RUSSIA, 2015 Russian climber with the nickname “Che” performed self-surgery in a desolate winter wilderness on the slope of a mountain. He used only basic items from his first aid kit.
Che
He was hit by a falling icicle, which caused him a hematoma. Because of it, he had a large swelling on his leg that caused him pain and he could not continue the climb. Additionally, he risked pulmonary embolism or myocardial infarction.
After evaluating the situation, he concluded that performing self-surgery would be the most reasonable solution. Using a scalpel, he made an incision and pressed the blood clot out. He disinfected the scalpel using fire and used snow as anesthesia. Then he disinfected the wound with hydrogen peroxide and sewed it up with a surgical needle.
When he got back to civilization, doctors praised his procedure very much. He even did not have a large scar there. In later interviews, he said that it is always worth having a scalpel and surgical needle in the first aid kit.
