DIY Surgery
February 25th, 2010 | Published under General | No Comments
WARNING: This article contains content that may disturb some readers.
Nail Clipper Circumcision
Hertfordshire, England; June 2009: An unnamed man was admitted to Lister Hospital in Hertfordshire, having circumcised his penis using only a pair of nail clippers. Although the man wasn’t seriously injured and was released the following day, a hospital representative made sure to point out that “this is something we would advise men never to attempt.” Point taken.
Woman Injects Face With Silicone, Realizes She’s “Insane”
Dublin, California; July 2009: A 54-year-old mother of three seeking a more youthful look decided against using a professional plastic surgeon and instead purchased a $10 bottle of liquid silicone online. She injected the substance into her lips and cheeks, and within a day, her face became red and swollen. She had to visit a plastic surgeon to have the liquid — which may or may not have been actual silicone — removed in a process that could require several more surgeries. “Insane,” the woman said regarding her decision. “I can’t believe I did what I did.” Welcome to the club.
Man Removes Own Pacemaker
Bordeaux, France; 2004: In an apparent suicide attempt, a 70-year-old man reportedly removed his own pacemaker. He died of blood poisoning six days later. Doctors hypothesized that the action could’ve been the result of “poor psychologic adjustment” to the pacemaker implant.
DIY Brain Surgery
Beryl, Utah; February 2000: In an effort to “expand her consciousness,” British citizen Heather Perry, 29, decided to try a procedure called trepanation — basically, drilling a hole in one’s skull with the thought that the release of pressure would improve cerebral function. Since no doctors in Britain would perform the controversial procedure, Perry traveled to Utah, where…no doctors performed the procedure. Instead, she teamed with local trepanatin enthusiasts Peter Halvorson and William Lyons to carry out the operation. Perry injected herself with a local anaesthetic, then used a scalpel to cut into her scalp. With Halvorsen holding the skin away from the skull, Lyons drilled the hole. However, he drilled too deep, severing a membrane protecting the brain tissue. Perry had to be taken to a doctor with brain fluid leakage, but otherwise, she was OK.
The incident was filmed for the TV show 20/20, and the media coverage led to Halvorsen and Lyons being convicted for practicing medicine without a license. They received probation. Perry claimed that the procedure was beneficial but added, “My head is a bit of a random one to test it on anyway, particularly as I’d done a bit too much acid to begin with.”
DIY Dentistry
Scarborough, England; March 2005: Frustrated with the lack of qualified dentists in her town, 67-year-old Brit Valerie Holsworth resorted to pulling not one, but SEVEN of her own teeth…with a pair of pliers from her husband’s toolbox…using only beer as an anaesthetic. The public dental care provided by Britain’s National Health Service is currently being upgraded.
Man Tries to Remove Ankle Implant, Fails
Bedford Park, Australia; 2000: An unnamed 27-year-old male college student had been living with a metal plate screwed into his ankle for five years — the result of drunken reverie — when he decided that the discomfort was too much to bear. Drinking five shots of liquor as an anaesthetic, he used a pocket knife to make an incision in his ankle, then used an Allen wrench to remove five screws — only to discover that the last screw was inaccessible. With nowhere left to turn, he sewed up his wound with a household needle and thread and headed to the hospital, where the plate was removed. There was no damage to tendons, major nerves or vessels; his ego continues to recover.
Continue reading about more DIY Surgery horrors at Vital Signs.
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