Polite Dissent

17 Responses to “ Picture Quiz: Angel ”

1. Andy Stewart
   October 7th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
   

   My wife is in medical school and practiced setting up those leads on me. I recall the leads being situated differently, more on the left side than the right.

   She just earned honors in her EKG rotation. I think her practice dummy was a major cause for this. ;-)

2. Dean
   October 7th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
   

   Yeah, the leads are on the wrong side.

3. Ashtur
   October 8th, 2009 at 12:13 am
   

   Heh, not being a medical type, but was just thinking it’s odd that he doesn’t seem to be on any oxygen one way or the other. Of course, since it seems he’s been beaten to a good pulp it may not be an issue, but most of the time I visit patients who need the full heart monitor thing, they need oxygen too.

4. Eric TF Bat
   October 8th, 2009 at 12:26 am
   

   Oh well, at least his heart’s in the right place.

   Oh, wait –

5. Charlene
   October 8th, 2009 at 12:29 am
   

   In addition, how does he have six leads above his arm and two leads below it?

6. Anu
   October 8th, 2009 at 5:04 am
   

   The leads turn to his left side but the monitor seems to be on his right side. Do the leads go under his bed and then to the monitor? Or is it actually some other monitor – but what could it be?

7. Gregg
   October 8th, 2009 at 8:49 am
   

   May not be what you’re looking for, but is the patient being treated for GERD? Why is the angle of the bed elevated?

8. Sparkplug
   October 8th, 2009 at 9:16 am
   

   Not a medical type either…but even I notice trends and have a basic understanding anatomy. Leads tend to be concentrated on the right, where the heart and major blood vessels are. They have to be measuring something that can be measured simply on top of the skin, so that leaves (afaik) skin galvanic response and the pulse of the cardiopulmonary system. And lungs are out because you want to measure lung volume, the best way would be to measure the air volume going in and out. And lying’s not really a concern for the unconscious. That leaves heart, and you don’t look for that on the right side.

9. Dan Grendell
   October 8th, 2009 at 9:20 am
   

   Is that Angel? As a vampire, does his heart even beat? Will the heart monitor do anything?

10. Alberto
    October 8th, 2009 at 9:39 am
    

    - EKG electrodes are in the wrong side of the thorax
    - Wall power outlet is incompatible with Angel’s cell phone charger
    - EKG sensor cabling is strange: only two cables seem to be connected to the monitor
    - Monitor screen looks too much like Star Trek

11. Rabrab
    October 8th, 2009 at 10:17 am
    

    Interesting. Until I read your hint, my thought was the same as Ashtur’s; most of the time I’ve seen anyone on a heart monitor, there’s also been an oxygen cannula in place as well.

12. Andreas
    October 8th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
    

    As far as I know the heart is in the middle. However it is larger on the left since that side pumps to the whole body instead of just the lungs. But I may be wrong.

13. Mary
    October 8th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
    

    I just had an exam about that!

    The position of the electrodes are wrong. If they were trying to show the use of the precordial leads, the electrodes are too high and in the wrong side, the heart is more orientated to the left. And I dont know why there is one in the shoulder, trying to use limb leads? Because if that is it, the electrode should be more near the wrist.

    The electrodes should be 6, around the 4 and 5 intercostal spaces, and they would star in the middle of the chest (sternum) and move to the left.

    Sorry if I had a funny traslation, we use another terms in spanish :) Love your site ;)

14. EL
    October 8th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
    

    I also think that the leads are wrong, although in veterinary medicine, we sometimes do have to place them in funny places.

    @ Alberto — love your comments. They made me laugh.

15. Scott
    October 9th, 2009 at 12:31 am
    Official Comment

    I think everyone got this one correct: the cardiac leads are shown on the right side of Gunn’s body — but the heart is on the left side.

    The point about oxygen is valid — most people who are on telemetry (heart monitoring) are on supplemental oxygen as well. You could make the same argument about the missing blood pressure cuff.

    I thought the monitor looked rather Star Trek too, particularly the ones in the original series that hung above the beds in sickbay.

16. Princess Edamame
    October 9th, 2009 at 11:27 am
    

    Is that an Okuda-gram on the monitor?

17. Jack Hare
    October 19th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
    

    Clearly, whoever is in charge of lighting this hospital room has Star Trek experience as well.

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