- What is the surgical origin of the ubiquitous ‘Barber’s pole’?
The Barber’s pole represents the bloody bandages of the ‘barber-surgeon’ of yesteryear. That’s right, barbers used to perform surgical procedures such as blood letting.
2. What surgical instrument shares its name with an annoying summer evening pest?
A mosquito!
3. On September 7, 2001, a relatively simple surgery, a cholecystectomy was performed on a 68 year-old woman in Strasbourg. This particular lap chole is named the Lindbergh operation. Why is it so famous?
The Lindbergh operation is well known because it was the first surgery done transatlantically. The patient was in France and operated on by surgeons in the United States!
4. This surgical instrument shares its name with this common tuna salad ingredient. What is it used for?
Mayo scissors are used to cut.
5. Scrubs are now often blue or green but they were actually white, back in the day. Why the switch?
White scrubs + bright lights = really hard on the eyes.
6. Instead of millimetres or inches, surgeons sometimes size things in ‘French’. How large is a ‘French’?
A ‘French’ is a measure in millimetres of circumference. For example, a dilator that is about 1cm in diameter would be around 30French.
7.Ross. Glenn. Fontan. Which type of surgeon would perform these procedures?
Cardiopulm bypass machine
Ross, Glenn and Fontan are all procedures for congenital heart defects. You’ll have to call a paediatric cardiac surgeon.