Audible Bleeding

In the operating room, when there is unexpected massive bleeding like a raging inferno, the emergency responders are the vascular surgeons.

But is there bleeding that even vascular surgeons fear? The answer is yes. A former trainee told me to fear two types of bleeding: if the bleeding is coming from you, and audible bleeding. Audible bleeding is when the flow or volume of blood loss is so great you can hear it.

Audible bleeding occurs when the aorta is opened (deliberately or not), even temporarily. The gush of blood is like water from a firehose. Bleeding is also audible when the blood loss is so great, it flows out of the patient, off the OR table, and strikes the floor below. If you hear it, something must be done. Quickly.

This book chronicles the development of vascular surgery in Vancouver, Canada, from 1976 to 2020, in parallel with the hemorrhaging of healthcare in Canada. From short sighted government attempts to regulate the number of doctors, closure of nursing schools, restriction of OR time, suppression of a nation-wide patient pay health plan, and the rise of hospital administration, these changes have led to serious deficiencies in doctors, nurses, and efficient access to necessary tests and surgeries. Written in easy-to-understand language, this book is for readers wanting to know more about the newest surgical specialty and for those wanting a behind the scene look into the myriad of problems of healthcare in Canada.