I’m not going to lie – I’m scared of hospitals. Watching specials on TLC that show live surgeries always grossed me out. I’m fine around slasher flicks and all kinds of gory entertainment, but I’ll pass out if I see a real surgery with real blood. That’s why this story kind of makes me queasy.
In what may be a first for a hospital, the Houston branch of Memorial Hermann hospital is live tweeting a brain surgery. The doctor in charge of the operation is Dr. Dong Kim while Dr. Scott Shepard Tweets out all the details with pictures of the surgery.
This is all pretty cool and I’m sure it’s really educational, but it’s just kind of gross. I’m sure those in medical professions or studying medicine are absolutely loving this, but I’m having a hard time just looking at the pictures.
Still, this just goes to show you that Twitter has become massively influential in how we communicate. I’m sure that Facebook would have something to say about a doctor updating a surgery live with pictures, but Twitter seems to be ok with it. It’s all in the name of education at least.
The surgery will last for four hours and the doctors will be Tweeting for the entirety of it. Here’s some of the hightlights of the surgery so far. Depending on where you work, some of the images linked in the Tweets may be NSFW.
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann About 20 minutes ago, we began anesthesia prior to moving the patient to the operating room #MHbrain
3 hours ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann @scottk75 The patient will not be awake for the surgery. -Dr. Shepard 3 hours ago via HootSuite · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann @hsawh5thgrade After brain surgery there is minor pain, much less pain than most other surgeries 3 hours ago via HootSuite · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann The patient was instructed to have no food or water 8 hours prior to #surgery to prevent aspiration during anesthesia. #MHbrain 3 hours ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann @hsawh5thgrade Each year Dr. Kim performs 400 surgeries including 300 craniotomies for tumors, aneurysms, etc. 3 hours ago via HootSuite · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann @nursepollyrgn The tumor is located in the posterior right temporal lobe. http://t.co/9dbNa4J8 3 hours ago via HootSuite · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann During the surgery, antibiotics are given to help prevent infection in the incision. #MHbrain 2 hours ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann @ethankobe This particular tumor in this location can almost always be entirely removed. 2 hours ago via HootSuite · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann @goldbergsays The room is kept cool because the surgeons & the patient are covered in heavy cloth and can easily become overheated. – Dr. S 2 hours ago via HootSuite · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann To become a neurosurgeon a doctor trains 7 years after medical school, the @UTHealth neurosurgery residency accepts 2 residents per year. 2 hours ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann Some of the following content may be GRAPHIC in nature. Viewer discretion is advised. 2 hours ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann @dwalshcaitlin Yes, the patient and family has consented & is fully aware that their surgery is being featured on Twitter. 1 hour ago via HootSuite · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann standing by for drill…in the meantime, this is Dr. Kim at work. http://t.co/rNEKej2w 1 hour ago via Twitpic · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann The bone flap is then handed to the surgical nurse to keep it sterile during surgery http://t.co/PQlMLX7p 1 hour ago via Twitpic · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann What is a bone flap? The bone flap is a piece of skull temporarily removed during brain surgery #MHbrain 1 hour ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann The dura is opened, this is the first glimpse of the brain #MHBrain http://t.co/YgeX5pJX 1 hour ago via Twitpic · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann These 2 veins are part of the vein of lebbe, an important vein on the brain surface. http://t.co/rTAcFKgw 57 minutes ago via Twitpic · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann blood around the #tumor http://t.co/f6AgJemz 28 minutes ago via Twitpic · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
@houstonhospital
Memorial Hermann Dr. Kim is starting dissection for the tumor using 2 different instruments 22 minutes ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto
And that’s the last we’ve heard from the surgery. It seems like the surgery is about over. If you want to get caught up and see all the lovely pictures of somebody’s brain, check out the recap page. Once again, some of these pictures may be considered graphic and NSFW based on where you are.
Do you think doctors should use social media to broadcast surgeries and other procedures? Does it open up new venues for medical education? Let us know in the comments.
[Thanks Reddit]