[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KAxAk0iqE4&w=645&h=393]

The Princeternship program is a career exploration and student-alumni engagement program sponsored by Princeton University Career Services. It offers a unique opportunity for students to…

The first operation of the day was scheduled for 7:00 AM, so we're up at 5:30 and ready to meet Dr. Peterson in the Pre-Op waiting room by 6:30. After we introduced ourselves, Dr. Peterson took us to the locker room, where we changed into scrubs and masks before entering the Operation Room (OR). 

Our first patient was an elderly lady in need of a generator replacement. Certain patients suffering from severe nerve-related pain can undergo surgery to have small rechargeable generators implanted in their bodies. These generators are wired to a series of electrodes connected to the central nervous system, and by creating an electric field, they can interfere and effectively block pain signals to the brain. Our patient originally had her generator implanted in her lower back, but its position had been causing her increasing discomfort as her skin began to sag. Working together with Dr. Gandhi, Dr. Peterson removed the old generator, added extensions that were strung beneath the dermis to the abdomen, hooked the wires to the new generator, and inserted it into an incision just below the rib cage. At all times, an anesthesiologist closely monitored the patient's vitals and administered the necessary drugs for paralysis or stimulation. We were allowed to observe as Dr. Peterson explained the procedures for proper positioning, sterilization, radiology, and stitching of the different epidermal layers.

The three of us observed a neighboring operation with one of Dr. Pait's patients, a woman who had recently suffered a spinal fracture and needed to have two of her collapsed vertebrae removed and replaced with a titanium cage. In order to strengthen the spine during recovery, Dr. Pait  inserted metal screws into the vertebrae above and below the fracture by exposing the spinal cord from the back (posterior approach) and hammering holes into each pedicle. Using CT technology, the surgeons were able to render a spatial animation of their tools in relation to the patient's X-rays, making it much easier to carefully guide each screw deep into the bone without pinching nerves or the spinal canal. Once all the necessary screws were inserted, metal rods were strung through each screw to create an even stronger wire frame before the patient was stitched back together and sent back to recovery.