Buzz
What comes to mind when you think of contemporary healthcare? Is it flawless doctors in spotless white coats, calmly explaining things to you while providing medications in a well-appointed clinic? While this is mostly true, as medical advancements have made many illnesses treatable this way, there's still a more unsettling side to the field.
We’re not suggesting that anyone is secretly tampering with your water or reusing human remains, but some medical practices that we continue to use today are shockingly outdated and disturbing by modern standards. But, if they get the job done, why stop using them?
10. Uterine Scraping
Obstetrics and gynecology are among the most intensive and sometimes grisly fields in medicine. Many women will, at some point, need to undergo a procedure known as 'curettage,' or the scraping of the uterus. This involves using a sharp instrument called a 'curette' to scrape the inner lining of the uterus. The collected tissue is then sent for examination to ensure there are no abnormalities, such as early-stage cancer, particularly if menstruation issues are present.
In some cases, this procedure is performed after a miscarriage to ensure that no tissue from the deceased baby remains. Though effective, it’s undeniably uncomfortable, leaving us to wonder why a less invasive alternative hasn't yet been developed.
9. Drilling a Hole in the Skull
One of the oldest medical practices still in use today is 'Burr Holing'—the act of drilling a hole through the skull. This procedure dates back to the time of Hippocrates and ancient Greece. While the basic concept remains unchanged, the motivations and techniques have evolved over the centuries.
In ancient Greece, the procedure was performed with the belief that headaches were caused by excessive 'water' in the head, leading to a disruption of the body’s functions. In contrast, modern patients undergoing this procedure usually have blood pooling beneath parts of their skull, often due to severe trauma or accidents. There are also more advanced variations of skull surgery, including cases where a large section of the skull is removed and stored for later use. Fortunately, unlike the primitive surgeries of old, this is now done with the patient under full anesthesia.
8. Skin and Flesh Incineration
During my medical school days, a rotation in the Department of Surgery often meant confronting blood, raw flesh, and the scent of burning tissue. While this may sound brutal, the practice of “cauterization” or “cautery” has significantly transformed modern surgical procedures.
Cauterization involves the process of searing a specific area of tissue. This is achieved through an electrical current passed through a handheld electrode, which can be activated by either a foot pedal or a button. In essence, it destroys microscopic protein layers, ensuring that blood vessels are sealed. It is an essential technique in surgeries where blood loss must be minimized. So, the next time you see a surgeon, remember to appreciate their ability to endure the unmistakable odor. Perhaps that’s why they wear those masks.
7. Inserting a Tube into the Brain
Many of us like to think of the brain as the most crucial and inviolable organ in the body. But how would you react if doctors told you they needed to insert a tube into the deepest parts of your brain?
No fancy technology, just a tube. It passes through your skull, making its way into the cavities within your brain.
Yes, this is still done today, particularly in cases where there is a dangerous buildup of pressure inside the skull (hydrocephalus). Of course, it's carried out with extreme precision and under highly controlled conditions. It's a lifesaving procedure, but the mere thought of having a tube shoved into your head would frighten most people to their core.
6. Inserting a Tube into Your Windpipe
What happens when we stop breathing? We rely on a machine to take over for us. However, despite the advances in noninvasive methods to aid respiration, the most effective technique remains the most basic and invasive. This method involves inserting a special plastic tube (or “endotracheal tube”) directly into the windpipe.
How do they insert it, doctor? Great question. To put it simply, they use a metal blade to pry open the patient’s mouth, while the doctor pushes the tube down into the windpipe. It's straightforward. Efficient. But undeniably terrifying.
This procedure, however, is considered one of the more “heroic” interventions in cases of cardiac arrest or critical illness. So the next time you watch an episode of ER or Code Black, keep an eye out for the tube. Chances are, it’s about to be jammed down someone's throat. Quickly.
5. The Decay of Radiation
Cancer continues to be one of the most challenging diseases to treat in modern medicine. Our knowledge of cancer is still in its infancy, and our treatments reflect this. Typically, cancer is tackled with a combination of chemotherapy (toxic substances injected into your bloodstream), surgery, or radiotherapy, or a mix of these methods.
Radiotherapy involves powerful radiation directed precisely at the cancerous area. Despite any fancy terminology companies use, it is essentially a beam that either destroys or decays the tissues. It’s essentially a death ray, though a highly focused and targeted one. It’s not a pretty process, nor is it without dangers—other organs could also be impacted if the procedure isn't executed properly. But fear not. We won't be seeing any mad scientists attaching these to sharks in their evil lairs anytime soon.
4. Exploring the Cavities
Advancements in medical imaging, such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, have revolutionized how we detect physical conditions. Yet, there are times when these technologies reveal nothing abnormal, even though patients continue to feel intense symptoms. In these cases, doctors often have a strong suspicion about the issue, but further confirmation may require procedures like tissue sampling or direct observation.
So what happens in these scenarios? The answer is exploratory surgery. Doctors sometimes perform this procedure to uncover the root cause of symptoms or illnesses. This technique is especially useful in urgent situations like gunshot wounds or accidents, where both diagnosis and treatment are necessary simultaneously.
3. Amputation
In the long history of managing severely infected and destroyed limbs, little has changed. Once the limb reaches the point of rotting, the only solution remains amputation, though there are still efforts to salvage toes, fingers, arms, and legs by restoring blood flow.
While we have mapped most of the important structures in the arms and legs, the act of removing a limb to save someone’s life still shocks us despite all the advancements in medicine. So, please, be careful with cuts and bruises, and if you’re diabetic, prioritize foot care and blood flow screening today.
2. Putting Dislocated Joints Back Into Place
Have you ever watched a show where a character falls and their leg snaps into an unnatural position, only to be snapped back into place right away? Believe it or not, this is something that happens in real life too, in the medical field.
Joints are held together by a complex system of ligaments and muscles, providing strong support. But when an accident occurs, joints can be forced out of alignment and even fracture. If there is no fracture, and the bones are just misaligned, the only option is often to realign the joint, usually before muscle tension sets in.
1. Knee Gouging
Beyond the famous Skyrim memes, the medical field has its share of intense and invasive procedures involving the knee. One of the most extreme is driving a large needle directly through the knee joint.
There are several variations of this, with the most severe being 'intraosseous cannulation.' This involves inserting a large-bore needle into the knee to administer medications directly into the bloodstream, using the rich network of blood vessels in the front part of the knee. However, this is seen as a last resort, typically used when traditional vein lines aren't viable for medication delivery.
