Medicine — the science of the infinitely interesting. All the most interesting medical cases are somehow connected with a miracle: the miraculous capabilities of the human body, science or even human stupidity. Here are 10 stories, each of which safely could be part of the series “Dr. house”. Or, if you think well, any horror movie, writes “Popular Mechanics”.
Cramps from Sudoku. In 2008, 25-year-old man, riding on mountain skiing, got caught in an avalanche. Hip fracture and a ruptured spleen required hospitalization and treatment. But when it seemed that everything was over, discovered a new and very strange symptom. The victim, trying to occupy yourself in the hospital, took up Sudoku. And every time, trying to solve the puzzle, felt cramps in his left hand, which disappeared as soon as he had saved Sudoku. After a series of studies, doctors came to the conclusion that being buried in an avalanche, the patient spent some time without oxygen and suffered from hypoxia. The result was the damaged part of the brain responsible for spatial perception of information. A man solving Sudoku puzzle perceived as three-dimensional space, and it caused seizures. The doctors were able to give only one advice — to give up Sudoku.
The teeth of the brain. Doctors Maryland removed the four-month-old child has a brain tumor, which found numerous fully formed teeth. Benign — craniopharyngioma — develops from embryonic cells. That the tumor is formed from the same cells, and teeth, scientists have suspected before, finding it calcium. The described case was the first apparent evidence. By the way, there is another tumor, a teratoma, which may contain different tissues and even whole organs.
Potato contraceptive. In 2014, the young Colombian was hospitalized with acute abdominal pain. During the examination, the gynecologist found in the patient… potatoes. The young woman used a potato as a contraceptive and as a result, the plant took root and sprouted in the body. Doctors performed a simple, but unique operation. It is noteworthy that this method of contraception the woman was not invented by herself: she was advised his own mother. From this we can draw a sad conclusion about low level of health literacy.
Deadly pepper. Bhut Jolokia “pepper Ghost” is a sort of chilli, which is considered one of the most hot peppers in the world. The index of Hotness Scoville is estimated at 1 040 000 SHU (for comparison, Tabasco is rated 2500-5000 SHU and a jalapeno — 8,000 SHU). Peppers Bhut Jolokia is so sharp, that can cause temporary blindness. In 2016, the American, by participating in the contest, had a hamburger, covered with a puree of pepper. As a result, urgent hospitalization, a hole in the esophagus with a diameter of 2.5 cm and a collapsed lung. Fortunately, the man managed to save. But if it was not given immediate help, he could die.
Births in 70 years. The famous phrase “the clock is ticking”, urging women to give birth as early as possible, it may lose its relevance: in 2016 resident of India first became a mother at age 70, giving birth to a child from his 79-year-old wife. To get pregnant she managed after a two-year course of IVF. Of course, to bear children need good health, but science does not stand still, and who knows — maybe soon the term “young mother” will greatly shift their age limits.
Writer not the reader. July 31, 2001, canadian writer Howard Engel opened the morning newspaper and… couldn’t recognize letters. The text in their native language saw him like strange hieroglyphics. With all the clarity of consciousness the words are not expanded to the familiar childhood letters and turned into some kind of ligature that the brain could not read — that turned out to be one of the consequences of the recent stroke. With all the tragedy of the situation (writer, has lost the ability to read!) he continued his literary work. The brain of the author knew how to write words. Engel is still masterfully composed and could even record because this point was already working motor memory. The problems started when he tried to re-read written. Such violation reading called Alexia and is often accompanied by agraphia (inability to write) and aphasia (speech disorder) with full preservation of intelligence.
Green man — so it would be possible to call not only extraterrestrial beings, but people in China, which in 2013 suddenly turned green. Emerald stained not only the skin, but the whites of the eyes. What happened — vitamin deficiency, toxins, mutation? It turned out, the culprit of the cochlea. The patient daily eating the snails, which, as it turned out, was amazed by the parasites, eventually settled in the human liver, blocking the bile flow. The victim of the snails was successfully treated and released with the main recommendation: to properly prepare food.
Surgical marriage. In 2005, the 59-year-old American came out from under anesthesia after surgery on the thyroid gland. First it was struck by the pain that pierced all over the face and when you look in the mirror you couldn’t see: her face was disfigured. It turned out that the patient during surgery, accidentally suffered burns of second and third degree. Sounds crazy, but in fact such incidents are not uncommon. In the operating room and oxygen are used and the tools which are heated, and flammable substances — in General, a complete kit to make a sudden fire. Fire during the operations occur according to statistics 500-600 times per year and 20-30 of them end additional injuries to the patient.
Frostbite from compressed air. In 2015, 40-year-old American was taken to hospital with severe frostbite after hours and used three can of compressed air, which is inhaled involuntarily. Such contact caused severe swelling of the Airways and skin damage. Aerosol can of compressed air is often used in the home, including for cleaning electronics. Liquefied 1.1-defloratin contained in compressed air can cause frostbite and swelling.
Smartphone blindness. Do not worry: we are talking about temporary blindness. Several similar cases have been registered in the UK, and they all have the big picture. So, blindness occurred after using smartphone man lying on the side before going to sleep, was applied only in one eye and disappeared soon after waking up. The doctors came to the conclusion that the reason is the smartphone. When a person is lying on his side, he often does not realize that looks only with one eye, while the second is almost closed. It turns out that one of my eyes adjusting to the darkness and the bright screen. One only has to turn off the smartphone, the other eye focused on a bright light, temporarily loses the ability to see. A similar effect occurs when a person abruptly comes into a dark room from a brightly lit room. No reason to believe the smartphone threat to vision at the moment.
