CNN star performs brain surgery on US military ship

[Kadie]

CNN star performs brain surgery on US military ship

1 hr 19 mins ago

ON BOARD THE USS CARL VINSON (AFP) – Star CNN medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta, a practicing neurosurgeon, performed brain surgery on a 12-year-old Haitian girl Monday aboard a US military ship.

The girl, whose name was not released, was injured in last week's devastating earthquake, and was diagnosed as having a 1.2-cm (0.4-inch) chunk of concrete embedded in her skull.

The ship's surgeon called for a neurosurgeon, which are in short supply in the region amidst the mammoth and often chaotic rescue and recovery operation.

"With the help of a CNN producer, we called CNN in Atlanta who then patched us through to Doctor Gupta in Port-au-Prince," said the Vinson's Deputy Public Affairs Officer Erik Schneider.

"Someone got a hold of our international desk," 40-year-old Gupta later recalled. "They said there was an urgent call from the Carl Vinson. So I put a call in to them and there was something about a head injury."

Assisted by Los Angeles surgeon Henri Ford and the ship's surgeon Kathryn Berndt, Gupta pulled off the surgery between his multiple reports for the international news network on the massive quake that hit the Caribbean nation.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/haitiquakeusmilitarymedia

[FarPoint]

1. I am grateful for his service.

How many other neurosurgeons are there to volunteer?

[hlthe2b]

2. I give him kudos...

Good job, good show, Dr. Gupta.

[MissB]

3. Good multi tasking

Not my fav TV doc, but glad he could pitch in on an actual surgery.

[flamingdem]

4. +1 for Gupta, he walks his walk so I forgive a certain amount of over promotion of him by Cnn nt

[dkf]

5. This is probably why doctors pick their profession.

Instead we make them deal with insurance companies who tell them what to do.

What an outrage.

[quinnox]

6. Sounds like publicity

So they make CNN look good and pretend this guy is a hero for doing his job as a doctor. :eyes:

[stray cat]

8. if you are sacrificing your time, energy and security working in Haiti hats off to you for your sac

I doubt if Dr. Gupta is getting paid for each of his neuro-surgery or staying over night treating patients when all other medical personal has left.

[quinnox]

11. No, but I would be if I was being paid millions of dollars

like Gupta is. Stop trying to make a hero out of some media guy, the real heroes are the doctors in Haiti who are doing their job and not on tv in the spotlight.

[stray cat]

13. How much time and money did you invest in obtaining your medical degree?

[quinnox]

14. none, what gave you the idea I was a doctor?

you are too cute by half. Gupta deserves no hero pedestal just because he is a pretty face doing reporting on CNN. The real heroes are the people helping down there in Haiti not in the spotlight.

[Obamanaut]

17. He is doing his job. He is a media guy who is in the spotlight, and

also saves lives of little girls and probably others as well. Good for him.

[TicketyBoo]

29. Try asking

that 12-year-old girl who is a hero to her.

[east texas lib]

19. Sounds like you may have a bad case of Optical Rectalitis...

This is a condition where the optic and rectal nerves come into contact with each other causing a very shitty outlook on life. I'd recommend immediate infusions of Schafer Light and round the clock Alice in Chains. There may still be time if you start treatment now.}(

[MadMaddie]

20. He could have simply said no and the girl may have died

He has a specific skill and he used that skill.

You can hate on him all you want because of his reporting but if you or a family member is in trouble and need a neuro surgeon and Gupta is the only one there would you say no because you don't like his news casts?

[quinnox]

22. If he had said no he would have violated his solemn oath

AS a doctor it his DUTY to help people.

And your question is a ridiculous one, and you know it. Of course anyone who needs a doctor would be grateful to one that helped them in an emergency.

[MadMaddie]

27. So if my question is so ridiculous then your comment

is just as ridiculous. You are right his oath dictates that he helps where he is needed, in this case he is also a medical reporter so of course the story is going to be told.

Frankly, the stories and the reporting that he has done has opened some eyes to the devastating injuries and the horrific working conditions of the doctors in the field.

We need to know about it, we need to think about it and we need to understand it.

[malaise]

7. Sanjay has earned a lot of respect on this trip

Bravo Sanjay - you really are a Democrat. :D

[Terra Alta]

9. I am no fan of Sanjay Gupta

but I have to give props where props are due. He most likely saved this girl's life, and to her and her family he is a hero.

[Skittles]

12. same here

he's doing good

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

10. Larry King?

Hello, Cerebral Cortex! You're on...

[Ackerman]

15. Good for him!

Good for Sanjay! It's refreshing to see that he is not solely making a name for himself on CNN for monetary gain. Obviously, he didn't have to do what he did.
What a good role model and American!

[Danmel]

16. good on you Dr. Gupta

It is easy to critcize from the comfort of one's safe home complete with food, electricity & running water.
I don't have to agree with Dr. Gupta on everything to appreciate what he is doing in Haiti.

[MadMaddie]

18. Surgeons are gifted no matter how you look at it

He is in the right place at the right time.

[Danger Mouse]

21. I may disagree with him politically, but he's done amazing things in the midst of this crisis.

I guess I can disagree with somebody but still think of them as a hero.

[endless october]

23. Gupta has really impressed me.

and Dr. Nancy Snyderman is also on site treating the injured.

kudos to both of them.

[1monster]

24. Gupta has been doing his job as a reporter and saving other lives too. He stayed to watch over the

patients in a field hospital when all of the other doctors and nurses left. (see the video at link below)

He is totally deserving of respect.



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=424493&mesg_id=424493

[Captain Hilts]

25. That's a US NAVY ship! Go, Navy!!

[jillan]

26. He has become a hero in my eyes - from being the only Doctor in a makeshift hospital in the early

days to this. He is amazing.

[kskiska]

28. Now Faux has Dr. Frist in Haiti

maybe to practice on Haiti's cats.

[The Backlash Cometh]

30. I guess we all owe Gupta an apology.