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by rdl 4762 days ago
They're obviously focused on emergency medicine and cardiac care. Digital radiography, EKGs, external pacemakers, a lab, etc. They can do cricothyrotomy, but certainly aren't set up for major surgery. Basically anything you'd want in an ER but not OR.

Although there are some ships doing cosmetic surgery at sea, and there are proposals for cruise ship medical tourism.
1 comments
justincormack 4762 days ago
And there was a ship moored off Ireland performing abortions at one point.
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Someone 4762 days ago
That, in at least one case (and, AFAIK, all cases) wasn't commercial, but ideological: http://www.womenonwaves.org/en/page/769/in-collection/2582/i...

Also, I would not call that surgery.

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rdl 4762 days ago
Better example is something like the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy (or really any big surface combatant in the USN); they can do real surgery.

I'd argue that Comfort and Mercy could do more good for US national security at sea, combined with LPD/LPH for cargo transport and personnel, than any other surface ships in the US fleet -- humanitarian missions probably improve security more than anything but the submarine nuclear deterrent.

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