Brain surgeon uses handyman drill

UPI ^ | March 16, 2008

[Dahoser]

"I hear you got a headache, Gorgeous."

[freedomlover]

As long as he doesn't put the skull back together with a couple of drywall screws, what the heck

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Beats using a jack hammer.

[Borges]

A while back they actually asked a group of rocket scientists if their job was difficult and were told “it's difficult but it's not like it's brain surgery” And when they asked the same question of brain surgeons: “It's difficult but you don't have to be a rocket scientist.”

[Yo-Yo]

So what. I used to work for an orthopedic surgeon who used commercial off-the-shelf cordless drills for his reconstructive surgeries.

They get autoclaved once, used once, then tossed (because the autoclaving isn't so great long term for the NiCds or the motor bearings.)

Kept me in free drills for quite some time...

[rlmorel]

I work in medicine, and I suspect this is not a big deal,except to the reporter or person who “discovered” this.

These are usually the same people who bitch and moan when the $50,000 stainless steel variety with the ortho-approved grip is used, and wonder why a standard drill wouldn’t have worked as well.

Just my opinion.

[tx_eggman]

Beats using a jack hammer

Could've been worse ...

[Domandred]

Beat me. Use a new sterilized bit every time and what’s the problem?

[Slapshot68]

Wow, better make sure that battery is fully charged.

[King of Florida]

It's actually quite an improvement. The guy who used to do brain surgery at the clinic used one of these:

[King of Florida]

Minutes, not even seconds! This is what I get for resizing pictures . . . .

[going hot]

definately a bit with a depth stop/indicator on the shaft

[AngelesCrestHighway]

So....dead battery means dead patient.

[oh8eleven]

My dentist uses the same drill..........
Mine still uses the old fashion type - with a cord.

[going hot]

using a gas sterilizer will prevent the corrosion of the armature, can sterilize the whole thing at once, and reuse it. The battery pack can be encased in it's own sterile bag.

Works great.

Oh, and after they are "depreciated", they make great shop tools.

[Kirkwood]

This is nothing new. Common tools are used in surgery all the time as long as they don’t contaminate the sterile field.

[Billthedrill]

First, I want to make it clear I had nothing to do with this.

But trepanning with a Black & Decker is a time-honored tradition hereabouts on Saturday night after the Jim Beam bottle makes a few rounds. You gotta remember to take the ballcap off first. Them thangs are gittin' expensive.

[Emmett McCarthy]

Yeah, they rust. When I’m putting a skull back together, I always used the galvanized decking screws. I figure the regular drywall screws would probably be OK, but suppose the patient developed “water on the brain” later on? I know the galvanized cost a little more, but better safe than sorry. Brain surgery’s just a sideline, though, so be sure to call ahead for an appointment.

[snarks_when_bored]

So where does this surgeon position the “Surgery by Bosch” product placement tattoos?

[kingattax]