Friday, September 09, 2011

Why doctors need to learn to translate !

I just got this email from a patient.

" When i was child , I had a problem of testicles, that my both testicles were on the up sides. So I had done two operations from p.i.m.s Islamabad. One was completely successful. That doctor had done operation and shifted my left testicle on the exact place. I mean down side.

And when doctor had done another operation for my right testicle to shift that down side. Then doctor said that i have operated this testicle this will go sometime on down side. But the right one is still on the up side. But i do not feel any pain or any other problem in both testicles. But my left testicle is on the exact place. And right testicle is on the up side."

This patient has done an excellent job describing his problem - especially considering the fact that English is a second language for him.

What he means ( when translated into medicalese) is that he had undescended testes for which an orchidopexy was done; and the left testis has descended while the right testis is still intra-abdominal.

Once I can explain to him what the right medical terms are, he can now do a google search much more easily, to learn more about his problem !



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