April 16, 2005

Holy Sh*t

Now, I've said someone was full of sh*t before, but this guy really is. I think he was the model for one of Caltechdad's favorite jokes....

See the extended entry....


Severe Fecal Impaction

Scan is from a 49-year-old man with a history of paraplegia due to poliomyelitis, surgical treatment of a lumbar ependymoma, and chronic renal insufficiency due to a neuropathic bladder was admitted to the intensive care unit because of abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, and hyperkalemia (serum potassium, 7 mmol per liter). Computed tomography of the abdomen showed a severe fecal impaction with marked compression of the abdominal viscera without any sign of colonic perforation. After rehydration and correction of the hyperkalemia, the patient underwent manual disimpaction under general anesthesia. His recovery was unremarkable.

From the New England Journal of Medicine.

Ouch. All of that in the middle is his distended colon full of fecal matter. Ewww.

If anyone wants to know the joke, email me....

(h/t Medpundit)

Posted by caltechgirl at April 16, 2005 10:39 PM
Comments

OK... I'm having a hard time getting past, "the patient underwent manual disimpaction under general anesthesia".

Whose job is that? Blech.

Posted by: Boudicca at April 17, 2005 12:15 AM

Yeah...but try draining an oral abscess sometime!

Posted by: Flap at April 17, 2005 01:19 AM

Ouch. No other word for it.

Posted by: Karen at April 17, 2005 10:52 PM

Not my fave. topic to discuss while I am eating my lunch.

Posted by: Rachel Ann at April 18, 2005 02:32 AM

Damn, I was shifting in my seat uncomfortably just looking at that. That has gotta hurt! And do they have the equivalent of apprentices in surgery, 'cause you know they always get the crap jobs to do! ;)

Posted by: Amanda at April 18, 2005 02:56 AM

I fear that I have the unfortunate honor of relating to how this person felt... somewhat, at least. I learned that surgery shuts down the um, "system" for days...

Posted by: Marie at April 18, 2005 02:07 PM

Oh my! That's not good, not good at all.

Posted by: Paladin at April 18, 2005 02:49 PM