Cack dilemma re jnr Stat and his busted arm.

[Stat Brother]

He went back to hospital, this morning, to have his back-slab cast and the wires removed from his broken arm, and a full cast fitted.

Wifey was told he has to go back in 5 weeks to have the cast and pins removed. To remove the pins they will either:-

Put him under general aesthetic for a 'nothing' 3 minute job.

Or

He can man up and have them pulled there and then in the treatment room, bish-bosh job done.

I'm not to keen on either, but am erring on the side of knock out, although unnecessary aesthetic doesn't sit right.

Anyone else been given these options?

 

[Seagull27]

Any reason why he can't have local anaesthetic?

Not an expert on the subject, not too sure if I'd like to be conscious when having pins pulled out my arm though. Anaesthetic is unlikely to do him any harm, but it's not particularly nice waking up from it.

Is he old enough to make the choice himself?

 

[DTES]

I think it entirely depends on his age - apologies, if it was in a previous thread I missed it.

I don't have children, so I'm probably really not in a position to tell, but for what it's worth I'd probably plump for the anaesthetic if he isn't old enough to say he's certain he doesn't want it. More than anything else, I can imagine going through that while awake would give him nightmares for a long time yet...

 

[Stat Brother]

Sorry I meant to say he's 6.
Wifey is all for just pulling them, with a big bar of chocolate ready to go.

It comes to something when I'm the voice of compassion, in our house.

 

[Notters' Dad]

Notters had his pins removed under the general route at Haywards Heath when he was young. They gave no choice then but it was only "a quick dose and pull", with no problems and happy outcome.

 

[dannyboy]

obviously my situation was different but i broke a bone in my hand years ago. they inserted 3 metal pins from the side of my hand all the way over the top of my bones in my hand . they had little hooks hanging out of the side of my hand. when it came to pulling them out i was shitting myself but i honestly didnt feel anything . if anything it was a bit tickly and quite pleasant . obviously his arm is much more serious and prob different pins but i just thought id say. remember there is always a risk with a general anaesthetic. good luck to the lad

 

[Codner pharmaceuticals]

As a former anesthetist. Give the poor lad a quick general.

 

[newhaven seagull 85]

i had a pin thru my leg after being knocked down by a car and had it sucked out by a vacuum cleaner type device i was 10 at the time, was told i could have a general which they would give me if i felt any pain. no pain took about 3-5 mins .

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Isn't this just like having a massive tooth pulled?

 

[newhaven seagull 85]

Isn't this just like having a massive tooth pulled?

no a tooth pull is much more painfull

 

[Uwinsc]

Can they not give him something to make him dopey and relaxed but not knock him out totally/

 

[Stat Brother]

Wifey was a perturbed by the initial proposal to go into the finer details, certainly nobody mentioned any local aesthetic.

 

[Al Bion]

As a mum I wouldnt want my son to have a general unless there was no other option. Perhaps you should ask if there's some way, as other have suggested, he could have a sedative instead otherwise I'd try the distraction method. Probably best if neither you or wifey makes a big deal out of what's going to happen either so he thinks it's going to be nothing and by the time he's having it done and realises there was more to it, it will all be over and done with. Good luck!

 

[Jimbo.GRFC]

He went back to hospital, this morning, to have his back-slab cast and the wires removed from his broken arm, and a full cast fitted.

Wifey was told he has to go back in 5 weeks to have the cast and pins removed. To remove the pins they will either:-

Put him under general aesthetic for a 'nothing' 3 minute job.

Or

He can man up and have them pulled there and then in the treatment room, bish-bosh job done.

I'm not to keen on either, but am erring on the side of knock out, although unnecessary aesthetic doesn't sit right.

Anyone else been given these options?

And what a dilemma, as a father myself I can only imagine what your emotions are going through. I bet he's still running round with all the energy in the world though. My opinion was pretty clear in my mind until I learned he was only 6 !! My father in law is a consultant anesthetist and I ran this one past him this evening. His suggestion is that a local anesthetic with plenty of (distractive) attention around your lad, i.e. yourself, mum, family etc together with his favourite toys will be better than putting him to sleep which we can clearly sense your not happy with and rightly so. Your young lad doesn't have to see what is happening as the medics will cover his arm from shoulder downwards with a screen, you are then there to still keep him distracted. And from the expert I am told he wont feel a thing, its then a case of lowering the pain threshold after the operation possibly over the next 24/48 hours. I hope that helps and more importantly wish you all well (especially your lad), you'll be in good hands, that I can guarantee