This morning I had a surgical procedure to fix an inguinal hernia. This afternoon I am sitting at home writing this post. While not quite “waving a tricorder” this is a massive testament to medical progress. Also right up front: thanks to everyone at Weill Cornell Medical Center for being not just incredibly professional but also super friendly. And thanks to Gigi Danziger for being there from start to finish!
As it turns out I can judge how much progress this represents from personal experience. Growing up in Germany, I wound up having two such hernias as a child (one on the left and one on the right). The operations were done with large open incisions. No mesh was inserted which made the repair work more difficult resulting in more scarring. Worst of all though the general anesthesia used ether. Instead of gently slipping into unconsciousness this feels like a violent attack with strong visual, auditory and olfactory effects. When you wake up you feel completely nauseous and I remember throwing up both times. On the plus side, the repairs lasted quite a long time.
About 15 years ago, I had a recurrence on the left side. This time the operation was here at NYU Langone medical center. The anesthesia was much more advanced already. But the surgery was still done “open,” meaning with a large incision. A mesh was inserted for durability. This already felt like significant progress, but wounds in the skin are never great (the skin is our largest organ and is a miraculous protector of our bodies).
Then there is today’s surgery. First, the precise location of the tear was identified using imaging. Second, the surgery was done via laparoscopy using a surgical robot. The combination kept the procedure short and the incisions minimal. I have only three of them and they are so small that they don’t have stitches but instead are glued together! The recovery right now is estimated to be only four weeks during which I can already do a lot, just not work out hard. Obviously, things could still go wrong, such as getting an infection. Still this felt nearly magical.
I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to access such a procedure. One clear goal for an advanced society should be to make this level of medical care available to everyone. With technological progress we can. This is one of the points for a Star Trek Vision for the US. LFG!
PS Sorry to everyone whose meetings I had to cancel. Despite feeling so surprisingly well right now, I want to take it easy for the next few days.
Image credit: ChristianaCare.
