OR 2-11-13 & 2-13-13

Learning Report:

 

What were your responsibilities this week?
On the first day, me and my partner were able to see a laryngectomy. This procedure involves the removal of the larynx and separation of the airway from the mouth, nose and esophagus.  On the second day, me and my partner was given a tour of the OR, and the different rooms.
What new knowledge or skill did you learn this week?
I learned so much by seeing the surgery. I was very surprised on how the larynx, thyroid, and other parts looked like in real life. I also observed the surgeon suturing the neck, which is a skill. I also learned about the variety of equipment necessary for this procedure.
What was the best thing that happened at the unpaid work-based learning site this week?
The best part of the OR was definitely seeing the laryngectomy. I was surprised how precise the surgeon had to be when cutting the patients larynx. The surgeons and nurses were very nice and informative.
What was the worst thing that happened at the unpaid work-based learning site this week?
The worst part of the OR was not being able to see anything on the second day of the rotation. However, we did get an orientation and got to see many OR rooms.
This week was: Good
Although Monday was a slow day at the OR, I enjoyed this department very much. Seeing the surgery interested me and I was able to see how organs look like in real life. Even though a lot of blood was involved, I am very happy I got to see a surgery. The employees in the OR were funny and informative as well. They were able to answer all my questions regarding the surgery. 

This is fairly resembles the way the OR room was set up during the laryngectomy procedure.

Experience Record: 

Technology Observed: Carefusion, Vasopress - operation light, ESP - Cine, Pyxsis Medstation 3500, Nitrogen Control Panel, Pyxsis Anesthesia System 3500, ConMed:ASPEN Medical Systems, Bovie- electrical intrument used for compressing specific places of internal organs, Covidien-a different type of Bovie, it compresses and coagulates

Diagnostic Procedures Observed: Before this procedure began, blood tests, XRAYs and urine samples may have been done to figure out the patient's condition.

Therapeutic procedures Observed: In order to treat the patient, surgery was done to cut out the patient's larynx. For this reason, the patient's neck was cut open.

Diseases/disorders Observed: The patient suffered from colonitis.

Medical Terminology encountered: Laryngectomy is a medical term that means removal of the larynx. Suture is also a medical word, and it means to stitch. I also got to see the thyroid, which is one of the largest endocrine glands.It controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body is to other hormones.

Experience Journal: 

    When I first entered one of the OR rooms, I saw many equipment and a long white bed. On the second day there were no patients having a procedure done, so me and partner recieved a tour of the OR. Other professions who work in the OR are surgical technicians, surgeons, anesthesia technicians, and OR nurses. As a whole the OR performs invasive or non invasive procedures on patients to fix their problem. Some equipment I saw during the surgery was the Bovie. This electrical instrument is for compressing specific places on the internal organ. In this surgery, the surgeon used the Bovie on the larynx. Overall, technology was extensively used throughout the surgery. Without the high technology we have today in hospitals, the surgery for laryngectomy would have been very dangerous and painful.

    The employees in the OR are very informative and communicate well with each other. This is important because communication is key, especially when a surgeon and surgeon assistant are operating on one patient. They need to be able to hear the other person's views on what to cut, what to suture, and so forth. The surgeon and surgeon assistant also wore a splash mask and PPE to avoid getting blood on their clothes. Overall, the laryngectomy was very interesting. First, the surgeon make an incision on the neck on the patient, revealing the bottom of the palate, nerves, larynx, thyroid, and other parts. Then he used the Bovie instrument to slowly slice the larynx off. Multiple times during the surgery, the sureon technician had to use the suction to irrigate or get water out of the area. In the end, the surgeon sutured the larynx and later stitched the patient's neck back up.

    First of all, I learned a lot just by seeing this gruesome surgery.  I learned that the surgeon had to be very precise when using the Bovie and when suturing the larynx. I also saw how the neck  parts in that particular area looked like. New medical terminology I learned was when the surgeon showed me and partner the thyroid, nerve, some veins, and the larynx.

    Overall, my experience was very good. I found the laryngectomy to be very interesting. I also enjoyed working with the employees there because they were very informative and answered all my questions. They were occasionally funny, too. Personally and professionally, this will affect me if I ever want to study in the surgery-oriented part of the medical field. And educationally, this will benefit me if I am medical school and I have to operate on the human body.