The complexity of our health care delivery system is at the root of the problem. The chain of care starts with a patient, as it should….
Does a Stressful Job Shorten Your Life?
“It’s not stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it.”―Hans Selye, Hungarian-Canadian endocrinologist, author of “The Stress of Life” Let’s see. Michael DeBakey died 2…
Forty-five years of cardiac surgery
In my gym, I meet the best people, and have the most interesting conversations, in the jacuzzi. It’s located in a corner of the large pool…
Would You Have the Courage to Stop Treatment of the Advanced Cancer?
We’ve known each other for close to forty years. She was a good friend of mine and a former wife of my close buddy. I visited…
Should Surgeons Friend Their Patients on Facebook?
Throughout the history, surgeons not always were held in a high esteem. The first barbers-surgeons in medieval Europe had a terrible reputation. Their job included a…
Would You Like Your Surgeon to be Fast, or Meticulous?
One of the chief fascinations of surgery is the management of wounded vessels and avoidance of hemorrhage. The only weapon with which the unconscious patient can…
Anger in the Operating Room
Anyone can become angry – that is easy, but to be angry with the right person at the right time, and for the right purpose and…
Walking a Fine Line with the Patient’s Family Before Surgery
Dr. Jack Murano was sitting in his office with the patient’s family in front of him. Their father was in the ICU awaiting a complex heart…
Retirement Is a Perfect Time for More Education
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication Leonardo da Vinci Friday morning vascular department conferences are special for me. For several reasons. Firstly, it’s the time. The conference…