New Zipper Club Member

[pellicle]

Since we're sharing, here's my zipper about 3 weeks post op.

myself I've found flickr and a linked image is more reliable

 

[Protimenow]

Hell, they tried to close mine with velcro. It worked fine, until I tried to stretch my arms apart. That's when they brought out the surgical duct tape.

 

[Mellyouttaphase]

Interesting. I thought my fresh cut was straight over my old scar circa '87 but upon closer inspection the incision was made down the right hand side of it.

 

[epstns]

Agian and Dick - No kidding about the Craftsman tools in the OR. One of my long-time buddies used to be an OR tech at Northwestern Memorial in Chicago (where I ended up having valve surgery), in the orthopedic specialty. He told me that almost all of the tools they used (screwdrivers, pliers, cutters, wrenches, etc.) were actually Sears Craftsman hand tools, specially sterilized for medical use. These tools were of higher quality than the over-priced medical specialty tools, and they could be steamed, boiled, soaked in alcohol or whatever other sterilization they wanted to use and the tools remained usable.

I have no idea if this is still the case, as his observation was over 40 years ago, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if it is.

P.S. Although I had a full sternotomy, my scar is only about 4 inches long. They must have stretched the skin quite a bit to do all that they needed to do (valve and bypass). I won't find out how long my new pacemaker scar is until the "unveiling" - whenever the tape strips fall off. The surgeon told me that they usually tell patients not to pull them off until a month post-op, which isn't for another 10 days. Getting a bit ratty, but still they remain tenaciously stuck in place.

 

[dick0236]

Agian and Dick - No kidding about the Craftsman tools in the OR. .

You got me to thinking Steve. My comment about the 10" Skil saw was "tongue in cheek" but after reading your post maybe they actually used some kind commercial rotary saw........after all, back in the 1960s there probably where not a lot of specialized surgical equipment for this new type of surgery.

 

[epstns]

You got me to thinking Steve. My comment about the 10" Skil saw was "tongue in cheek" but after reading your post maybe they actually used some kind commercial rotary saw........after all, back in the 1960s there probably where not a lot of specialized surgical equipment for this new type of surgery.

Yeah - and maybe that makes me a bit happier that the FDA approval process for any new equipment or procedure has become so rigorous. Especially so, as the older I get, the more doctors I seem to know.

 

[spartangator]

Welcome, CA kid. Glad it's going well so far. All the best with the continued recovery.