From: Nick Balaskas <nikolaos@YorkU.CA>
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 14:05:52 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)
Fwd Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 14:19:40 -0400
Subject: Re: Removing Metal Implants?


>From: Ben Field <ben@abcfield.force9.co.uk>
>To: <updates@globalserve.net>
>Subject: Removing Metal Implants?
>Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 19:35:33 +0100

>To all,

>I received the email below and was wondering if anyone new of
>someone, a doctor, that would remove this type of thing, I guess
>he would be able to ask his doctor if he would remove it, and
>ask for the peice of metal back afterwards, would anyone now of
>someone that may be able to analyse this material also.


Hi Ben.

From my experience, it has not been difficult to find a surgeon
that would be willing to remove any foreign objects unless there
was some medical risk that would not justify the surgery.
Foreign objects that can be felt and are just under the skin can
even be removed at a general practioner's office.

If it is suspected that the foreign object may be something very
unusual (eg. an alien implant), I would suggest that the doctor
place it a sealed container and arrange to have it given
directly to someone who has contacts in the forensic sciences,
so that it can be examined and tested properly.

With a single x-ray, even doctors will not be able to tell you
the location of the foreign object within the body.  It is not
uncommon to have x-rays show foreign objects that were not even
in the patient's body.  For example, one patient's x-ray showed
what looked like a large nail in his brain when he was being
examined for possible head injuries.  The nail turned out to be
in the board that the patient's head was resting on.

If I can be of further help, please contact me directly.

Nick Balaskas