View Full Version : What is meatball surgery?


Chocolate Moose
02-12-2007, 05:37 PM
I never understood the concept...of course I'm not a doctor . . . . anyone?

M*A*R*G*A*R*E*T
02-12-2007, 06:37 PM
Of course I'm not one either ... but it's when the doctors treat the patient quickly just to get them stabilized until they can go back and fix the details later...but in M*A*S*H they just sent the patients to Seoul!

retrochick9
02-13-2007, 01:24 PM
Yep, they can't spend too much time on any one patient or many others will die. Just like when a new surgeon (like Charles) or visiting surgeon comes and they can't believe how quickly they are going through patients, they have no choice.

Chocolate Moose
02-13-2007, 01:46 PM
I'm sorry, but how does a meatball have anything to do with fixing up ppl fast?

M*A*R*G*A*R*E*T
02-13-2007, 05:37 PM
I'm pretty sure it's compared to a meatball because they're made really fast, and are just *made up of pieces of meat squashed together - the surgery is really fast, and (*I kind of made this one up) they're just piecing together pieces of meat!

TJL
02-13-2007, 07:01 PM
I'm sorry, but how does a meatball have anything to do with fixing up ppl fast?


Yeah, i've wondered that myself. I wonder who actually invented the phrase.

Chocolate Moose
02-13-2007, 08:47 PM
MaKES SENSe, explained that way . . . .thanks!

tdf4077
02-14-2007, 12:11 AM
Yeah, i've wondered that myself. I wonder who actually invented the phrase.

So totally out of boredom (snow days will do that), I looked up "meatball surgery" online...

Now, I know wikipedia's not always the most-accurate, but in this instance, it's interesting at least:

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/meatball_surgery

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefield_medicine

T-Greg
03-06-2007, 05:30 PM
Sloppy/messy.

M*A*R*G*A*R*E*T
03-07-2007, 09:43 PM
(Sorry to keep posting) I don't think it's really sloppy, otherwise you would kill the guys! Just fast..but accurate

tdf4077
03-08-2007, 09:05 PM
Well, unless T-Greg meant "Sloppy/messy" in terms of the working conditions?

M*A*R*G*A*R*E*T
03-21-2007, 07:27 PM
Well, unless T-Greg meant "Sloppy/messy" in terms of the working conditions?

I don't think the working conditions were messy either..maybe confusion at times, or inadequate supplies, but let's remember that the 4077th was supposed to have the top effiancy rate, as well as the number of lives saved in a MASH unit.

tdf4077
03-23-2007, 12:00 AM
Idk...i'm still thinking that dusty floors and all the grime is def. less sanitary than modern hospitals :)

Chocolate Moose
03-23-2007, 01:43 PM
I can’t look at meatballs the same way, again, now!

tdf4077
03-24-2007, 08:20 AM
lol! good call!

M*A*R*G*A*R*E*T
03-24-2007, 10:41 PM
Idk...i'm still thinking that dusty floors and all the grime is def. less sanitary than modern hospitals :)
That's true, I never thought about that..maybe someday T-Greg will come back and explain! Chocolate moose - :lol: