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This is a thread about diseases, medicines, treatments, medical insurances, hospital policies, and everything else interesting about human body here.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is NOT a place for medical diagnosis and advice. For those, please consult certified medical professionals of appropriate fields.

Edited by dRoy on Feb 20th 2020 at 2:33:51 AM

Yuanchosaan antic disposition from Australia Since: Jan, 2010
antic disposition
#251: Jan 16th 2013 at 12:22:21 PM

If it's a titchy little blade like a rapier, your character will have a better chance of survival. Miraculously it fails to hit any internal organs, your character has had their tetanus vaccines and has recently been sterilised, and all the firebombing has rendered the area a sterile plane of glass. Also there is an experienced, well-equipped general surgeon sitting nearby. Then your character will have a chance.

So in conclusion, our combined medical opinion is that your character is screwed. tongue Though I have been told that the stool from bleeding in the stomach is quite distinctive and may furnish a lucky medical student with a good specimen.

"Doctor Who means never having to say you're kidding." - Bocaj
joeyjojo Happy New Year! from South Sydney: go the bunnies! Since: Jan, 2001
Happy New Year!
#252: Jan 16th 2013 at 2:13:00 PM

[*]Plays Taps on a bugle*

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Pyrite Until further notice from Right. Beneath. You. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Hiding
Until further notice
#253: Jan 16th 2013 at 5:05:59 PM

[up][up]Caveat: this is assuming that the surgeon has, miraculously, not been turned into a fine red mist from the bombing.

Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#254: Jan 16th 2013 at 5:55:03 PM

[up] There is no treatment for that, is there? tongue

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
Tehpillowstar Giant alien spiders are no joke. from the remains of the Galactic Federation fleet Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Giant alien spiders are no joke.
#255: Jan 16th 2013 at 7:07:33 PM

First of all, thanks for answering my question. smile It's really helpful for me and all.

I'll try adding more detail to my previous post to help you:

The victim is a 6'7" tall, slightly underweight, healthy male approximately 23 years old. He has not properly eaten in roughly 3 days although he is not dehydrated. He is wearing several layers of clothing, which are dry.

He has sustained a puncture wound with an entry and exit point with a sword (It's a rapier. Sure, why not?) around the middle of the abdomen, but there is no spinal cord injury. The weapon is still inside his body and has not been moved since the injury has been inflicted. He is tired and has been fighting for a while.

The environment is very cold, with a thick, knee-high layer of fresh snow on the ground. The most immediate danger (besides the victim's assailant) is the numerous planes flying, dropping incendiary bombs. However, a certain ability of Luck has made it unlikely that the incendiaries would be a major danger. The biggest problem would be getting an ambulance, since the only person with extensive medical training...is the victim.*

The Luck spell was cast just moments before the victim was stabbed. It's nature generally causes subtle changes in the world: Random number generators suddenly have patterns, frozen turkeys fall from the sky, an injury that could be fatal isn't because someone stumbled at the right time, etc, etc, you get the idea.

The setting takes place 80 years in the future, which obviously has more advanced technology than we do, such as sugery conducted by robots with lazers, guided by surgeons, and "printers" that can grow entire organs such as hearts, lungs and eyes*

. (They have a cure for AIDS) There's also healing magic that can help fight off infections, speed the healing process, and slow down the growth of cancerous tumors and other cool stuff.

Plot Armor is in full effect, but if there is no realistic way this scenario can end well, can you at least suggest a better alternative. Please don't tell me, "He dies. The end."

(Hopy shit that's a long post.)

"Life is eternal; and love is immortal; and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight." - R. W. Raymond
joeyjojo Happy New Year! from South Sydney: go the bunnies! Since: Jan, 2001
Happy New Year!
#256: Jan 16th 2013 at 7:45:06 PM

Well since this place in the future where they have not only have advanced medicine but magic, all bets are off so to speak. What's going to matter is if he can get to medical attention within the 'golden hour' or not.

edited 16th Jan '13 7:48:01 PM by joeyjojo

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Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#257: Jan 16th 2013 at 7:50:01 PM

Ok, a rapier is a fairly narrow blade, as swords go, so the wound will be relatively small, for a sword thrust. That's more good than bad. No spinal cord trauma is good. Middle of the abdomen and all the way through is still bad. Empty guts but not dehydrated is on the good side of the spectrum. No other skilled medical care easily available is still bad.

