Friday, March 23, 2012

Update on the “Cholecystectomy via penis” story

I thought the mild interest in my "Removal of the gallbladder via the penis" blog was over but last night a commenter wrote the following on the blog:

Anonymous said ...

The link to the Austrian Newspaper is not working.
I also found this following link discrediting the whole story
http://urologieisoveral.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/removing-gallbladder-through-penis.html


The link takes you to the blog of a Dutch urologist who, without attribution, posted my entire “SurgeryWatch” blog, wherein I explain that the original story about Austrian surgeons removing the gallbladder through the penis was a fabrication.

An anonymous comment on the Dutch blog reads ...

Sceptical Scalpel should be notified to the authorities to spread hoax news articles.

@goingtomedschool ‏tweeted







To elude the authorities, I have gone to a safe house [with Internet access].

8 comments:

Knot Telling said...

I *love* the Internet.

Ken & Carol said...

Those who cannot understand irony are condemned to repeat it. Or something like that.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

To Anonymous,

Personal attacks are not permitted in comments on this blog.

Anonymous said...

However, there are all those "natural orifice" surgeries, gallbladder removals and various other minor surgeries through the vaginal wall/pouch of douglas etc. I read about a oral approach too, all to avoid a tiny little incision! Also, the organization that seems to promote these surgeries is called NOSCAR: the natural orifice surgery consortium for assessment and research. Get it?? I'm pretty sure its the best acronym ever. If you have not commented on these before, what do you think about them?

Skeptical Scalpel said...

My satire about removing the gallbladder through the penis was my first venture into the world of natural orifice surgery.

I agree that it seems silly to violate a non-diseased organ to avoid a few scars mostly less than 1 inch long.

I hadn't heard of NOSCAR before. Like most acronyms, it is clumsily worded to produce the right letters.

Anonymous said...

Be careful, Keemosabe. As the Lone Ranger, the people may not know when it is satire and when it's the real deal.
Enjoying your blog, bacteria in the air and all. NOSCAR works, can we get a blog on BIGSCAR, KELOIDSCAR, ROCKYBALBOASCAR and, of course, LINSCAR. I know you're capable. Keep these blogs coming.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Yes, some readers were angry with me. I felt a little bad about that. For a couple of minutes. It's a blog. One tries out different stuff.

Anonymous said...

Dear Sceptical Scalpel. You shouldn´t feel bad about anything. You are doing a great job here!

What about claiming "Better Potency than open surgery" or "Improved continence by using this device compared to open surgery" in worldwide advertisements and in marketing of "the device", and all these claims being TOTALLY unsubstantiated and without any scientific evidence whatsoever!

WELL THEN IS THE TIME FOR READERS TO GET ANGRY!

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