Comments on: Picture Quiz: Gotham General Emergency Room

By: Marveen

Marveen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:30:03 +0000

Matt: while it might be insignificant in disaster terms, we can transport seven gallons of milk (or other bulky semirigid gallons) plus ice packs to keep it all cool on our bike. Soft, IV-type packaging would probably up the amount a bit.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:59:20 +0000

Wouldn’t you also have to refrigerate plasma? That’d be one bulky motorcycle.

By: mike.

mike. — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:30:24 +0000

Define “within an hour”, anyways. An hour by motorcycle would be, what, 70 miles? An hour by helicopter would be like 150.

By: Santiago

Santiago — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:19:35 +0000

I agree with Bernie: any hospital an hour’s drive away would most likely also be up to the gills with the victims of whatever catastrophe this was.

By: hypochrismutreefuzz

hypochrismutreefuzz — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:50:37 +0000

The doctor should have said “stat!” at least once.

By: Eric Henry

Eric Henry — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 02:25:34 +0000

How much plasma could you possibly transport by motorcycle courier? Isn’t plasma kind of bulky?

By: Scott

Scott — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:51:46 +0000

eamon,
Diamorphine is not used in the US for pain management; here it is pretty much only seen as a street drug. (diamorphine = heroin).

On the other hand, this issue was co-written by a British writer, and several UK/US errors do creep in (i.e. paracetamol instead of Tylenol, liters instead of pints).

By: Sethera

Sethera — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 02:41:33 +0000

Perhaps Gotham General has a Massive Transfusion Protocol in place, which would call for plasma transfusion in cases of massive hemorrhage. My hospital uses a 6:6:1 ratio-six units packed rbcs, six units plasma, one unit apheresis platelets. If you replace a massive hemorrhage with just red blood cells, all of the patient’s clotting factors will be depleted. Using just cells is fine for a smaller transfusion, but many large trauma centers in the US have some version of a Massive Transfusion Protocol for large bleeds.
Of course, I don’t know why a level one trauma center like Gotham General would need only plasma, not O negative cells or platelets.

By: Evan Waters

Evan Waters — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:06:46 +0000

Also, is morphine used for full anaesthetic? I thought it was more for persistent pain.

By: chris w.

chris w. — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:56:47 +0000

Substitute the “suburban hospital within an hour of us” bit with “the 8063rd” and you have a certified Colonel Sherman Potter speech given to Radar O’Reilly at least two dozen times on M*A*S*H.