This past week was interesting, for several reasons. Firstly, I saw my second jaw reconstruction. Much like last week's case, the patient was getting a fibullar flap transferred to his jaw. Unlike last week, the reason for this replacement was due to the failure of a graft he had received one year ago. The graft had died, which meant they were now trying for a fibullar flap. This jaw reconstruction was also more extensive, needing two pieces of bone from the fibula, shaped and oriented in such a way as would match his jaw. What I also found interesting was the presence of a sales rep in the OR, representing a new device that Dr. Spector was trying. It was a insertable Doppler after the blood vessels had been anastomosed together, to determine if blood flowed through the newly joined vessel. Although the device did not actually work (and Dr. Spector was disappointed), the presence of the sales rep was important so that Dr. Spector could be sure of protocols and use of the device during surgery. I also had a nice conversation with the OR nurses, and they were giving me plenty of suggestions of things to invent to make their lives easier (of course they said to remember them when I made millions off these ideas)
On a different note, my research project is finally getting off the ground. I have the tissue device here, and I am ready to start testing the mechanical properties of different tissue. Now if I can only get the last step of the IRB finished...having doctors sign some forms! Well, meetings have been set up for next week, so hopefully everything will be cleared and ready to go!
Looking forward to next week, and seeing what kind of data I can get!
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