Interesting duty

Pick up a sharp shining skin knife and dig it hard. Being a resident in surgical discipline u always think of it. Yesterday was my call day in A & E. I had posted few cases for surgery. Usually my senior used to come and snatched the knife. Me busy in retracting that’s all.

My senior felt sleepy and did not come to theatre. I was lucky. I called my junior and started. Palpitation, sweating was as usual in the beginning. Though it was not the first time I was operating surgeon still my hands were shaky. I stabilized myself and proceed. Ultimately things were normal I did what better could be done. It was not unfair to the patient that he was operated by the resident. When I gave the best what my senior could do upon him then what is the harm.

But the more interesting was a comment by a grey haired theatre technician at the end “given a chance juniors are equally competent.” Immediately I remarked “my pleasure - an ice cream next time for u man”

Yesterday my day in the A&E was interesting. I encountered some interesting fractures. Worth to mention was a “FLOATING ELBOW”. A 8 yr kid was playing climbing over a newly made brick wall. There was fracture of lower third of humerus and fracture of radius and ulna at same level. Kid was lucky there was no neuro - vascular involvement. Grossly displaced humerus was a concern. Book writes should be operated in floating elbow. Because of age and other factors I thought I should give a trial of manipulation. Oh god cant believe it was well reduced. Both the fractures of arm and forearm. I showed to the consultant even. He said ok. Close watch over fracture with serial x rays. I took a long breath at least I saved a kid from surgical worries and ugly looking scars.