Life-Saving Surgery

A young woman with purple hair styled into a punk rocker Mohawk and sporting a variety of tattoos, arrived in the A&E department.

It was quickly determined that the patient had acute appendicitis, so she was scheduled for immediate surgery.

When she was on the operating table, the staff noticed that her pubic hair had been dyed green, and above it was a tattoo that read, ‘Keep off the grass’.

Once the surgery was completed, the surgeon wrote a short note on the patient’s dressing, which said, ‘Sorry, had to mow the lawn’.

On a more serious note…

The Brain Doctors is scheduled for tomorrow night. This is a fascinating, no-holds barred glimpse into the world of neurosurgery.

SUPERDOCS  Monday  2 Feb  BBC1 NI @ 9pm

Matters of the Heart

If you’re into real-life medical documentaries, then Superdocs is for you. This new 3-part series features some of Northern Ireland’s leading surgeons and the dramatic stories of the patients in their care. The series follows the patients and their loved ones as they prepare themselves for their surgery, learning of their hopes and fears before their operations; witnessing the drama in the operating theatre; and meeting up with them after their operations to see how their lives have changed.

Earlier tonight, I watched the first programme in the series and was on the edge of my seat throughout. The focus was on cardiac surgery – Matters of the Heart – where viewers got an insight into the intricacies of a triple coronary artery bypass operation and also two further aortic valve replacement operations. It made for compelling viewing.

Next week’s programme – The Brain Doctors – will feature neurosurgery while the final programme – Quality of Life – follows the work of a plastic surgeon and a breast surgeon. Don’t miss it!

SUPERDOCS  Mondays  9pm  BBC 1  NI