DIY Appendectomy!

[Suzy]

Blog entry and a later report - a Czech physician on a Russian Antarctic base in 1964 had to perform this himself! Not for the squeamish...:blink: (via)

Imagine having to do that on the way to Mars in zero-g!

 

[T.Neo]

Ouch... I have a feeling it would be pretty dangerous, not only could there be internal complications due to microgravity but blood floating around the cabin would not be very nice either.

There are ways around this, but they all have issues:

- Select the healthiest possible crew members. Still will not make things absolutely sure that such an issue will not arise during a mission.

- Have more than one crew member trained as a physician or at least have some medical training.

- An extra incentive for artificial gravity to eliminate potential problems with medical issues in microgravity; this will not eliminate the problems at hand and places constraints on the vessel design.

 

[Artlav]

Well, choosing between a painful death and that. Latter seems better.

As for operating in space - i read that it was impossible even in proper way, since something about microgravity environment would prevent survival. No details.

 

[C3PO]

Well, choosing between a painful death and that. Latter seems better.

Yes, the choice is quite obvious given the circumstances. But he did an outstanding job. Amazing!!! The job is difficult enough under "normal" conditions.

 

[Radu094]

As for operating in space - i read that it was impossible even in proper way, since something about microgravity environment would prevent survival. No details.

Well, I imagine you cannot setup an IV drip, and all the blood & fluids floating arround might need some different operating tehniques to be learned but I can't think of any definite reason why a patient would not recover from an operation.

I think somebody on the ISS needs to volunteer to test this !