Basic Orthopaedic Sciences: The Stanmore Guide

Abstract

Lesson 7: 'Never allow a patient near an interventional radiologist on a Friday afternoon, at night or during a weekend'; Lesson 14: 'Never begin a comment at the Matrix Conference with 'In my experience'<...>'; Lesson 17: 'The least essential operating room supplies are always overstocked'; Lesson 23: 'If the scrub nurse mumbles during the sponge [sic] count, get a film'; Lesson 37: 'If the nurses like you, you are not doing your job'; and Lesson 65: 'Never refer to a patient as an organ or an operation'.Perhaps one of the most appropriate lessons, however, is lesson 98: 'Beware the a.m.admit'.The author describes the admission of a patient on the day of surgery as financial brilliance but educational stupidity.He argues strongly for 'day before surgery' admission.This allows the patient to become familiar with the surroundings and staff and allows the surgical team to review the history, examine the patient and correlate this interview and examination with the operative findings of the following morning.The author describes it as allowing the perfect synthesis of observation, examination and correlation.This is a beautifully written labour of love by an experienced surgeon and educator, full of good practical advice based on years of experience in the emergency room, the ward and the operating theatre.Although written very much for the American market, almost all of it applies anywhere in the world.I think this book should be compulsory reading for every surgical trainee and indeed for anyone who attends a mortality and morbidity meeting.It is a veritable gem -a pearl indeed.