I had helped one of our Ears Nose and Throat surgeons do a septo/turbinoplasty (that’s nose surgery) on a rather large and burly gentleman who happened to be a Vietnam Vet. We had taken all the normal safety precautions plus added another safety strap across his upper thighs due to his size. The case went rather routine. After the case we had a couple of extra folks in the room to help move this guy, thank goodness for that.
The anesthetist began waking the patient up and he starts thrashing about so several of us put our arms around him so he doesn’t hurt himself. The more awake he becomes, the more he thrashes about. By now, I’ve literally wrapped my arms around his chest and grabbed hold of the sides of the OR table to hold him down. Next thing I know, he sits nearly straight up breaking my grip on the sides of the table, pulls his arms free from the velcro arm board straps and has wrapped his arms around me. He continues to thrash and I’m getting suffocated and beaten up! A couple of the orderly’s attempt to pry his arms from around me. The sedative the anesthetist had given moments earlier starts to take effect. His grip on me lessens and he lays back down on the bed.
Appears that this gentleman, as he woke up, was flashing back to ‘Nam. He apologized later in Post-Anesthesia and I told him no problem and no need to apologize. I love my job!!
Thanks!
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