surgery Archives - Arthur M. Lauretano, MD, MS, FACS

This is the Reason Surgeons are Getting Mad as a Hatter

February 6, 2017 by Arthur Lauretano, MD 2 Comments

“Mad as a hatter.”

The term actually comes from the toxicity hat makers would develop from exposure to mercury fumes in the 1800s. So, what does this have to do with surgery? Recently Liz Kowalczyk’s “No More Surgical Caps for Surgeons?” September 1, 2016, Boston Globe discussed the anger some surgeons have had over new hospital policies regarding surgical caps worn in the operating room.

For years, most surgeons have worn a surgical cap that sits above the ears. Most are disposable, but some are custom made or personalized cloth caps. I have a Spiderman cap and a cap with musical notes all over it. The concern more recently has been the amount of hair left uncovered, and the potential risk of infection from this hair.

This Is The Reason I Honor Our First Responders

September 11, 2016 by Arthur Lauretano, MD Leave a Comment

I awakened from a dream this morning, 9-11-16, and my first thought was the first responders. Let me back up for a moment to tell you about my dream.

I was in the operating room, removing a large tumor from a patient’s face, carefully dissecting and preserving the nerve that moves the patient’s facial muscles. There were all the typical bizarre dream elements: the room in which I was operating looked more like a cafeteria, with at least ten patients having surgery at the same time. One of my associates, also a head and neck surgeon, was operating on someone’s stomach. In the middle of this dream surgery, the junior resident assisting me decided to remove his glove and feel the tumor, contaminating the entire surgical field.

Do the Right Thing — With or Without Acknowledgment

July 2, 2016 by Arthur Lauretano, MD Leave a Comment

The NFL Quarterback Is a Hero Off the Football Field

Two days ago, I was on call. At 2:00AM, I received a page for an emergency. A child was bleeding abnormally about five days after someone in our call group had performed a tonsillectomy, and that child needed to be rushed back to the operating room. I had to be there as soon as possible.