanks, to Dr Rebecca Thomas for giving me such an enjoyable and useful afternoon.
I can't wait to learn more tomorrow!
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