Orac is the nom de blog of a (not so) humble pseudonymous surgeon/scientist with an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his miscellaneous verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few will. (Continued 
At least this time the surgeons aren't disgracing my profession by making ignorant statments about evolution. Well, actually, I almost wish they were, because puffed up idiots pontificating about evolution at least don't put patients in immediate danger like this:
A routine appendix operation in Belgrade went badly wrong when two surgeons started fighting and stormed from the operating theatre to settle their dispute outside, the daily Politika reported on Wednesday.Surgeon Spasoje Radulovic was operating when his colleague Dragan Vukanic entered and made a remark that started a quarrel, said the anaesthesiologist on duty.
"At one moment Vukanic pulled the ear of the operating doctor, slapped him in the face and walked out," she said.
Radulovic followed and an all-out fight ensued, resulting in bruises, a split lip, loose teeth and a fractured finger.
The operation was completed successfully by the attending assistant doctor.
I can just picture what probably happened here. Dr. Vukanic probably looked over Dr. Radulovic's shoulder and then made a snide remark about his operative technique. I've seen it before, but never seen it result in a physical fight. Whatever happened, both surgeons deserve a good smacking and discipline by the hospital and the Belgrade medical licensing authority. Either that, both of them should be fired and the attending assistant promoted to take their place. He at least kept his cool and remembered that, when there's a patient on the operating table, that must always be the surgeon's only concern.
Always.
(Via Kevin, MD)
Comments
Wow, you mean surgeons can be thin-skinned, crude and unprofessional? Shocking.
(not a crack on Orac, but a general observation about surgeons from my perch...)
Posted by: anonimouse | February 22, 2007 5:15 PM
I've been involved in a few anesthesiologist vs. surgeon fights. I had to break up a near fist fight between one of my volatile anesthesiology residents and a neurosurgeon after the surgeon refused to take his foot off of an EKG cable. Yet, I have never witnessed surgeon-on-surgeon violence.
Posted by: JujuQuisp | February 22, 2007 5:26 PM
"Volatile" anaesthesia residents? I don't think you realize it, but you just made a funny!
Posted by: Orac | February 22, 2007 5:55 PM
Best that they took it outside. The OR is no place to vent a spleen.
Posted by: notmercury | February 22, 2007 6:02 PM
Ok now I'll come at you from a patient perspective. Right now I see three doctors. One of them is my allergist and he's a great guy.
The other is my ENT - and there are times I really want to wrap my hands around his neck and squeeze until he turns blue.
My regular MD is a little buttoned down but he's loosening up.
If doctors can incite the same reaction from patients as my ENT does from me, I can imagine there'll be some personality conflicts no matter where you go.
Me, I'm an I.T. guy. The unit I work in is staffed by very like minded serious people but humor rules.
Posted by: Tony P | February 22, 2007 8:19 PM
Ah. Belgrade. Who knows what they faught about? Probably something much smaller than a quip about surgical technique. Latest soccer match?
Posted by: coturnix | February 22, 2007 8:44 PM
Why do the Three Stooges come to mind?
Posted by: James Taylor | February 22, 2007 11:16 PM
Among my favorites!
Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard!
Posted by: Orac | February 23, 2007 6:34 AM
is that free, government sponsored health care in Belgrade? Or was the patient actually paying for this service?
Posted by: PLanetaryGear | February 23, 2007 8:18 AM
Was it an episode of Grey's Anatomy? Surgeons on that show walk out in the middle of an operation for any sort of reason.
Posted by: nm | February 23, 2007 2:35 PM
Radulovic was clearly a victim of coicumstance, nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.
Posted by: James Taylor | February 23, 2007 2:59 PM
Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the operating room - Dr. Strangelove
Posted by: Koray | February 23, 2007 4:34 PM
C'mon, you know that you have to assert your authority over those pusillanimous anesthesiologists sometimes. Other surgeons might fight back.
Posted by: Grontijb | February 26, 2007 4:31 PM