03/06/2020
Covid -19 -A Surgeon’s Perspective
Monday,
25th may 2020,
3:00 AM.
The shrill ringtone of my phone je**ed me out of my slumber.My junior resident(JR) was calling from the emergency room(ER).
”Sir! A 25 year old homeless male has come with pain in abdomen.X-ray shows gas under diaphragm.”This is a surgical emergency which would require urgent exploration in the operating room(OR).Without waiting for her to finish I rushed to the ER.Quickly donning my PPE I examined the patient.Upon further enquiry,it was revealed that he had been brought by another homeless person.He had already been refused by other hospitals as COVID status was not available and the patient needed emergency surgery.Patient started deteriorating vitally so we tried to stabilise him first.Within the next thirty minutes,his blood investigations and most importantly his swab for COVID-19 was taken.I glanced at my watch.4:00am.COVID testing at this odd hour would be a Herculean task.So my JR ran all the way to COVID-19 rt-PCR lab which is nowhere in the vicinity of the ER,wearing a PPE,carrying a large ice box in her hand to maintain the cold chain.But it takes minimum 6 hours for the swab test results.The patient was rapidly deteriorating so we decided to open him up without waiting for COVID status.Patient was shifted to the OR and as COVID status was not known,all of us-a team of four surgeons-wore PPEs.Patient had been symptomatic for a long duration and intraoperatively multiple intestinal perforations were seen which was further complicated by multiple dense adhesions.With bated breath we proceeded and once the last skin suture was taken I looked up at the clock.The surgery had lasted for 5-6 hrs.I appraised the rest of my team.The same exhaustion writ on all our faces.We were all drenched in sweat owing to the PPEs.My colleague collapsed in his chair,but I could feel his lips turn into a smile,sense the satisfaction in his eyes.Then I turned to my JRs,both of whom were beaming with pride.We had been working in the wards since the last 36hours,but this moment more than made up for all of it.This feeling of having saved someone’s life,while risking your own,is unparalleled.
The completeness of the triumph that is attained on being able to save atleast one life amidst this chaos,is inimitable.
And now I understood why it’s called the noble profession.
- A proud surgeon
Edited by- Dr Shalmali Dharmadhikari
