First Zero-Gravity Surgery a Success
MattSparkes writes "Slashdot reported earlier this week that the first ever zero gravity surgery was to take place. Today the team of doctors successfully carried out the operation, removing a benign tumour from the forearm of a 46-year-old volunteer.
"Now we know that a human being can be operated on in space without too many difficulties," team leader Dominique Martin said after the flight.
The studies show that minor surgery is possible even during long-term inhabitation of space."
The presence of lots of blood is already a problem. It tends to pool, obstucting the surgeons view. That's why they have suction mechanisms. Suction is still valid in micro-gravity.
I don't expect space operating theatres to look anything like Star Trek VI, with blood drops drifting about aimlessly.