Meningitis
Let just I say, I truly not impressed with the public health registrar who has no medical training at all.
Had a definite case of bacterial meningitis today. Probably the longest time of lumbar puncture I ever done, had to swap mid-way whilst getting the cerebrospinal fluid sample cos my back is killing me. Ended up having to use the smallest gauge of needle cos all the black (can't remember the gauge) ones are gone; its either that or a big giant spinal needle. The cerebrospinal fluid is very turbid, very thick. 1 drop takes about a minute and a half to come out from the needle, no matter how much I adjust the spinal needle. 3 bottles collected. The result is typical textbook bacterial meningitis with at least 2.5 gram protein and 3100 white cells in it..
Yes, I knew the management is different between pneumococcal and meningicoccal. Yes, we can see gram positive, pictures looking more like pneumococcal but there is no way I can 100% rule out meningicoccal. Possible, probable, its all sound the same to me. Apparently possible and probable meant different things to public health, and it doesn't help this person has zero medical training.
Nothing is ever hundred percent in medicine. Doesn't make any easier for me whose job is to make some really important decision in many people life...sometimes the balance hang on what will kill the patient first. Awful, isn't it?
Had a definite case of bacterial meningitis today. Probably the longest time of lumbar puncture I ever done, had to swap mid-way whilst getting the cerebrospinal fluid sample cos my back is killing me. Ended up having to use the smallest gauge of needle cos all the black (can't remember the gauge) ones are gone; its either that or a big giant spinal needle. The cerebrospinal fluid is very turbid, very thick. 1 drop takes about a minute and a half to come out from the needle, no matter how much I adjust the spinal needle. 3 bottles collected. The result is typical textbook bacterial meningitis with at least 2.5 gram protein and 3100 white cells in it..
Yes, I knew the management is different between pneumococcal and meningicoccal. Yes, we can see gram positive, pictures looking more like pneumococcal but there is no way I can 100% rule out meningicoccal. Possible, probable, its all sound the same to me. Apparently possible and probable meant different things to public health, and it doesn't help this person has zero medical training.
Nothing is ever hundred percent in medicine. Doesn't make any easier for me whose job is to make some really important decision in many people life...sometimes the balance hang on what will kill the patient first. Awful, isn't it?
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