Air Force docs generally suck.
The gallbladder and the part of the abdominal aorta that is closest to the gallbladder are nowhere near each other.
I have helped perform laparoscopic cholecystectomies. I can’t recall ever seeing the abdominal aorta on the laparoscopy screen.
There are many structures, particularly several large bile ducts, arteries, and veins separating the gallbladder from the part of the aorta from which the celiac trunk originates, which is the part of the aorta that would be closest to the gallbladder. The two structures aren’t even on the same side of the body.
Also, even in obese people, the gallbladder is fairly easy to find. Judging from photos, the airman is a thin person. Unless Read has some very strange anatomy, surgeons should not have had a hard time finding the gallbladder.
The surgeon performing the operation either had absolutely no clue where he was within the abdomen, was being incredibly careless with his instruments, or both.
You don’t have a clue. Of course I am biased because I am one and and take it personally. The USAF is a big organization with a cross section of all of society. I have met physicians since I retired in private practice I wouldn’t take my dog to. Do you find bad docs in the USAF? Of course, just like the rest of the medical world. I also was a training doc at the David Grant Medical Center where this occurred. The quality of docs was excellent and for the most part they were all dedicated to the mission, to medical education and to their patients. I have no clue how this horrible incident occurred. There are residents and there are residents. I would not allow at least two surgical residents continue in training and was considered a hard ass. I can only assume this was a resident surgeon who should have never been given a knife. I can tell you there is always a moment when you have to let your resident go on his own and it involves pucker factor on both parts. When the incident report comes out we will all know more. I don’t make any excuses for the surgeon and I feel terrible about the airman. Its just not a good time for military folks to turn on their own.