The Operating Room is a whole other universe, and all the usual rules that apply in the outside world tend to fall away in here. That is not to say that the OR is a bad place; quite the opposite, it is a very orderly and territorial environment. It lost its circadian rhythms just moments […]

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The power of our drugs never ceases to amaze me. Take muscle relaxants, for instance. By delivering as little as a teaspoon of a drug like rocuronium or vecuronium, we anesthesia providers can literally paralyze YOU for your surgery. This comes in pretty handy when your surgeon does not want you to move during your operation!

The […]

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Not that long ago, my husband had a colonoscopy done at the institution where I work. It was a no-brainer decision for him to have it done there - I know and work with the members of both the gastroenterology and anesthesiology departments, so my husband and I had a certain comfort level with who his […]

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Can anyone listen to that haunting refrain from Eleanor Rigby and not feel its sad message?
“Where do they all come from?”
Many of them come from our local nursing homes, and land in our ERs and ORs. Elderly people with little to no family, or concerned family, to advocate for them. People with chronic decubitus ulcers the […]

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Beajerry, at Cosmic Watercooler, has posted the most outstanding link about virtual hip surgery. It is animated, and literally walks you through the hip operation, allowing user participation and learning. I love this site! Thanks, beajerry!
 Change of Shift is up at Emergiblog - you get to read some of the best writing in the nursing blog world. […]

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  The laparoscopic cholecystectomy (removing the gall bladder via 4 small abdominal holes)
  
If Sushruta could only see surgery today, his turban would probably be twirling. Even as recently as 20 years ago, who would have imagined having your gall bladder removed via 4 small sholes on your belly and being sent home later that day? Minimal pain? Minimal […]

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A stunning fall morning. Cool, crisp, and comfortable; the skies so, so clear. The weatherman predicts the high around 70 degrees. The air is so still - it’s hardly moving at all. It’s one of those days that makes you feel glad to be alive. You pat the dog, and kiss your spouse goodbye - what shall I […]

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In my previous life, before I became an anesthetist, I had worked for years in critical care and PACU. I became quite familiar with the care of post-operative patients and the issues that surround operative care.
When I decided to start my family, I carefully read every book I could lay my hands on about a natural, well-planned and […]

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If there is one drug which truly enhances the arsenal of an anesthesia provider, that drug would be Propofol.
What is Propofol? Chemically described as diisopropylphenol, it is an emulsion; it is white, it contains soybean oil. It is a sedative-hypnotic agent that is used for the induction and maintenance of both general and sedation anesthesia.
Propofol […]

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What really goes on in the Operating Room while you are asleep?
I get asked this question by friends and family all of the time. “Are they talking about me?” “Laughing at me?” “Commenting about my thighs?”
None of the above, really.
Conversations in the OR can range from sports to politics to gossip, or, no conversation at […]

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