Currently viewing the category: "amputation"

Loss of Service, Love and Affection

By On · Add Comment · In amputation, circumcision, inflammation, penis amputation

Here’s a curious case of circumcision whereby a man loses his entire penis to a doctor on a cancer trip.  Put yourself in someone’s shoes: You go to the hospital for a circumcision that’s supposed to help you with inflammation (??? new one for me, but I’ll roll with it).  You’re given your nighty-night nod by the anesthesiologist, only to wake up hours later sans member.  Doh!

Or…you’re a well-known and respected urologist, hired to perform a geriatric foreskin-ectomy, and given full permission to take control of any serious situation you come across.  During the procedure cancer is detected.  To save the life of the patient–you remove the cancer…one penis at a time.  Patient wakes up, checks what he thinks is the new chop top, and finds he has been removed from the club; wife’s even more pissed.  Who’s in the right or wrong?

Deborah and Phillip Seaton

Well, it’ll be up to the Shelby County Circuit Court in Kentucky, which will be entertaining the trial between Phillip Seaton of Waddy and his wife, Deborah, against Dr. John Patterson of Louisville.  The lawsuit alleges that Patterson removed Seaton’s penis without consulting either Phillip or Deborah Seaton.  The Seatons say they would have liked the opportunity to have a second opinion, and who can blame them?  They are seeking unspecified damages from Patterson for “loss of service, love and affection.”

The doctor’s attorney, however, states that his client had full authorization “to perform any medical procedure deemed necessary” and that the doctor found cancer in the organ during the surgery.  The attorney has said that Patterson “had no reasonable option” but to remove the cancer.  The Seatons’ attorney says the situation was not an emergency.

Dr. Patterson (right) and his attorney

Interestingly, Jewish Hospital, where the full-shaft circumcision was performed actually settled with the Seatons for an undisclosed amount.  Hmmm…maybe they know something we don’t…like ain’t no man scorned than he who wakes up without a penis.

So what do you think?  Case of irresponsible amputation, or modern medical heroism?  Should a doctor do what he can to save a life (even if not immediately urgent), or is it up to the individual?  It’s not very different from euthanasia or other medical dilemmas.  I know what I think, but I’m curious to hear other peoples’ opinions. 

Snake Ointment Life-Saver

By On · Add Comment · In amputation, blood pressure, lymph nodes, lymphatic system, nitric oxide, snakebites, toxin, vasodilator, venom
Good news adventurers, campers, hikers and rangers–a new ointment has been developed that can increase survival rates for those suffering snakebites.  The ointment contains nitric oxide, which has been found to delay the entry of snake venom into the blood stream.

Nitric oxide (NO), not to be confused with nitrous oxide (NO2) or laughing gas, is a chemical messenger in mammals.  It acts as a blood pressure and neurological regulator, and has been shown to lower blood pressure in stroke patients.  NO works by dilating blood vessels (vasodilator), slowing blood flow, and thus decreasing pressure.  It has also been found to slow down the pumping mechanism of the lymphatic system, which is the point of entry for many types of snake venom.  Researchers put two and two together, and came up with an ointment they thought should decrease the entry rates of the toxin into the human body.

Bingo!  They were right.  In two experiments they showed that snake venom was slowed significantly in its entry into the mammalian blood stream.  In the first experiment the researchers injected a venom-like substance into one foot of 15 volunteers, and measured the time it took for the toxin substitute to reach lymph nodes in the groin.

They repeated the experiment, but rubbed the NO-containing ointment into the foot of the volunteer within one minute of the injection.  Amazingly, the transit for the venom-like substance went from 13 minutes to 54 minutes–a more than 4x decrease.

The second experiment looked at the survival rates of rats injected with snake venom.  The rats receiving the ointment continued to breathe 50% longer than rats receiving venom injections alone.

These findings are important as 100,000 people die worldwide every year from snakebites, while another 400,000 must amputate limbs that have been injected with poison. Godsend for snake charmers.

Currently, the most common treatment is to immobilize the patient and restrict blood flow as much as possible until medical assistance is available.

“These results point to a new method of snakebite first aid that may also be useful for bites to the torso or head,” the researchers concluded.

Finally, something snake-oil salesmen can be proud of.

Stay Healthy: Save A Penis

By On · Add Comment · In accidental, amputation, health, healthy, medical mistakes, penis, plastic surgeon, Romanian, urologist

Do your part to save the male appendage today: Stay healthy at all costs! What?!?! You heard me right–staying healthy is your best insurance to keeping your organs, appendages, digits, and yes, your genitalia too.

According to a recent report, a Romanian man lost his penis in an “accidental” severing during a testicular surgery. Whoops! And the surgeon performing the operation wasn’t a hack, either; he was a renowned and “highly respected” urologist and anatomy professor. Double oops! Ain’t that just enough to make you cringe?

The slippery-wristed surgeon was ordered to pay the 38-year-old man $500,00 euros (785,000 dollars) in compensation. That’s all?!?! for an amputation of that nature? Sheesh! I guess I think very highly of myself, but, well…I wouldn’t have been happy with less than $10 million that’s for sure–I’m still building my family, for heaven’s sake!

I’m not posting this story to poke fun at this poor man’s misfortune–his wife has since left him, to add insult to injury–but I use this as an example of why it’s best to use the medical system as little as possible–emergency and life threatening situations only; for the most part, anyway. As I discuss in detail in the first chapter of my book, The Six Keys to Optimal Health, medical mistakes are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in this country. I guess they happen in Europe, too.

Listen, we need modern medicine: it is absolutely critical in times of crisis, and many of its marvels have improved the quality and quantity of life significantly for millions of people around the world. However, far too many use it as a quick fix for all their health woes, even the most minor ones; and frankly, that’s foolish. Be smart–take care of your health to the best of your ability. Honor your body and put in at least the minimal amount of work to maintain it. Follow The Six Keys To Optimal Health and assure yourself the greatest chance of staying healthy and vibrant for years to come. And as a result, you may just do your part to save a penis one day.

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