So we finally heard back on if I'll be able to observe Dr. Butzen's surgeries, and it's not looking too good. There are A LOT of legal things to get taken care of, and it will likely be early June before everything gets sorted out. So technically I'll be able to watch surgeries, except I can't because my internship ends next week.
Fun test of the day: Flexor Digitorum Superficialis Test
Not everyone has this flexor muscle, most vary in the pinky. It doesn't really matter, but it's still pretty neat to be able to test. To test this, straighten all your fingers and immobilize the ones you aren't testing. Now test if you can bend the finger towards your palm bending ONLY at the middle joint, also called the PIJ or PIP joint (Proximal Interphalangeal Joint). If you can't bend it, like me, you lack a flexor digitorum superficialis.
Here's a video if you want a visual reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IlfWZqo-Mk
Normal day in the clinic, here's what I saw:
-Scapholunate (wrist bone) fracture reconstruction post-op
-Middle finger fracture follow-up
-3 Rotator cuff repair post-ops and 1 pre-op
-Major wrist hardware removal post-op, again (third time I've seen this patient, not normal)
-Post-ops for a wrist scaphoid repair, double carpal tunnel release and frozen shoulder
-Unknown paralysis on left side, shoulder must be aspirated to drain fluid
~This patient was sent off for a neurological consult because of the paralysis and hyperflexia. Hyperflexia is when you barely test the reflex reaction and the area boldly responds, also with surrounding joints. Even though this may seem like a small thing, it means something is seriously wrong in the spinal column or brain.
-Forearm surgery follow-up, carpal tunnel diagnosis and pre-op
-Benign bump on hand
-Elbow pain diagnosis, elbow dislocation follow-up, and elbow bone spurs removal pre-op
-Shoulder replacement and ankle ligament fixation pre-op
-Little 6yr. old boy with forearm buckle fracture cast removal
-Crushed finger reconstruction post-op (pictured below)
Fun test of the day: Flexor Digitorum Superficialis Test
Not everyone has this flexor muscle, most vary in the pinky. It doesn't really matter, but it's still pretty neat to be able to test. To test this, straighten all your fingers and immobilize the ones you aren't testing. Now test if you can bend the finger towards your palm bending ONLY at the middle joint, also called the PIJ or PIP joint (Proximal Interphalangeal Joint). If you can't bend it, like me, you lack a flexor digitorum superficialis.
Here's a video if you want a visual reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IlfWZqo-Mk
Normal day in the clinic, here's what I saw:
-Scapholunate (wrist bone) fracture reconstruction post-op
-Middle finger fracture follow-up
-3 Rotator cuff repair post-ops and 1 pre-op
-Major wrist hardware removal post-op, again (third time I've seen this patient, not normal)
-Post-ops for a wrist scaphoid repair, double carpal tunnel release and frozen shoulder
-Unknown paralysis on left side, shoulder must be aspirated to drain fluid
~This patient was sent off for a neurological consult because of the paralysis and hyperflexia. Hyperflexia is when you barely test the reflex reaction and the area boldly responds, also with surrounding joints. Even though this may seem like a small thing, it means something is seriously wrong in the spinal column or brain.
-Forearm surgery follow-up, carpal tunnel diagnosis and pre-op
-Benign bump on hand
-Elbow pain diagnosis, elbow dislocation follow-up, and elbow bone spurs removal pre-op
-Shoulder replacement and ankle ligament fixation pre-op
-Little 6yr. old boy with forearm buckle fracture cast removal
-Crushed finger reconstruction post-op (pictured below)
Also met a patient who measures weight in coffee cups. "I can hold about 3/4 of a cup." "It feels like 5 cups of coffee is balancing on my shoulder."
This unit of measurement works just fine, the real question is how big the cup of coffee is. 8oz? 16? 24?
This unit of measurement works just fine, the real question is how big the cup of coffee is. 8oz? 16? 24?