Doctor Uses Electric Drill to Remove Brain Tumor
Think of brain surgery and you probably think of a room full of doctors and nurses each holding specialized equipment, surrounding a patient draped in sterilized blankets in a room of polished stainless steel and glass. Imagine a guy holding a rechargeable handheld drill and using it on someone's head, though, and you'd probably think it was a scene from a horror movie and not a medical documentary. But in an upcoming documentary to be shown on the U.K's BBC, that's exactly what a British doctor uses for an emergency surgery on a woman in the Ukraine.
The woman, Marian Dolishny, was fully conscious when Dr. Henry Marsh used a 9.6 volt rechargeable drill from manufacturer Bosch to drill into her skull. Thankfully she was at least given a local anesthetic, but it must have been quite a sensation to have an off the shelf drill bit chewing into her noggin.
Dr. Marsh is a frequent visitor to Ukraine, where he charitably performs no-charge surgeries. On this particular occasion, he didn't have the official tools required for this sort of surgery, but, as he mentions in the documentary, his use of the electric drill "shows how with improvisation you can achieve a lot."
From NEWS.com.au
Related Links:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Gary @ Mar 19th 2008 2:28PM
first
2020 Vision @ Mar 19th 2008 2:38PM
I'm a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) with 15 years experience, and using sterilizable power equipment with rechargable STERILIZABLE battery packs isn't very new. Been doing it for ages with orthopedic cases, like hip and knee replacements, hip and other bone fracture repairs, podiatry (although those are smaller drills, saws, etc.).
Probably the "novelty factor" here comes from using a regular brand name power tool you might find in your workshop at home - not necessarily in your hometown operating rooms! Good for him for being so resourceful. Hope she does well.
Local anesthetic for such procedures isn't that unusual - brain surgery procedures are sometimes done on fully awake patients in order to have the best possible responses to what is being done at the time, so they can judge when they have done enough, and in the right place. The brain feels no pain.
cbe @ Mar 19th 2008 2:53PM
you do what you got to do.
mary jo @ Mar 19th 2008 3:03PM
Better living through Home Depot.Hooray for the Dr. Marsh's of the world
slim @ Mar 19th 2008 3:24PM
If the driil doesn't do the job, try the sazall
maria @ Mar 19th 2008 3:30PM
before doing any surgeryi would ask questions on the dr information on him and not letiing no one touch a head with that drill he shoud be fired.
Elaine @ Mar 19th 2008 3:37PM
Wow, talk about some trust here! I'd be a little bit on the nervous side lol!
Jake Luba @ Mar 19th 2008 3:56PM
Cool
ralph @ Mar 19th 2008 3:57PM
I am sure a large drill like this got the job done but there is a more advanced hanpiece that can be used, with as much torque as a drill. Talk to a dentist.
Kathryn @ Mar 19th 2008 4:06PM
In all seriousness, Skeptics; how do you think the skull is opened for surgery on the brain, except by using a drill tool? Many doctors, especially neurosurgeons, got a degree in Engineering before going to Medical School. These men and women are brilliant, resourceful, and innovative people.
WILL @ Mar 19th 2008 4:30PM
Was'nt that what good ole Jeffery Dahlmer used to make his zombie pals?? sure was.
awm @ Mar 19th 2008 4:34PM
My husband had extensive surgeries after a bull riding accident 20+ yrs ago.Handheld battery operated drills were used to help put back together shoulder,insert screws etc. And were used again when some of the hardware was removed.
Sandra @ Mar 19th 2008 5:08PM
Reminds me of saw 3 when she used a drill on Jigsaw!!! Gives me chills just thinking about it.
Peggy @ Mar 19th 2008 5:20PM
Get real folks, drills have been used in Operating Rooms forever, it's just not public knowledge. Really if your doctor said, hey i'm just gonna use this battery operated drill here to drill into your brain or on your bones, would you let him. They surely get the job done, and no one is complaining about the results. He did what he could by being resourceful...I think he absolutely did hte right thing. he should be praised for quick thinking.
theuptodatewoman @ Mar 19th 2008 5:27PM
The medical world should have more Dr. Marsh's ones who know how to adapt and improvise as they further their Hippocratic oath. And by evidence of his gifted work he is also also a compassionate physician. I'd say England scores another Dolly first!
Jay @ Mar 19th 2008 5:34PM
I thought that drills were often used in brain surgery....this doesn't seem all that unusual!
Burroughs, William @ Mar 19th 2008 6:05PM
NURSE: 'Adrenalin, doctor?'
DR. BENWAY: 'The night porter shot it all up for kicks.' He looks around and picks up one of those rubber vacuum cups at the end of a stick they use to unstop toilets…. He advances on the patient…. 'Make an incision, Doctor Limpf,' he says to his appalled assistant…. 'I’m going to massage the heart.'
Dr. Limpf shrugs and begins the incision. Dr. Benway washes the suction cup by swishing it around in the toilet-bowl….
NURSE: 'Shouldn’t it be sterilized, doctor?'
DR. BENWAY: 'Very likely but there’s no time.' He sits on the suction cup like a cane seat watching his assistant make the incision…. 'You young squirts couldn’t lance a pimple without an electric vibrating scalpel with automatic drain and suture…. Soon we’ll be operating by remote control on patients we never see…. We’ll be nothing but button pushers. All the skill is going out of surgery…. All the know-how and make-do… Did I ever tell you about the time I performed an appendectomy with a rusty sardine can? And once I was caught short without instrument one and removed a uterine tumor with my teeth. That was in the Upper Effendi, and besides…'
DR. LIMPF: 'The incision is ready, doctor.'
Dr. Benway forces the cup into the incision and works it up and down. Blood spurts all over the doctors, the nurse and the wall…. The cup makes a horrible sucking sound.
NURSE: 'I think she’s gone, doctor.'
DR. BENWAY: 'Well, it’s all in the day’s work.'
shananscot @ Mar 19th 2008 6:08PM
maria says:
before doing any surgeryi would ask questions on the dr information on him and not letiing no one touch a head with that drill he shoud be fired.
03/19/08 3:30 PM
Sounds like you have had surgery on your brain. I had to read that statment 3 times before I understood any of it.
RemoteGirl @ Mar 19th 2008 6:19PM
Jeffrey Dahmer used a drill on the heads of his victims too. No local anesthesia though.
Quent Haning @ Mar 19th 2008 6:23PM
We had an emergency. I used a trephine to repair a chair leg in the waiting room.