From the "Don't try this at home" department, this story from the Reuter's news wire...
A woman in Mexico gave birth to a healthy baby boy after performing a Caesarean section on herself with a kitchen knife, doctors said Tuesday.The unidentified 40-year-old woman, who lived in a rural area without electricity, running water or sanitation and was an eight-hour drive from the nearest hospital, performed the operation when she could not deliver the baby naturally.
She had lost a previous baby due to labor complications.
"She took three small glasses of hard liquor and, using a kitchen knife, sliced her abdomen in three attempts ... and delivered a male infant that breathed immediately and cried," said Dr R.F. Valle, of the Dr. Manuel Velasco Suarez Hospital in San Pablo, Mexico.
Valle recounted the event in a report in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
Before losing consciousness, the woman told one of her children to call a local nurse for help. After the nurse stitched the wound with a sewing needle and cotton thread, the mother and baby were transferred and treated by Valle and his colleagues at the nearest hospital.
"This case represents an unusual and extraordinary decision by a women in labor who, unable to deliver herself spontaneously, and with no medical help or resources, decided to perform a Caesarean section upon herself," Valle said.
Only three glasses of liquor? I still imagine it would have been incredibly painful and difficult to do. I'm glad this one had a happy ending!
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
April 7, 2004 09:09 AM
OH MY!!!
I cannot EVEN Imagine that!
April 9, 2004 06:42 PM
In keeping with this theme you might want to check out the history of the appendectomy. Apparently in order to prove that one's appendix could be removed the dr. who championed this cause operated on himself!? Sort of makes you go, hmmmmmmmmmmmm?