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Operating Room Confidential: What Really Goes On When You Go Under
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From
Whang introduces the basics of anesthesiology, its duties and areas of authority, and a “day in the operating room,” where surgeons, surgical assistants, nurses, and others in a “less-than-TV intensity” O.R. palaver about sports, the news, “and the latest O.R. gossip.” He also discusses “O.R. Voodoo”—some doctors’ specific, rigidly performed preparatory rituals for “warding off the bad luck lurking in the shadows”—and presents lists of items removed from rectums (fruits, vegetables, billiard balls—all “accidentally sat upon”) and penises (stereo wires, chains). He offers psychological profiles of specialties ranging from orthopedic to plastic surgeons, explanations of side effects from common anesthesia, a rundown of the predominantly cholesterol- and sodium-packed fare at the hospital cafeteria (French fries, battered fish, greasy sausages), and the suggestion that the decorative nutrition posters read, “What does not kill you will make you stronger. Bon appétit.” Fact-filled, poignant, and funny. --Whitney Scott
"Fact-filled, poignant, and funny." —Booklist Online
"Highly informative and honest, Dr Paul Whang weaves his narrative together to create an extremely witty, sometimes controversial, concoction. Upon opening this book, you will draw back the curtain, and enter the operating theatre." —Dr. Jerome Edelstein, Toronto plastic surgeon
"The operating room is the most mysterious and intimidating of inner sanctums and the creatures who operate in it seem equally mysterious. Paul Whang humanizes and illuminates that fearsome space with candour, humour and a generosity of spirit that gives readers the sense that should they ever find themselves on the table, the experience will work out well." —Robin Roger, managing editor, Ars Medica: A Journal of Medicine, The Arts and Humanities
"Eye-opening and full of personality." —Scene Magazine
"If you enjoy workplace anecdotes, you'll enjoy Operating Room Confidential . . . It contains roughly equal measures of anecdotes and advice, a 21st century turn on the spoonful of sugar helping the medicine go down." —Waterloo Region Record
"Gives us an insider's view of the operating room. The reader enters a fascinating realm of fears, foibles, and the truths of human nature. This is honest writing from a doctor who observes carefully and shares what he sees from behind the surgical mask." —Dr. Vincent Lam, author, Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures
12/02/2011
Written in an entertaining and at times ribald style, this book takes you behind the scenes of the surgical part of a hospital. While a hospital visit is an event most of us will remember forever, for those who work there walking thru the doors is just another day on the job. The book not only covers the operating room but has a chapter on the personalities of various specialists; not quite sure how that fits into the book them but it's there.
22/01/2011
Operating Room Confidential is a fascinating inside look at what goes on in the operating room. Dr. Paul Whang is a Staff Anesthetist at a busy urban hospital in Toronto who works alongside surgeons and nurses, assisting in all sorts of surgeries. Anesthetists may not be the main contender in the operating room but they get in on all the action. Whereas a doctor may only see certain operations based on their practice and expertise, an anesthetist will get to see practically every type of surgery imaginable.
An anesthetist not only puts a patient under, they also monitor the patient during the surgery. I had envisioned anesthetists sitting How medical instruments get their name
-What is means when something is "surgically clean"
-"The Scrub" - the scrubbing and cleaning your hands and nails for at least 5 minutes
-Operating room superstitions
-The pressure of working on VIPs (fellow doctors and nurses and their family members, lawyers' and their family members, etc.)
-Things that shouldn't be said in the operating room like "Everything is going so smoothly" or "We'll be going home soon" because trouble is sure to follow
-Things patients should not to say right before surgery.
-Propofol - the drug and its potential danger were recently in the news surrounding the death of Michael Jackson.
-Awareness during an operation (being completely paralyzed yet being totally aware of what is going on) - freaky!!
-The final count of instruments, sutures and sponges after the surgery must match the count at the beginning or a mad man hunt will ensue until everything is accounted for.
-Sex in the On-call room (among other places)
-The House of Scream (Labor and Delivery)
-The autopsy room and morgue
Another topic that interested me was the psychological test based on a theory that describes personality in four dimensions (how you relate to others, how you take in information, how you make decisions and what kind of life do you want to lead) and how a combination of these dimensions and personality characteristics are found in certain specialties (i.e. Orthopedic Surgeons, General Surgeons, Psychiatrists, Plastic Surgeons, Anesthetists, Cardiologists, and Neurologists).
Dr. Paul Whang shares some of his experiences and funny stories. Here are a couple of funny quotes from the book that I thought were hilarious...
About having a medical instrument named after you:
Despite the honor, there are certain instruments I'd rather not have my name associated with - I'm not sure how Dr. Pratt really felt about the Pratt Rectal Speculum.
About wanting to work at a private cosmetic clinic for Dr. Stubbs, a penis enlargement surgeon:
Wow, your name is Dr. Whang. Did you know that I learned the technique of penis enlargement in China with...and I'm not kidding...with Drs. Long and Dong. So you can just see my advertisement: Penis enlargement surgery with Dr. Stubbs. Trained the-scene look at something we don't normally get to see.
Did you know that parts of Albert Einstein's brain are preserved for study in a jar of formaldehyde at Princeton University?
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