SA Doc flies patient to Miami...

I am left utterly uninspired and will wait to see what Lufthansa's onboard medical was like...

The taste of medicine…

Medicines have always inherited the somewhat unfair rep of being so vile tasting, that not even hungry dogs would go close. Why? Safety? Maybe

I am a doctor that likes to taste things before I prescribe them to kids (need to know if there’s a chance they’lll take it - or I’ve lost the battle before it has even begun – and Mom has gotta force feed).

I’m here to reassure you. They’re not all that bad.

Kerry, a previous commentor on the nose suction wonderment is right is right though, pharmaceutical companies really need to think about the taste of syrups before they make them for kids. If it’s going to taste KAK - make them in suppositories! And deal with the consequences.

But since we won’t be getting a horde of bum tablets from the pharmaceutical companies any time soon, here are examples of winners and losers in the taste category:

Winners:
Stopyne (berry flavour, yummy!)
Erythromycin (always my favourite)
Original Augmentin (bubblegum flavoured)
Prozef (strawberry flavoured – a clear winner from the kids)
Orelox (banana flavoured)
Lotem (better banana flavour)
Calpol (strawberry – the kids love this one, I personally hate the after taste!)

Losers:
Buscopan (the most vile tasting concoction! Why did they even bother to make it! I just tell mom’s to crush the tablet into their food.)
Prelone (yuk!)
Viral guard (what were they thinking?)

SA Doc stuck in a WHIPPLE...

Hehe. Just phoned SA Doc, only to have a scrub sister (I think they're called that) answer the phone. SA Doc, apparently, has her hands so deep inside someone the phone would surely get lost. It's a whipple... that's been going on for 8 hours.

I don't even know what a whipple is! Sounds dangerous.

When in doubt, Google it. As long as its not a symptom, remember...

The Whipple operation was first described in the 1930’s by Allan Whipple. In the 1960’s and 1970’s the mortality rate for the Whipple operation was very high. Up to 25% of patients died from the surgery. This experience of the 1970’s is still remembered by some physicians who are reluctant to recommend the Whipple operation.

Today the Whipple operation has become an extremely safe operation in the USA. At tertiary care centers where a large numbers of these procedures are performed by a selected few surgeons, the mortality rate from the operation is less than 4%. Studies have shown that for good outcomes from the Whipple surgery, the experience of the center and the surgeon is important. At USC, Dilip Parekh M.D. has performed more than 100 consecutive Whipple type of procedures over the past 9 years with good outcomes.

What is a Whipple operation?

In the Whipple operation the head of the pancreas, a portion of the bile duct, the gallbladder and the duodenum is removed. Occasionally a portion of the stomach may also be removed. After removal of these structures the remaining pancreas, bile duct and the intestine is sutured back into the intestine to direct the gastrointestinal secretions back into the gut.

Shudder. I hope the poor guys duodenum isn't useful! More info here.

PS. Took a flyer on the picture. SA Doc can confirm the gory truth tomorrow.

Scrubs & the Floating Head Doctor.

Floating head doctor at Baragwanath has a slightly different meaning. Rolling head doctor. Nah, I'm joking. That's just the political side of it.

Enjoy some Scrubs - and the Floating Head Doctor scenes...

Monty Python Hospital Sketch.

They just look so... professional.



Har. Har.