Healing magic that can prevent of reduce infection is way over on the good end of the spectrum.

I'd say his chances are better, but he's still going to have to be very lucky in a non-magical way to survive it.

I'd say the best way to handle it if he has to survive is to invoke the luck magic and have the guy who speared him stumble and have the thrust go though through high and to the left side (where the green circle is), rather than through the center of the abdomen (where the red one is).

edited 16th Jan '13 7:56:07 PM by Madrugada

Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#258: Jan 16th 2013 at 11:29:24 PM

@Blue Ninja: Considering what our stomach does to proteins of almost any description (doesn't forget: potassium and sodium chlorides don't need help to denature anything protein-like to the point enzymes can get to work), I honestly think it's a non-issue. Doesn't matter what form the amino acids came from.

Granted, some keratins are a bitch to digest, but, hey... <shrugs> I doubt anything used as genetic material would be in that boat. smile

edited 16th Jan '13 11:31:28 PM by Euodiachloris

Pyrite Until further notice from Right. Beneath. You. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Hiding
Until further notice
#259: Jan 17th 2013 at 12:26:46 AM

Oh hey, they have Wi-Fi in the mountains! Anyway:

Euo, Blue: That's a little tricky. Stomach acids aren't that good in breaking the aminoacyl bonds on their own, and denaturation is only the most basic step. Since the chirality of amino acids is dependent on the individual molecules and will affect the 3D configuration of the protein, your enzymes may not work so well.

I'd lean more towards the sci-fi book's version rather than the Mass Effect (which never fails to remind me of neurosurgery) one, but it's been a while since basic Biochemistry.

Pillow: Ah, magic. Maddie's more or less summed it up, and like joey said, the main thing is getting to medical care in time. So fudge the details: small blade to the side, hitting mainly omentum, and avoiding major vessels or organs. The conditions you've mentioned should slow the onset of peritonitis, but leave the blade in since it might cause more damage on the way out.

edited 17th Jan '13 12:39:51 AM by Pyrite

Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.
Tehpillowstar Giant alien spiders are no joke. from the remains of the Galactic Federation fleet Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Giant alien spiders are no joke.
#260: Jan 17th 2013 at 6:43:58 PM

Hm, I see. Thanks for explaining me this.

Just a question: If there was a medically trained personnel onsite change, could I get away with the sword-to-the-middle instead of sword-to-the-side?

It's not that your suggestions are great—they are! I just wondered if it were possible.

"Life is eternal; and love is immortal; and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight." - R. W. Raymond
Pyrite Until further notice from Right. Beneath. You. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Hiding
Until further notice
#261: Jan 18th 2013 at 12:49:56 AM

I'd think it's still possible to stabilise the victim long enough to get to proper medical care, with enough luck, but you might not be able to do anything on-site unless the available magic is an acceptable substitute for a fully-stocked operating theatre.

edited 18th Jan '13 12:53:10 AM by Pyrite

Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.
LoniJay from Australia Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
#262: Jan 18th 2013 at 1:43:00 AM

Here's a question from my little sister - if somebody showed up at a hospital badly hurt, looking as if they've been attacked, would the hospital call the police?

Be not afraid...
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#263: Jan 18th 2013 at 2:33:07 AM

I would guess yes. Aren't hospitals in many countries required to report such things?

A question of mine: When I was younger I used to read books while sitting down on my legs (don't know if there is a more precise term for that). One of my schoomates said they could not do that. What's up with that?

