๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
(A case study in a resource-limited surgical setting in a low and middle income country) – POST 1
The surgeries are over.
The monitors are still beeping.
But the real decision is just beginning.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐
Two patients left the operating theatre at about the same time.
One is a young patient post-emergency laparotomy following bowel perforation. Unstable and likely to require ventilatory support.
The other is an elderly patient post-major abdominal surgery, with significant comorbidities and a high postoperative risk.
Both need ICU care.
Not elective. Not a luxury.
Critical.
There is only one bed.
โณ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Who gets the bed?
Do you prioritize:
โข Higher chance of survival?
โข Greater clinical instability?
โข Greater potential to benefit?
Or do you weigh age, comorbidities, and long-term prognosis, making decisions no one can guarantee?
Because in that moment,
๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ.
There is no algorithm.
Only judgmentโฆ and responsibility.
โ๏ธ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
โข ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, who gains the most?
โข ๐ต๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, who is at the greatest risk of harm?
โข ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐๐๐, what is fair?
Each option can be defended.
Each can be questioned.
๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ
What would you do?
๐๐จ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ!๐
The Operating Room Global (TORG)
๐โ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐ก๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐!
Learn More:
https://linktr.ee/operatingroomissues
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