Day 5

This has been a very enjoyable week for me, but the most interesting has to be Theatres for the application of the Ilizarov frame, whether it was for trauma or elective treatment.














http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/18021.htm



Theatre has been the most interesting, I have seen trauma correction and elective surgery for the application of the Ilizarov Frame. Prior to the Ilizarov application following trauma, their has to be an ortho-external fixation (above). This allows the limb to recover from swelling and any other tissue disruption. Although this application could be left on instead of the frame, it is very unstable. When patients have this applied they are usually on bed rest, until the surgeon feels it is time to surgically correct the fracture.

Seeing post trauma patients was a little different for me due to the almost pain free state they seem to be in. When working in A/E I get to see the trauma patient in alot of distress, I have learnt to cope with this, and now seeing them relaxed is a quite unusual, but better.

Everyone who is involved with the care of the patient, before and after surgery are on hand during the ward round . I felt a little in the way, but I made sure I was able to here the discussion regarding the patient. At one point during the discusion of a patient who was about to be discharged, Mr R was asking questions about the patients frame and the how it would be made more comfortable for him to walk and weight bare on it. I jumped straight in with the answer before the Registrar and the Senior House Officer could answer, I appologised, but I was congratulated for the being correct. It seems now I am asked more questions than I care for, but this can only be benificial for the completion of my PBM.