So the other night, I am reading the awesome book, "How Doctors Think," by Jerome Groopman, and I come across a story about a patient with Cardiac tamponade, also known as pericardial tamponade. It is an emergency condition where there is a compression of the heart that occurs when blood or fluid builds up in the space between the myocardium (the muscle of the heart) and the pericardium (the outer covering sac of the heart).Basically, fluid accumulates in the pericardium (the sac in which the heart is enclosed). If the fluid significantly elevates the pressure on the heart it will prevent the heart's ventricles from filling properly. This in turn leads to a low stroke volume. The end result is ineffective pumping of blood, shock, and often death.
Dr. Groopman explains in like a fist, squeezing the heart, keeping blood from entering or exiting...
Dr Groopman was using this story to explain how as a Doctor, one needs to always question why procedures are performed or treatments are given or diagnoses are made. This particular case had the surgeon make an incision under the xiphoid process and then go into the pericardium with a big syringe to draw off the fluid...the surgeon ended up going through the pericardium and into the heart, causing massive bleeding...this case was demonstrated to show how currently, Doctors view the heart first with echocardiogram to make sure where exactly the fluid is before they go probing...and maybe now, they are x-ray guiding as they actually perform this maneuver, I need to research this...seems like a good idea...
But, I say that to say this...I go upstairs and turn on "Untold Stories, Life In The ER," that is on the "Discovery Health" channel, and guess what a male patient that is carted into the ER is diagnosed with? Yes! Cardiac tamponade! You guessed right! Look, I don't believe in circumstances, but what I do believe in is God-Ordained Ordinances...I believe God has a way of teaching us and He will use whatever means necessary!
As He is teaching me and training me to become a Doctor, MD, I thought it was so cool how He showed me this. Some people may dismiss this as a coincidence, whatever, I see it as God leading me to the right resources at the right time. He has a given us a Reticular Activating System for a reason and He allowed me to form a category for Cardiac tamponade that night!
I believe as I continue to do my part and study and work and drench my self into all the resources He leads me to that He will continue to teach me everything I need to know about Human Anatomy and Physiology, Biochemistry, Surgery, etc...you name it! What an Honor to be able to be training to become a Doctor and learning all about His Amazing Creation!
Back to the story about the guy in the ER...He had to be operated on right there in the ER, no time to prep him for surgery...The ER Physician performed what he called, "Splash and Slash," meaning he had to immediately splash on a dose of Betadine to sterilize the patient's chest area and then use a scalpel to open him up...He made an incision under the left pectoral, more to the side, where he looked in from this side view, saw the heart, saw the clot, they then grabbed what looks like a corkscrew of sorts, (I need to find out what this is) and opened up the ribs so that he could release this fluid and the clot...
The patients heart was cyanotic due to the lack of oxygen, but once the clot was removed and the fluid gone, the heart started beating again and he was then transferred to a cardio-thoracic sugeon to make sure all was clear! He was great and had an amazing recovery! PX! AMEN! JIL!
Cool stuff, cool stories, Praise God for how He teaches! Cardiovascular is one of my interest and in the Top 5 of specialites I will God-Willingly be choosing from in about 4 Years!!! So I was definitely pumped to go ahead and "Jump-Start" my Cardiovascular Training through these awesome second-hand accounts! Hey, we "See One, Do One, Teach One," right? This is a great start! PX! JIL! AMEN!
Slinging My Stone, Time To Scrub In!
