Photo credit: U.S. Air Force
In a feat of skill and bravery, a U.S. military trauma surgeon, Major John Beni, successfully removed live ammunition from the skull of an Afghan soldier.
The CT scan images are incredible, depicting the 14.5mm long live explosive round. More incredibly, the true nature of the metal object-- live ammunition ready to go off at any moment-- was not understood until the patient was already in the operating room, with the trauma surgeon and the anesthesiologist, Maj. Jeffrey Rengel, ready to operate, at Bagram Air Base Hospital in Afghanistan. They had thought it was a piece of shrapnel or a cartridge fragment, both commonly seen war injuries.
Once the true danger of the situation was understood, both surgeon and anesthesiologist put on body armor before proceeding, and a bomb disposal team was brought to the scene. When a member of the bomb squad and both doctors were ready, the relatively simple, 10 minute procedure to remove the ammunition was begun. Dr. Beni was quoted in The New York Times as stating he was given this advice: "Don't drop it."
True calm, bravery and skill. And in the best news, the 20 year old Afghan soldier is reportedly doing well: he has been discharged from the hospital, and despite "brain injuries from bone fragments...was able to walk, to talk and to eat on his own."
Source: The New York Times
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Kim Gamble
kmbearden
Spectrum Voice
Susie Lindau
Lauren B. Davis
racheld
Salon.com
Comments
Why did I laugh at that? Such good news for that soldier courtesy of talented medical pros!
-r-
You remind me of neighbor`Maxine Hong Kingston.
She will tell you the truth. Maxine's house burned up.
I always remember the date of the tragic home losses.
Her California Homee burned to ash on my birthday.
hi.
you.
heehaw.
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you kiss you know?
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dianaani: I know, truly unbelievable.
greenheron: I thought so too.
Linnnn: it's OK to laugh, sometimes I think you need to, to break the tension in a situation like that!
scanner: funny
Kathy: truly heroic, and I think for the most part, unsung.
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Don't let a bow tie fool you. He's tremendous.
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Ya can discuss PMS with the nice Secret Service.
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Maxine makes thee Kitchen Cabinet like Mom's.
You caan spill milk on the kitchen floor and lick.
None get murdered over fresh boo milk cookies.
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We meet all kinds of normal, and wonderful, people