Posted on Categories Literature / Voices from the Faculty / Bartley Pickron, MD

Stapler Misfire

Our stellar MS3 fired the stapler on her last day.
Upon opening the instrument, one side of the
colon fell apart. Her eyes exclaimed, “What did I
do wrong? Can I really be a surgeon?” Despite a
review of multiple case reports of stapler misfires,
she still blames herself. She will be a great surgeon.

Stapler Misfire, Literature by Bartley Pickron, MD

Bartley Pickron, MD

Associate Professor, Department of Surgery

Things don’t always go smoothly in surgery. The first time it happens to you, especially when it is something for which you are directly responsible, can be terrifying. Part of learning is to experience these problems, but also to know that most problems are fixable.

Voices from the Faculty:
2020, "It Could Be Me"
2020, "Stapler Misfire" View more for Bartley Pickron, MD →