Home Team Bio Medical Research Route Everest Training Previous Experience News Slideshow Our Sponsors School Outreach Contact Us :: Christian Otto :: Eric Otto :: Craig Hare :: Stephen Masselink :: ICP at High Altitude :: Heart and Lungs at Altitude :: Remote Ultrasound :: Medical Care :: Operational Space Medicine :: Climbing Route :: Ice Climbing :: Mountain Skiing :: Ski Competitions :: Explorers Club :: Great Lakes Yachting :: Hauscaran :: Magnetic North Pole :: Mt. McKinley :: Labuje Expedition :: Paddling the Nahanni :: South Pole Station :: Mt. Logan :: Cho Oyu :: Alpamayo :: Satellite Communications Testing :: High Altitude Test Chamber :: Dispatch #1 - Beating the odds :: Dispatch #2 - First day in Nepal :: Dispatch #3 - Day 1 of the Trek into Base Camp :: Dispatch #4 - Day 6 Enroute from Pangboche to Pheriche :: Dispatch #5 - Day 7 Continuing the Trek into Base Camp :: Dispatch #6 - Day 9 Arrival at Base Camp :: Dispatch #7 - Day 10 Puja Ceremony at Everest Base Camp :: Dispatch #8 - Day 11 Third Day at Everest Base Camp :: Dispatch #9 - Day 12 FedEx delivers to Everest Base Camp :: Dispatch #10 - Day 14 Team Enters Khumbu Icefall :: Dispatch #11 - Day 15 Remote Ultrasound Scanning :: Dispatch #12 - Day 16 Climb to Pumori Base Camp :: Dispatch #13 - Day 17 Medical Emergency :: Dispatch #14 - Day 18 Continued Illness and Birthday Wishes :: Dispatch #15 - Day 21 Camp I and Climbing Permit :: Dispatch #16 - Day 23 Mountain Surgery! :: Dispatch #17 - Day 25 Life in Base Camp :: Dispatch #18 - Day 26 Climbing Back to Camp I :: Dispatch #19 - Day 27 Climbing to Camp II, 6325m :: Dispatch #20 - Day 28 and 29 Hanging out at Camp II, 6325m :: Dispatch #21 - Day 30 Back Down to Base Camp :: Dispatch #22 - Day 31 Massive Avalanche, Climbers Nearly Killed. :: Dispatch #23 - Day 31 Everest ER. :: Dispatch #24 - Day 35 Descent to Dingboche. :: Dispatch #25 - Day 35 A Tribute to Pearl Hall Elementary. :: Dispatch #26 - Day 38 Return to Base Camp from Dingboche. :: Dispatch #27 - Day 38 Chinese Summit. Time to Climb! :: Dispatch #28 - Day 40 Program crash fixed. Back online. :: Dispatch #29 - Day 40 Operational Space Medicine. :: Dispatch #30 - Day 40 Everest Link with Canadian Space Agency. :: Dispatch #31 - Day 41 Third acclimatization push. :: Dispatch #32 - Day 42 Preparing for Camp III. :: Dispatch #33 - Day 43 Ascent to Camp III. :: Dispatch #34 - Day 44 Descent from Camp III. :: Dispatch #35 - Day 45 No rest for the wicked! :: Dispatch #36 - Day 46 What Base Camp is Really Like. :: Dispatch #37 - Day 47 Second Everest Ultrasound Guidance Session :: Dispatch #38 - Day 48 Doctor almost killed when rock falls on tent...really! :: Dispatch #39 - Day 30 Live Everest Link with Ottawa Hospital Dept. of Emergency Medicine :: Dispatch #40 - Day 36 High Level Government Meeting held at Everest Base Camp :: Dispatch #41 - Day 49 Climb to the Summit of Everest Begins :: Dispatch #42 - Day 50 Audio Dispatch from Camp II :: Dispatch #43 - Day 51 Audio Dispatch from Camp III :: Dispatch #44 - Day 52 Audio Dispatch from Camp IV :: Dispatch #45 - Day 53 Audio Dispatch after successful summit! :: Dispatch #46 - Day 49 and 50 Climb to Camp II and Rest Day :: Dispatch #47 - Day 51 Climb to Camp III :: Dispatch #48 - Day 52 Climb to the South Col :: Dispatch #49 - Day 52 Climb to the Summit :: Dispatch #50 - Day 47 Everest Team Presents at International Space Medicine Summit :: Dispatch #51 - Day 54 Descending to Camp II :: Dispatch #52 - Day 55 Descending to Base Camp :: Dispatch #53 - Day 57 CSA-Everest Operational Space Medicine Project :: Pearl Hall Elementary :: Pearl Hall Elementary Artwork Slideshow :: Contact Expedition Team :: Contact Website Team

