We needed to cut a piece of a sticking laster in the OT the other day. We could not find the scissors kept there. While we were looking for the scissors, the anesthetist took out long, stout looking scissors from his pocket and offered it to us. My House officer took it and cut the sticking plaster. In the meantime, I got a little worried.
"Do you keep the scissors in your OT pajama pocket like this?" I asked him, pointing towards his pocket located over the right groin area, "especially when you sit down flexing your hip joints?"
"Yes" he said.
"Are you not afraid that the point of the scissors might penetrate your body and harm you ... um... in that sensitive area?"
"Ah, no" he smiled. I had goosebumps all over, thinking of that injury, while he seemed OK.
"Why do you not use folding scissors" I asked.
"Those are quite weak and do not cut sticking plaster easily" he said.
A month and half, history repeated itself in our other OT. It was another male anesthetist, who produced long, stout scissors from his pajama pocket, located similarly as in the case of the first one. I asked him the same questions and he gave the same answers. I had goosebumps like the previous time.
"Do you not have a sheath in which you can place the scissors?" I asked.
"Ah, no" he said, somewhat amused by that thought.
I must talk to my surgical colleagues if they have had any anesthetists with scissors injuries. In the meantime, I am just hoping against hope that no one gets a penetrating injury by scissors.
"Do you keep the scissors in your OT pajama pocket like this?" I asked him, pointing towards his pocket located over the right groin area, "especially when you sit down flexing your hip joints?"
"Yes" he said.
"Are you not afraid that the point of the scissors might penetrate your body and harm you ... um... in that sensitive area?"
"Ah, no" he smiled. I had goosebumps all over, thinking of that injury, while he seemed OK.
"Why do you not use folding scissors" I asked.
"Those are quite weak and do not cut sticking plaster easily" he said.
A month and half, history repeated itself in our other OT. It was another male anesthetist, who produced long, stout scissors from his pajama pocket, located similarly as in the case of the first one. I asked him the same questions and he gave the same answers. I had goosebumps like the previous time.
"Do you not have a sheath in which you can place the scissors?" I asked.
"Ah, no" he said, somewhat amused by that thought.
I must talk to my surgical colleagues if they have had any anesthetists with scissors injuries. In the meantime, I am just hoping against hope that no one gets a penetrating injury by scissors.
