BBC to Broadcast Brain Surgery Done with 65-Dollar Drill
A British doctor on a humanitarian trip recently performed emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor from a patient in the Ukraine.
While that act is pretty amazing in itself, this case gets even more interesting. That’s because the event was captured on camera, the patient was conscious, and the surgeon was using an ordinary Bosch cordless drill purchased for about $65.
Dr Henry Marsh, a neurosurgeon from London, was traveling through Eastern Europe doing charity work when he learned of a patient with a brain tumor named Marian Dolishny. Without a qualified anesthesiologist or proper equipment in the area, a local physician told Marsh there was nothing they could do to help Dolishny.
Unable to accept that, Dr Marsh decided to perform surgery anyway using only local anesthetic to control pain and an inexpensive 9.6 volt cordless drill. When the drill’s battery died, he finished the lifesaving procedure by hand. He spoke with his patient throughout the operation to check for signs of brain damage. When asked about his unorthodox work, the doctor had this to say,
“I’m not recommending that we should all use do-it-yourself drills in England, but it shows how with improvisation you can achieve a lot.”
Henry Marsh, MD
Neurosurgeon, St George’s Hospital, UK
Documentary makers from BBC captured the surgery on film and are planning to broadcast it on BBC TWO in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2008.
If you’re interested in viewing other more-modern surgeries treating benign or malignant tumors and other medical conditions, you can visit the OR-Live web site.
Source: FOX News
Related Links: belfastfilmfestival.org; USA Today; Oxfam.org.uk
Related Podcast: Researchers Uncovered an Error in Immature Brain Cells Which may Promote the Growth of Some Brain Tumors, etc. from NIH Research Radio
Technorati Tags: neuro-oncology; volunteer vacations; medical humanitarian missions
Print This
|
| Sphere: Related Content
No Comments »
No comments yet.
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a comment
Browse All Categories: Next article: Consumer Group Finds Carcinogen in Organic Products
Previous article: More Dutch Cancer Patients Dying Under Deep Sedation