Our Sponsors   All Updates   Tuesday May 27, 2008 Day 57 CSA-Everest Operational Space Medicine Project (Dispatch) Sunday May 25, 2008 Day 55 Descending to Base Camp (Dispatch) Saturday May 24, 2008 Day 54 Descending to Camp II (Dispatch) Saturday May 17, 2008 Day 47 Everest Team Presents at International Space Medicine Summit (Delayed Dispatch) Wednesday May 21, 2008 Day 52 Climb to the Summit! (Delayed Dispatch) Wednesday May 21, 2008 Day 52 Climb to the South Col. (Delayed Dispatch) Wednesday May 21, 2008 Day 51, Climb to Camp III (Delayed Dispatch) Monday May 19 and Tuesday May 20, 2008 Day 49 and 50, Climb to Camp II and Rest Day (Delayed Dispatch) Friday May 23, 2008 Day 53, Audio Dispatch after successful summit! (Audio Dispatch) Thursday May 22, 2008 Day 52, Audio Dispatch from Camp IV (Audio Dispatch) Thursday May 22, 2008 Canadian Everest Medical Expedition Slideshow (Pictures) Wednesday May 21, 2008 Day 51, Audio Dispatch from Camp III (Audio Dispatch) Tuesday May 20, 2008 Day 50, Audio Dispatch from Camp II (Audio Dispatch) Monday May 19, 2008 Day 49, Climb to the Summit of Everest Begins (Dispatch) Sunday May 18, 2008 Day 36, High Level Government Meeting held at Everest Base Camp (Dispatch) Sunday May 18, 2008 Day 30, Live Everest Link with Ottawa Hospital Dept. of Emergency Medicine (Dispatch) Sunday May 18, 2008 Day 48, Doctor almost killed when rock falls on tent…really! (Dispatch) Saturday May 17, 2008 Day 47, Second Everest Ultrasound Guidance Session (Dispatch) Friday May 16, 2008 Day 46, What Base Camp is Really Like. (Dispatch) Thursday May 15, 2008 Day 45, No rest for the wicked! (Dispatch) Wednesday May 14, 2008 Day 44, Descent from Camp III (Dispatch) Tuesday May 13, 2008 Day 43, Ascent to Camp III (Dispatch) Monday May 12, 2008 Day 42, Preparing for Camp III (Dispatch) Sunday May 11, 2008 Day 41, Third acclimatization push. (Dispatch) Saturday May 10, 2008 Day 40, Everest Link with Canadian Space Agency. (Dispatch) Saturday May 10, 2008 Day 40, Operational Space Medicine. (Dispatch) Saturday May 10, 2008 Day 40, Program crash fixed, back online. (Dispatch) Thursday May 8, 2008 Day 38, Return to Base Camp from Dingboche (Dispatch) Monday May 5, 2008 Day 35, A Tribute to Pearl Hall Elementary (Dispatch) Monday May 5, 2008 Day 35, Descent to Dingboche (Dispatch) Thursday May 1, 2008 Day 31, Everest ER (Dispatch) Thursday May 1, 2008 Day 31, Special Dispatch - Massive Avalanche (Dispatch) Wednesday April 30, 2008 Day 30, Back Down to Base Camp (Dispatch) April 28 and 29, 2008 Day 28 and 29, Hanging out at Camp II - 6325m (Dispatch) Sunday April 27, 2008 Day 27, Climbing to Camp II (Dispatch) Saturday April 26, 2008 Day 26, Climbing Back to Camp I (Dispatch) Friday April 25, 2008 Day 25, Life in Base Camp (Dispatch) Wednesday April 23, 2008 Day 23, Mountain Surgery! (Dispatch) Monday April 21, 2008 Day 21, Camp I and Climbing Permit (Dispatch) Friday April 18, 2008 Day 18, Continued Illness and Birthday Wishes (Dispatch) Thursday April 17, 2008 Day 17, Medical Emergency (Dispatch) Wednesday April 16, 2008 Day 16, Climb to Pumori Base Camp (Dispatch) Tuesday April 15, 2008 Day 15, Remote Ultrasound Scanning (Dispatch) Monday April 14, 2008 Day 14, Team Enters Khumbu Icefall (Dispatch) Saturday April 12, 2008 Day 12, FedEx Delivers to Everest Base Camp (Dispatch) Friday April 11, 2008 Day 11, Third Day at Everest Base Camp (Dispatch) Thursday April 10, 2008 Day 10, Puja Ceremony at Everest Base Camp (Dispatch) Wednesday April 9, 2008 Day 9, Team Arrives at Everest Base Camp (Dispatch) Monday April 7, 2008 Day 7, Continuing the Trek into Base Camp (Dispatch) Sunday April 6, 2008 Day 6, Enroute from Pangboche to Periche (Dispatch) Tuesday April 1, 2008 Day 1, Trek into Base Camp (Dispatch) Saturday March 29, 2008 First full day in Nepal (Dispatch) Friday March 28, 2008 Team Arrives in Kathmandu (Dispatch) Latest Updates Wednesday April 23, 2008 - Dispatch #16 Mountain Surgery! Please note this dispatch was sent from the town of Gorak Shep, outside of base camp. Hello Family, Friends and Colleagues, The excitement continues here at Everest Base camp, not that we go hunting for it, but it tends to materialize when one least expects it. I finally made it to the shower tent after five days.  One needs several things to line up for a decent shower out here; first, it has to be sunny so the temperature is not subzero, second, there is no line-up for the shower tent, and third, the kitchen tent has to be willing to give you some hot water! After the first bolus of hot water which has to be hand pumped from a container, John knocked and asked “How much longer? One of the Sherpas has sliced his wrist open!” The injury: deep laceration over the radial artery. I thought “I know base camp is getting a little on the boring side but hopefully it isn’t pushing our staff to commit Kabuki! “Put pressure on it.  I’ll be out in a minute.”  I guess there will be no shave today!? As the story goes, the Sherpa was trying to adjust his crampons with his knife, the knife slipped and sliced a deep gash into his right inner wrist! Hmmm…. That’s exactly where the radial artery is! You know, the place you take someone’s pulse in their wrist. We quickly converted the Medical Tent into a mini surgery after locating all of our supplies. PhD John was a very able first assist, while Matt was the OR circulating nurse and camera man. PhD John and Dr. Otto prepare to anesthetize the wound We laid out the injury in the best sterile technique we could muster given the conditions, and removed the bloodied gauze from the injury site; no pumping blood spurting from the radial artery… a good first sign. As you can see from the picture, the knife was like a guided cruise missile looking for its target.  Fortunately, the blow did not auger in any deeper. PhD John and Dr. Otto prepare to anesthetize the wound Working together, Ken and I drew up some lidocaine to anesthetize the wound and stitch it back together. Ken had a keen vested interest in the field operation as the patient was his personal Sherpa! On further inspection, there was no damage to the artery, nor any laceration to the flexor tendons of the wrist. Four interrupted 4.0 sutures did the trick, and the patient was bandaged up and asked to return in 48 hours for a wound inspection. We’ll take his sutures out in a week if things look good. No damage to the radial artery, stiching the wound together Had the injury been worse we would have called upon Ken, otherwise known as Dr. Statler, a general surgeon from up-state New York. At this stage, we think our team has used up it’s medical quota for now and we’re hoping for quieter days on the medical front. Dr. Otto bandaging the final repair What was it the ER nurses back in Ottawa said….. something about being a s#$% magnet!? All the best from the Everest base camp rock quarry! Christian Otto

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