Life A Soviet Surgeon Has to Remove His Own Appendix

mikey23545 · 05-22-2011, 05:24 PM

The Atlantic Home
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Antarctica, 1961: A Soviet Surgeon Has to Remove His Own Appendix
By Alexis Madrigal

If you think House and the guy who James Franco played in 127 Hours are tough, you haven't heard of Leonid Rogozov.

In 1961, Rogozov was stationed at a newly constructed Russian base in Antarctica. The 12 men inside were cut off from the outside world by the polar winter by March of that year. In April, the 27-year-old Rogozov began to feel ill, very ill. His symptoms were classic: he had acute appendicitis. "He knew that if he was to survive he had to undergo an operation," the British Medical Journal recounted. "But he was in the frontier conditions of a newly founded Antarctic colony on the brink of the polar night. Transportation was impossible. Flying was out of the question, because of the snowstorms. And there was one further problem: he was the only physician on the base."

There was no question that he'd have to operate. The pain was intolerable and he knew he was getting worse. He recorded his thoughts in his journal:

"I did not sleep at all last night. It hurts like the devil! A snowstorm whipping through my soul, wailing like a hundred jackals. Still no obvious symptoms that perforation is imminent, but an oppressive feeling of foreboding hangs over me ... This is it ... I have to think through the only possible way out: to operate on myself ... It's almost impossible ... but I can't just fold my arms and give up."

Operating mostly by feeling around, Rogozov worked for an hour and 45 minutes, cutting himself open and removing the appendix. The men he'd chosen as assistants watched as the "calm and focused" doctor completed the operation, resting every five minutes for a few seconds as he battled vertigo and weakness. He recalled the operation in a journal entry:

"I worked without gloves. It was hard to see. The mirror helps, but it also hinders -- after all, it's showing things backwards. I work mainly by touch. The bleeding is quite heavy, but I take my time -- I try to work surely. Opening the peritoneum, I injured the blind gut and had to sew it up. Suddenly it flashed through my mind: there are more injuries here and I didn't notice them ... I grow weaker and weaker, my head starts to spin. Every 4-5 minutes I rest for 20-25 seconds. Finally, here it is, the cursed appendage! With horror I notice the dark stain at its base. That means just a day longer and it would have burst and ...

At the worst moment of removing the appendix I flagged: my heart seized up and noticeably slowed; my hands felt like rubber. Well, I thought, it's going to end badly. And all that was left was removing the appendix ... And then I realised that, basically, I was already saved."

Two weeks later, he was back on regular duty. He died at the age of 66 in St. Petersburg in 2000.

http://www.theatlantic.com/technolog...ppendix/72445/

Just a little reminder that humans can complete some pretty amazing physical feats when their lives hang in the balance.

ChiefaRoo · 05-22-2011, 05:32 PM

First in with "In Soviet Russia Appendix removes YOU!"

Chiefshrink · 05-22-2011, 05:43 PM

Hey, hey, hey now, don't kid yourself. I got to thinking with this fabulous Obama care heading our way this will happen on regular basis here in America very soon if it is not repealed and we won't even need to be trapped at the polar cap for this to happen

seclark · 05-22-2011, 06:05 PM

i know a surgeon that did his own vasectomy.
sec

mikey23545 · 05-22-2011, 06:07 PM

MIAdragon · 05-22-2011, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey23545

ya dude, just put a bullet in me.

milkman · 05-22-2011, 06:12 PM

Pussy couldn't get on a plane just cause of a little snow?

crispystl · 05-22-2011, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIAdragon

ya dude, just put a bullet in me.

No shit!

**Rain Man** · 05-22-2011, 08:32 PM

The tricky part is that your appendix is on the other side in the southern hemisphere.

Groves · 05-22-2011, 09:35 PM

MOHillbilly could do this blindfolded.

**SAUTO** · 05-22-2011, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groves

MOHillbilly could do this blindfolded.

One handed with only his bare hands.
Posted via Mobile Device

Groves · 05-22-2011, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

One handed with only his bare hands.
Posted via Mobile Device

Only takes one hand to smoke a cig. I think he'd use a knife though. Be serious.

**RealSNR** · 05-22-2011, 10:31 PM

That's nothing. Did he return a week later and beat the Rams on the road?

