[aarongough]

That is crazy. I don't think I would have the stomach for that myself, but I guess being a surgeon already would help.

I remember a related story of and Aussie medic imprisoned in a Japanese POW camp successfully removing the appendix of a fellow prisoner with only a shard of broken glass.

Personally, I just hope I am never in a position like that.

[CWuestefeld]

In your glass shard story, I'm not sure what would be worse, being the doctor or being the patient. I don't want to be on either side!

[pavel_lishin]

The survival must have mostly been luck - what are the odds of not becoming horribly infected?

What did the surgeon use for sutures, anyway?

[aarongough]

I can't remember if it was mentioned in all honesty. There's no real reason that the incision need get infected if they were very careful.

If I remember correctly the medic sterilized his instruments, himself and the patient with alcohol or some sort of solvent.

I have a friend who lived in the Yukon (north edge of Canada) for many years. He slashed his leg open with a knife accidentally while working one day, but he was a day or so away from medical care. He just cleaned it and then sutured himself up using a needle and dental floss. He eventually got to a hospital, the doctor told him he had done just fine!

[robotrout]

When I was a kid in Wyoming, a couple of cowboys moved a few bulls past our house, onto mountain range. Bulls are slow when they're not upset, and they were having some fun with one of the bulls, jumping from their horses, onto the bull's back, and back again. (Probably held on to their saddles, just in case the bull took exception, they could pull themselves back on the horse)

Anyway, one of the bulls got tired of it, and gored the horse, spilling intestines out. Not sure how far they protruded, I wasn't there. The cowboys stuffed the intestines back into the horse, and used their pocket knives to poke little holes into the horses skin along the edge of the wound, and then pulled hair from the horses tail and threaded it through the holes, holding everything together.

My dad being the closest vet, our ranch is where they ended up. I can't remember if my dad saved the horse, but the cowboys sort of had a balanced day. Stupid in the morning, ingenious in the afternoon.

[pavel_lishin]

Sure, but an appendectomy implies that the appendix itself is inflamed and infected, right? Seems like it could easily spread to the blood. Not to mention working near the intestines, that are full of bacteria as it is. Sounds like sepsis city to me.

Then again, like you said, he could have just been pouring alcohol on the whole thing the entire time.

[mbergins]

The article mentions that antibiotics were applied while the wound was open.

[bad_user]

Removing the appendix I guess one could do with a broken glass ... but how did he closed the wound?