The Dragon Doctors

Discussion (4) ¬

1. 
   Juan Pablo

   January 25, 2015, 7:08 pm | # | Reply

   Actually, unless there are symptoms of things like lead poisoning or the bullet getting in a large blood vessel (like the aorta) therefore becoming an embolus; a bullet is generally not removed as the body makes a strong wall of colagen to separate itself from it.

   • 
     Lukkai

     March 30, 2015, 3:40 pm | # | Reply

     It depends on the kind of bullet, position, chances of it beginning to wander… several different factors, really. But if it can be done without creating problems, removing it is usually the safer option.

     • 
       Razmoudah

       June 16, 2015, 12:21 pm | # | Reply

       Actually, in terms of battlefield medicine you only provide sufficient treatment to save a life. As such, if the bullet isn’t likely to kill the person within the next couple of days, and is positioned such that it isn’t likely to move, you leave it alone and get to the next patient.

       You let the doctors at the main hospital deal with deciding if leaving the bullet is a feasible long-term solution.
2. 
   MisterTeatime

   October 8, 2016, 6:27 pm | # | Reply

   I was wondering about the language issue.