When I reached the operation theater, there was quite a bit of discussion. A number of my people were standing outside. One Registrar was in street clothes, ready to go out rather than into the OT.
"What is the issue at hand?" I asked.
"The orthopedic surgeons have posted a patient was reduction of a fracture of a humerus. The patient is 22 weeks pregnant. They want one of us to remain as stand by during the procedure."
"What is the person supposed to do?" I asked with surprise. "There is nothing an obstetrician can do during orthopedic surgery."
"They are saying that an obstetrician is required if the baby comes out."
"How will the baby come out, if the cervix is closed and the woman is not in labor?" I asked.
"That is what we have been telling them."
"OK. I will speak to those people. You go into the OT and start work."
They went in and started work. I called the orthopedic surgeons and stated the purpose of my call.
"No, we are not asking for obstetrician stand by. The anesthetist in charge is asking for one" the orthopedic surgeon said. "She has not come yet.
"Ah!" I said. Perhaps she wanted the obstetrician to protect the fetus from undue irradiation, acting as a shield in place of a lead shield?
"She has just come. Please speak to her" the orthopedic surgeon said.
So I spoke to her. "I will come and remain a stand by" I said. "But I don't know what is expected of me. Please tell me what you want me to do while they reduce and fix the fracture. The baby is not going to deliver in that time." I knew she knew that, since she had worked in our OT too, and anyway anyone with even just bachelor's degree in medicine would know that.
"Um... no. I just want someone to hear fetal heart sounds before inducing anesthesia. They must have misinterpreted my statement." She seemed to have learned from politicians. They always say that when cornered on a gaffe.
"It is a bit difficult to hear fetal heart sounds at 22 weeks" I said. "Please ask for an ultrasonography to check fetal heart activity."
"OK" she said and slammed the phone. She probably felt insulted. But I could not afford to send a person away from OT on a fruitless errand. I called the orthopedic OT again and asked for her.
"She has gone to change into OT clothes" the nurse said.
"Please tell her that the head of obstetrics and gynecology called again because she put the phone down before he had finished speaking. Please tell her that what I had to tell her was even more important than what I told her."
"Yes" she said.
Six hours have passed, but she has not called me. She probably believed she had got enough advice from me.
"What is the issue at hand?" I asked.
"The orthopedic surgeons have posted a patient was reduction of a fracture of a humerus. The patient is 22 weeks pregnant. They want one of us to remain as stand by during the procedure."
"What is the person supposed to do?" I asked with surprise. "There is nothing an obstetrician can do during orthopedic surgery."
"They are saying that an obstetrician is required if the baby comes out."
"How will the baby come out, if the cervix is closed and the woman is not in labor?" I asked.
"That is what we have been telling them."
"OK. I will speak to those people. You go into the OT and start work."
They went in and started work. I called the orthopedic surgeons and stated the purpose of my call.
"No, we are not asking for obstetrician stand by. The anesthetist in charge is asking for one" the orthopedic surgeon said. "She has not come yet.
"Ah!" I said. Perhaps she wanted the obstetrician to protect the fetus from undue irradiation, acting as a shield in place of a lead shield?
"She has just come. Please speak to her" the orthopedic surgeon said.
So I spoke to her. "I will come and remain a stand by" I said. "But I don't know what is expected of me. Please tell me what you want me to do while they reduce and fix the fracture. The baby is not going to deliver in that time." I knew she knew that, since she had worked in our OT too, and anyway anyone with even just bachelor's degree in medicine would know that.
"Um... no. I just want someone to hear fetal heart sounds before inducing anesthesia. They must have misinterpreted my statement." She seemed to have learned from politicians. They always say that when cornered on a gaffe.
"It is a bit difficult to hear fetal heart sounds at 22 weeks" I said. "Please ask for an ultrasonography to check fetal heart activity."
"OK" she said and slammed the phone. She probably felt insulted. But I could not afford to send a person away from OT on a fruitless errand. I called the orthopedic OT again and asked for her.
"She has gone to change into OT clothes" the nurse said.
"Please tell her that the head of obstetrics and gynecology called again because she put the phone down before he had finished speaking. Please tell her that what I had to tell her was even more important than what I told her."
"Yes" she said.
Six hours have passed, but she has not called me. She probably believed she had got enough advice from me.