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#264: Jan 18th 2013 at 2:46:37 AM

[up]Uh... do you mean kneeling? Crossed-legs? Semi-kneeling, but with the weight to the side and on the floor? Leaning on the wall, but still kneeling? What's weird about any of those? <honestly confused> It's just a case of practice... And, hey: floors can be more comfortable than some beds/ chairs (the odd designer should have their draught pens removed for crimes against the lumbar region). [lol]

[up][up]I'd agree with [up], though: hospitals in most countries do have to report injuries that correspond to a crime, if they find confirmation. It's just... some are better at identifying and reporting problems than others. tongue

edited 18th Jan '13 2:48:32 AM by Euodiachloris

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#265: Jan 18th 2013 at 2:55:53 AM

Semi-kneeling, I think. Not with crossed legs, certainly. Resting only on the toes.

edited 18th Jan '13 2:56:24 AM by SeptimusHeap

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Pyrite Until further notice from Right. Beneath. You. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Hiding
Until further notice
#266: Jan 18th 2013 at 3:55:55 AM

Short answers:

  • Loni: Most likely.
  • Septimus: Sounds like squatting on your toes. Whatever the case, it seems to be a matter of balance and practice.

Not a substitute for a formal medical consultation.
joeyjojo Happy New Year! from South Sydney: go the bunnies! Since: Jan, 2001
Happy New Year!
#267: Jan 18th 2013 at 5:33:24 AM

Yeah it's basically they should, but if they actually would or not depends of circumstances.

edited 18th Jan '13 6:30:43 AM by joeyjojo

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LongLiveHumour Since: Feb, 2010
#268: Jan 23rd 2013 at 6:43:24 AM

@Septimus: I can squat on my toes, but I've been banned from doing so due to sudden and unexpected bunions. Ech. A book I read recently mentioned that people in India squat properly (heels flat on the ground) unlike Europeans, who can only squat on their toes. According to Wikipedia this is because the Achilles tendon is longer in cultures that squat than in cultures that don't.

This thread is brilliant.

joeyjojo Happy New Year! from South Sydney: go the bunnies! Since: Jan, 2001
Happy New Year!
#269: Jan 24th 2013 at 2:27:10 AM

That's so sweet that you belived themsmile

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Yuanchosaan antic disposition from Australia Since: Jan, 2010
antic disposition
#270: Jan 24th 2013 at 2:36:37 AM

^^My agéd grandmother can squat for hours on end properly. Actually, I was surprised to find that squatting is uncommon in Western countries, while it's common throughout most of Asia.

"Doctor Who means never having to say you're kidding." - Bocaj
joeyjojo Happy New Year! from South Sydney: go the bunnies! Since: Jan, 2001
Happy New Year!
#271: Jan 24th 2013 at 3:05:31 AM

First I heard of it. I squat all the time.

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Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#272: Jan 24th 2013 at 7:54:51 AM

I doubt that it's genetic. More likely, it's learned. Doing something physical from an early age trains the muscles needed to do it easily. Look at the way most small children will squat to look at something on the ground: they're most likely flat-footed, no matter where they were born or what ethnicity they are. Do a Google Image Search on "toddler squatting" to see what I mean.

QuestionMarc Since: Oct, 2011 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#273: Jan 24th 2013 at 10:53:36 AM

I've had eczema for a while on my hands, and tried to ignore it, but my skin just started cracking on some of my knuckles joints. What the hell is going on and anyone can suggest something to fix it?

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#274: Jan 24th 2013 at 10:57:48 AM

That looks like a case for a professional doctor.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#275: Jan 30th 2013 at 8:46:48 PM

This gif is one of those things that reminds me how resilient human body can be; that man is still jumping and kicking.

Oh, and in my psychology class, I learned about Phineas Gage. I already heard about him in this Cracked article, but there was one new fact I learned. A horrifying fact.

All the way until the end of the surgery, he was still conscious.

Holy fuck, that must have been just awful.

By the way, is there any health hazard in drinking too much water? Is overhydration a thing?

edited 30th Jan '13 9:21:22 PM by dRoy

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.

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