Patients who slip through the cracks

As my surgery rotation commenced, I fully expected to be immersed in the unfamiliar territory of “scrubbing in” and “sterile fields.” While I discovered the difference between vertical and horizontal mattress sutures, two specific patients I encountered on this rotation opened my eyes to issues beyond the operating room (OR).

After scrubbing out of a four-hour surgery, my attending requested I begin a consult in the emergency department for a possible …

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