[tania<3]

I had a look around but don't think anyone's made a thread on this yet...

It's a series on what goes on in Great Ormond Street Hospital, and its currently in it's second series. I only just started watching it and it's pretty good, but so so sad I find it really fascinating though - makes me really want to one day go into paeds (if I get the grades for medschool that is lol)

Here's the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s107r

[Quiet _One86]

Having been treated there and the scars to say how grateful I am of the staff and the surgical team that helped me get better under one between '86/87 when technology was limited to know where it's advanced so much. I think how lucky I am and to the children that are still lucky. I had pancreatitis from birth.


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[tania<3]

(Original post by Quiet _One86)
Having been treated there and the scars to say how grateful I am of the staff and the surgical team that helped me get better under one between '86/87 when technology was limited to know where it's advanced so much. I think how lucky I am and to the children that are still lucky. I had pancreatitis from birth.


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Oh wow! They do say its one of the best though - would be with good reason. They have some amazing doctors/surgeons there, and just from looking at this show, you can really see what a difference it has made to the lives of many children

[Quiet _One86]

Sorry for my sob story but I am so thankful although the scars are just a memory token of survival that I am here now to tell the story - here's hoping that advancement continues and more lives can be saved - at least family members can have their own space to sleep and not like my mum who stayed in a chair next to my crib/bed as there wasn't the facility.


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[mike2niner4]

Really good programme!

I was wondering if someone could explain something to me about last week's show though...

Mr Curry (one of the surgeons) operated on the South American boy (I think he was called Sebastian) and the other old surgeon assisted him. He wore a mask and quite a large hat in theatre whereas Mr Curry didn't even wear a mask during the operation.... then the boy died from infection! I'm guessing there was a reason why he didn't wear a mask!?

[Helenia]

(Original post by mike2niner4)
Really good programme!

I was wondering if someone could explain something to me about last week's show though...

Mr Curry (one of the surgeons) operated on the South American boy (I think he was called Sebastian) and the other old surgeon assisted him. He wore a mask and quite a large hat in theatre whereas Mr Curry didn't even wear a mask during the operation.... then the boy died from infection! I'm guessing there was a reason why he didn't wear a mask!?

There is, perhaps surprisingly, very little evidence that wearing masks prevents operative site infections. They all get saturated with water vapour from your breath after about 20 minutes, and are then useless as a particle filter, not to mention being quite uncomfortable (my face always feels sticky and dirty after wearing one). So the main advantage of wearing them is actually that they protect you from flecks of blood/other stuff flying up and into your mouth/eyes, rather than protecting the patient. There are still a few surgeons (mostly older) who prefer not to use them.

[mike2niner4]

(Original post by Helenia)
There is, perhaps surprisingly, very little evidence that wearing masks prevents operative site infections. They all get saturated with water vapour from your breath after about 20 minutes, and are then useless as a particle filter, not to mention being quite uncomfortable (my face always feels sticky and dirty after wearing one). So the main advantage of wearing them is actually that they protect you from flecks of blood/other stuff flying up and into your mouth/eyes, rather than protecting the patient. There are still a few surgeons (mostly older) who prefer not to use them.

Ahh right, I thought they were a must! That probably explains why on my work experience one surgeon was really particular about me wearing a mask yet on another he didn't make me wear one ań I was even closer to the patient.

[Helenia]

(Original post by mike2niner4)
Ahh right, I thought they were a must! That probably explains why on my work experience one surgeon was really particular about me wearing a mask yet on another he didn't make me wear one ań I was even closer to the patient.

Yeah, quite a lot of it is down to the surgeon's preference. Orthopods and cardiac surgeons tend to be fussier about wearing them than general surgeons. In fact in some hospitals orthopaedic surgeons now use "space suits" which completely encase the head (with a built in air con unit!) like this:

[anoldbaby]

I wanna watch the first series but cant find it anywhere

[Orinincandenza]

"Do pulmonary veins respond to nitrous oxide? God, i should know this."

Really very interesting to see Doctors, especially consultants in situations like this.

[SilverArch]

I've watched all this series (and last as well) and they are so good. Very emotional watching some of the children, but very interesting as well, and feels much more realistic than some other programs. It's so so generous of the parents to allow us to see their children and their lives, when it was such a horrid time for them all. Sol (and Sebastian, and the baby)

I do sort of think that programs and news features in general do focus a lot on GOSH though, it's a brilliant place but there are other great centres in the country as well. But they don't seem to get a look in

[mike2niner4]

(Original post by Helenia)
Yeah, quite a lot of it is down to the surgeon's preference. Orthopods and cardiac surgeons tend to be fussier about wearing them than general surgeons. In fact in some hospitals orthopaedic surgeons now use "space suits" which completely encase the head (with a built in air con unit!) like this:

Wow, that's pretty scary looking!

After watching last nights episode I was just wondering if anyone could explain to me why heart transplants only last for ~15 years and not for a normal lifetime?

[digitalis]

(Original post by mike2niner4)
Wow, that's pretty scary looking!

After watching last nights episode I was just wondering if anyone could explain to me why heart transplants only last for ~15 years and not for a normal lifetime?

Lots of factors really. Probably the most important would be chronic rejection that happens over years where your body attacks the transplanted tissue. This stuff can't be stopped by immunosuppressive treatments.

Other factors can be an increased mechanical wear and tear and destruction of the joints where the surgeon sewed the heart in and increased risk of infection because of the immunosuppression that reduces your ability to fight off infections.

[canŵio]

i'm just starting volunteering at GOSH, it's amazing. and scary. i don't even know if i want to do medicine yet but it's one hell of an experience.
i'm enjoying this series - it is sad but there's so much happiness too, kids are so happy! wish i could watch some of the surgeries, they look really interesting.

[gozatron]

The little sum ups at the end of each episode are really heartbreaking.

[Sparkzz]

Its an amazing show. I really feel for the children though

[tania<3]

(Original post by gozatron)
The little sum ups at the end of each episode are really heartbreaking.

I second that. The very first episode I saw, I was not expecting them to say that one of the kids died i guess it is harsh reality though, because if it was shocking to see on tv, it must have been even worse for their families.

[beanstalkgirl_24]

This should be on BBC1, not BBC2. Excellent programme, very sad though.


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[Orinincandenza]

Most of the footage focusses on the consultants making decisions about the care of the children, so i was wondering if any current med students or doctors could explain what role Specialist registrars would play in these kind of situations ?

[Sparkzz]

(Original post by digitalis)
Lots of factors really. Probably the most important would be chronic rejection that happens over years where your body attacks the transplanted tissue. This stuff can't be stopped by immunosuppressive treatments.

Other factors can be an increased mechanical wear and tear and destruction of the joints where the surgeon sewed the heart in and increased risk of infection because of the immunosuppression that reduces your ability to fight off infections.

Would there be any stage where the transplanted tissue is not recognised as a transplant, so that it is not vulnerable to being attacked by the immune system?

Also, they stated in the last show that one of the boys who unfortunately died (Sol) had an hole in between the ventricles, and that they were inverted. I was wondering what effect would this have, would the ventricles contract downwards?