Surgery on a surgeon

            Recently my name was added in the patient name column of our Operation register. It was nothing major, a small corn removal from my foot. But I had the fortune of being operated by my batch mate, my upcoming fellow surgeon. It has been more than two weeks now. The wound was left open. It has almost healed now. The important thing is that it reinforced some principles that have to be kept in mind while operating a patient.

             Done so many surgeries under local infiltrative anesthesia, I was started to have a feel that the procedure is so simple and tension free. But for a patient who has come to the operation theater for the first time and not accustomed to the smell of antiseptic lotions, nothing is a simple. Even a tetanus injection can be a painful procedure both physically and mentally.

            When a person lies on the operating table, he or she is surrendering completely. They believe that the surgeon will do everything to keep the procedure least painful and comfortable. A good surgeon will always respect this and do whatever in his control to make the procedure comfortable for the patient.

             One instance I felt ashamed of myself during this surgery was when I uttered ‘f**k’ when my friend gave the first shot of local anesthesia. I have always shouted at patients who swear while doing procedures under local anesthesia. Most of the time it occurs at the first shot. Even I could not control myself and it was a reflex reaction. I need to improve my manners.

            Once in a while, being back to the other side of table help light up some inside thoughts, some little things that can add more empathy in patient treatment.

PS: Not to mention, I took the next day off due to pain.