Mind-Blowing Facts About Surgeries: From Anesthesia Awakenings to Head Transplants
Anesthesia Awareness: A Terrible Mistake
In 2007, a 73-year-old man endured “anesthesia awareness” during surgery. The anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist overlooked administering him anesthesia but mistakenly believed they had put him to sleep. For 16 minutes, the patient felt excruciating pain and could not alert the doctors due to being paralyzed. Although he survived the ordeal, the man later took his own life.
A Painful Past: Abigail Adams Smith’s Breast Cancer Treatment
Abigail Adams Smith, the daughter of the second president of the United States, John Adams, underwent a gruesome breast cancer treatment without anesthesia in 1811. Dr. John Warren operated on her using only a large fork, two sharp prongs, and a wooden-handled razor. She succumbed to the disease two years later.
Head Transplants: From China to the Future
In 2018, surgeons in China were on the verge of performing a human head transplant with a volunteer named Valery Spiridonov. Dubbed project HEAVEN, the surgery was postponed when Spiridonov reconsidered his decision due to the lengthy procedure duration.
Restoring Vision: Tooth Transplant
In 2009, doctors at the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine utilized a patient’s tooth as a platform to restore her vision through a surgical procedure called osteo-odontological keratoprosthesis.
Placebo Surgery: A Necessary Deception
Placebo surgery is a fake surgical procedure used to eliminate the actual therapeutic steps’ effect, providing a neutral control in scientific studies. It leaves out the specific treatment while giving patients the belief they have undergone surgery.
The Miracle Baby: Utero Surgery
In 2019, a baby was born healthy after undergoing utero surgery to correct spina bifida in the womb. This historical operation took only four hours.
Unintended Consequences: Forgotten Instruments
One of the risks associated with major surgeries is the possibility of surgeons leaving instruments inside a patient’s body. This often results in lawsuits and is one of the most common medical malpractice cases.
Two Hearts, One Body: Heterotopic Heart Transplant
A surgical procedure called heterotropic heart transplant gives a patient two functioning hearts. Although not yet widespread, this operation holds promising prospects for the medical community.
The Ancient Roots of Surgery
For thousands of years, surgeries have been a part of human history. The earliest recorded form of surgery was trepanation, which involved drilling a hole in the skull to relieve pressure or treat various health conditions.
The Longest Surgery: 103 Hours and Counting
In 2001, a team of 20 doctors performed the world’s longest surgery, which lasted for 103 hours. The goal was to separate conjoined twins, Ganga and Jamuna Shrestha, successfully.
Surgery’s Origin: From Chirurgia to the Modern World
The term “surgery” originates from Middle English surgerie, Old French’s surgerie. It is derived from the Latin chirurgia and Greek cheirourgen, which translates to “to work with hand.”
The Father of Surgery: Sushrutha
Sushrutha, an Indian physician from around 1000-800 BC, is considered the father of surgery. He contributed significantly to therapeutic strategies, pathophysiology, and anatomy teachings, inspiring the development of modern surgical practices.
Common Surgeries in the United States
Heart procedures, including cardiac catheterizations, balloon angioplasty of coronary artery, and coronary artery bypass grafts, are the most common surgeries in the United States. Obstetrics & gynecology and orthopedics surgical procedures follow closely in second and third positions, respectively.