**SAUTO** · 05-22-2011, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groves

Only takes one hand to smoke a cig. I think he'd use a knife though. Be serious.

i was. knives are for pussies. maybe a sharp rock though...

Dayze · 05-23-2011, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

The tricky part is that your appendix is on the other side in the southern hemisphere.

05-22-2011, 05:24 PM
mikey23545 MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10015321	A Soviet Surgeon Has to Remove His Own Appendix The Atlantic Home Sunday, May 22, 2011 Antarctica, 1961: A Soviet Surgeon Has to Remove His Own Appendix By Alexis Madrigal If you think House and the guy who James Franco played in 127 Hours are tough, you haven't heard of Leonid Rogozov. In 1961, Rogozov was stationed at a newly constructed Russian base in Antarctica. The 12 men inside were cut off from the outside world by the polar winter by March of that year. In April, the 27-year-old Rogozov began to feel ill, very ill. His symptoms were classic: he had acute appendicitis. "He knew that if he was to survive he had to undergo an operation," the British Medical Journal recounted. "But he was in the frontier conditions of a newly founded Antarctic colony on the brink of the polar night. Transportation was impossible. Flying was out of the question, because of the snowstorms. And there was one further problem: he was the only physician on the base." There was no question that he'd have to operate. The pain was intolerable and he knew he was getting worse. He recorded his thoughts in his journal: "I did not sleep at all last night. It hurts like the devil! A snowstorm whipping through my soul, wailing like a hundred jackals. Still no obvious symptoms that perforation is imminent, but an oppressive feeling of foreboding hangs over me ... This is it ... I have to think through the only possible way out: to operate on myself ... It's almost impossible ... but I can't just fold my arms and give up." Operating mostly by feeling around, Rogozov worked for an hour and 45 minutes, cutting himself open and removing the appendix. The men he'd chosen as assistants watched as the "calm and focused" doctor completed the operation, resting every five minutes for a few seconds as he battled vertigo and weakness. He recalled the operation in a journal entry: "I worked without gloves. It was hard to see. The mirror helps, but it also hinders -- after all, it's showing things backwards. I work mainly by touch. The bleeding is quite heavy, but I take my time -- I try to work surely. Opening the peritoneum, I injured the blind gut and had to sew it up. Suddenly it flashed through my mind: there are more injuries here and I didn't notice them ... I grow weaker and weaker, my head starts to spin. Every 4-5 minutes I rest for 20-25 seconds. Finally, here it is, the cursed appendage! With horror I notice the dark stain at its base. That means just a day longer and it would have burst and ... At the worst moment of removing the appendix I flagged: my heart seized up and noticeably slowed; my hands felt like rubber. Well, I thought, it's going to end badly. And all that was left was removing the appendix ... And then I realised that, basically, I was already saved." Two weeks later, he was back on regular duty. He died at the age of 66 in St. Petersburg in 2000. http://www.theatlantic.com/technolog...ppendix/72445/ Just a little reminder that humans can complete some pretty amazing physical feats when their lives hang in the balance.
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05-22-2011, 05:32 PM	#2
ChiefaRoo MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Austin,TX Casino cash: $5017505	First in with "In Soviet Russia Appendix removes YOU!"
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05-22-2011, 06:05 PM	#4
seclark MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: nemo Casino cash: $1209900	i know a surgeon that did his own vasectomy. sec __________________ "Mr. seclark. Wrong for gravy, wrong for jelly, wrong for biscuits." -rj "If every Planeteer who was disliked by another Planeteer stopped being a Planeteer we wouldn't have any Planeteers." -rj
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05-22-2011, 06:07 PM	#5
mikey23545 MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10015321
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05-22-2011, 06:12 PM	#7
milkman Dumbass! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Leading the Marty bashing Casino cash: $10029395	Pussy couldn't get on a plane just cause of a little snow? __________________
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05-22-2011, 08:32 PM	#9
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $2838491 VARSITY	The tricky part is that your appendix is on the other side in the southern hemisphere. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
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05-22-2011, 09:35 PM	#10
Groves Turning the Corner Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Springfield, Missouri Casino cash: $1958541	MOHillbilly could do this blindfolded.
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