Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Jan
31
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Thoughtful Thursday! “You Are Not Chopping Her Up…”
“Get out of the way! You are not chopping her up if I have anything to say about it!” Female OB to Male OB who was wheeling mom back into OR for a hysterectomy as soon as a postpartum hemorrhage was diagnosed, without any attempt to stop it. Female OB went on to work for 45 minutes stopping the PPH so that a hysterectomy was not needed.
There are 15 comments to this post.
Jennifer H. had this to say,
Jan 31, 2013 @ 1:53 pm (Quote)
I’d really love to hear the backstory on this one, as I don’t know why any doc would WANT to do a hysterectomy for PPH. I know a lot of people have bad experiences with OBs being scalpel-happy, but a postpartum hyst SUCKS for the doc and staff as well as for the mom. The bleeding is much harder to control, visualization is harder, it’s just a way more difficult surgery than a regular non-pregnancy related hyst is. I’ve NEVER met a doc who would rather do a PP hyst than try to control the PPH through just about any other means. I’m not at all trying to imply that the OP is wrong, just that I want to know what on God’s green earth her doc was thinking!
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Bonita Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 6:26 pm (Quote)
There are a myriad of reasons… According to the DR she could be too young, too poor, have too many children already, be on welfare etc. Sterilization efforts on moms who meet these categories are not that uncommon on this board sadly.
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arzt4empfaenger Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 12:31 am (Quote)
It could also be that this OB “needs” more hysterectomies on his agenda. At least this is how it is is Germany: when you specialize in a certain area, you usually need to fulfill a catalogue of tasks before you’re allowed to do the last exam that certifies you as not only a doctor, but specialist. We don’t know if the OB was actually a specialist for ob/gyn, or “still” in his initial years of training. The catalogue for anesthetists would require the doctor to fulfill 2000 anesthesias (might be more), and surgeons have it especially hard to collect their surgeries because some are just rare or everyone in training wants them, or the chief surgeon wants to do them himself. Either way, I’m glad the other OB (doesn’t really matter what gender) stepped in and saved this patient’s uterus instead of taking the easy, simple route.
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arzt4empfaenger Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 12:35 am (Quote)
And no, even when it may sound like it, decent surgeons will NOT push for unnecessary (and medically not indicated) surgery even when they still “need” it on their agenda. I would strongly hope that it would be illegal to do so, but I’ve personally seen how assistant docs fight for let’s say gall bladder surgeries (indicated ones!).
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This was mine, I had a just woken up from a very traumatic section that this first OB had done against my consent, yes he was fired! But I was still in such shock of waking up not pregnant anymore, meeting this new little person that when I started bleeding out it just caused more panic. The doctor came in the curtain area and never once looked me in the eye, said I needed a Hyst. and called to prep the OR again. Upon hearing this, the female OB ran over and started proper protocol for treatment of a PPH, physically pushed the male out of the way and would not let him come near me. She did internal and external massage for 30 minutes, I got 4.5 units of blood as well, but I finally clamped down.
And yes, I am currently pregnant again due next month, planning an amazing healing HBA2C. I am thankful of this OB for saving me. She will always be an angel in my eyes. I found out recently she is not the head of the teaching dept. of our local med. school, I hope that all these new doctors learn from her, how to go on to be a truly caring provider.
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AmyW Reply:
February 7th, 2013 at 10:36 am (Quote)
Oh, Jessica…I’m SO sorry for what that fool put you through. That female OB must be an angel masquerading as a doctor to have done that to save your fertility, and who knows, maybe even your life if a PP hyst is as dangerous as it sounds!
And he performed that CS against your consent too. Was he fired for THAT, or was it for jumping to a hysterectomy/not following PPH protocol? Or did you mean YOU fired him? (I just realized this could be taken multiple ways, so I’m going to go with the hospital firing him for now.) Personally, I’d want him strung up by his favorite appendage…hey, a girl can dream!
I also have to wonder if the PPH was a result of something he did wrong with the surgery, and he was just trying to cover it up by removing the evidence? It just seems like what he was doing was pretty shady, and that might have been part of why he was fired.
It’s wonderful that you’re expecting again, and nobody could blame you for wanting to stay away from that hospital. Since it’s the big, traumatic stuff that sticks in an OB’s mind, I’m sure she’ll be telling all the students about your case so they learn to be just like her! I hope she promised to be there for you too, should you need any help. Awesome OB!! 
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Jessica Reply:
February 7th, 2013 at 11:42 am (Quote)
I filed complaints with the state board and hospital after I recovered from the section, he was fired and had hospital privalleges revoked for a year. When I went to get my reports they didn’t start until after the section had started, so there wasn’t any mention at all about me refusing consent (I was 10cm, labored on my own beautifully), as well as they also mentioned i was a RCS patient throughout my pregnancy, when I was very vocal I wanted a VBAC. The surgical reports only make a small note about the PPH as well. He doesn’t practice at our hospital anymore, but I certainly refuse to go back there unless it is absolutely needed.
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Thank God that doctor was there!
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