Hay Jolly! Been to the Harbor Freight store lately?

[George K]

[Axtremus]

Liberating healthcare?

[George K]

Many years ago, our heart surgeons decided that using something other than wires was appropriate for closing the sternum. They used a synthetic suture called "Merseline" instead.

(I'll be happy to be corrected by @bachophile on the nature of Merseline).

Anyhow, from what they said, it was a difficult suture to use, in the sizes need for approximating a sternotomy. One of them thought that it would be easier to "bring the knot down" using a spoon,

Yes, a spoon. The kind you'd have at dinner.

He had one of the techs cut a small (about ⅛") notch into the tip of the spoon. Using that notch, he was able to bring the knot down onto the surface of the sternum to get a tighter approximation.

I have no idea whatsoever if it worked. But, he used it, always, for his open heart cases.

My point is that ingenuity like this might have a place. Like I said, I have no idea if it was better, effective, or whatever. Surgeons with whom I worked later always used wire to close the sternum. But, this guy's idea of using a common utensil to get the job done was interesting.

I'm sure that if he tried to do that today, he's never, ever, get FDA approval for using a dinner spoon in heart surgery.

I'm also sure that none of the items you see in Harbor Freight's store would be approved. Because FDA.

[Jolly]

I knew they handled this stuff. I have some instruments, but all mine came from OR. It's amazing how many times you reach for stats in the shop.

But speaking of other uses for common stuff, our standard rib cutters were a pair of Craftsman pruners.