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Surgery in Congo by Text Message
Dr. David Nott
Dr. David Nott isn’t a character on a television show like CSI, but like characters on the show he used technology to help save a life.
In October of 2008, Dr. David Nott, a vascular surgeon with Doctors Without Borders was working in the war torn town of Rutshuru, Congo, which is embroiled in a civil war between rebel fighters and the Congolese army. A 16-year-old boy in a nearby town got caught in the middle of gunfire, was hit in the arm and knocked unconscious. He was found by local townspeople who took him to a Doctors Without Borders facility clinic.
Dr. Nott saw the arm was destroyed and knew that the boy had to have his arm amputated. Making matters worse, the stump had become gangrenous, which meant that the boy needed a much more complicated and involved type of surgery - forequarter amputation - to make sure the infection did not kill him.
This type of surgery is dangerous in even the best of conditions with specialized surgeons. Dr. Nott - who had never attempted this procedure - faced a moral dilemma whether to even attempt the surgery, but quickly concluded that attempting the surgery was the only way to save the young boy’s life.
Thinking on his feet, he sent a text message to a colleague back in London who had experience with forequarter amputations. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Nott received two very long text messages.
“I took a deep breath and followed the instructions to the letter,” said Dr. Nott.
With only a pint of blood, an unequipped operating theater and his cell phone, Dr. Nott was able to successfully complete the surgery. The young boy has made a full recovery.
