Comments on: Grey’s Anatomy Mishandles Heart Valve Surgery

By: Mary Anne

Mary Anne — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:32:40 +0000

I Love Gray’s Anatomy – but was also disturbed by the botched surgery. I had Aortic vavle replacement in June – my husband had Mitral valve replacement in November. So, I was glad that I knew better – that was not the way things happened. If it had been a year ago when I was debating which valve to choose and was scared to death of the words “open heart surgery”, I know it would have scared me in the state of mind I was in. I know it is just a TV show, but they should show more thought as to how their audience can be affected by the subject matter. Seeing that episode may make a person who is weighing the options think twice about making the right choice – Mary Anne

By: Cindy

Cindy — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:55:55 +0000

Last year as SOON as I knew I would be having heart surgery I refused to watch ANY “medical” shows … So from Oct. until surgery in Feb. I just left the room if any were on!! They all have WAY too much blood gushing for me anyway.

By: Don Henry

Don Henry — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:33:50 +0000

To Midge: My wife agrees with you; however it is hard for me to watch surgeons in an operating room talking about their exploits that week while a serious surgery is happening. The only conversation should be about the surgery. I don’t find it funny or entertaining when it comes to any kind of surgery, even if this is a TV show and they are actors. It would be much better if the funny stuff about their love lives etc were in a bar or somewhere else and out of OR and then I would consider it entertaining. I don’t see much drama is this show. It certainly doesn’t depict surgeons well. I did not see the episode about the AVR, thank GOD.

By: Midge

Midge — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:19:10 +0000

Hey, everybody, let’s lighten up. This is a TV show and is meant to entertain, not inform. Is your love life guided by the daytime soap operas? Of course not, and your medical decisions shouldn’t be guided by what you see on medical TV programs…it’s about drama, not reality. There are some programs on TV that are meant to be more realistic and informative, but most of them are identified as such. I love Grey’s but know it for what it is–really stupid entertainment and sometimes that is just what I want.

Midge

By: Don Henry

Don Henry — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:52:00 +0000

My wife watches Grey’s Anatomy, but it is so unrealistic and stupid I cannot watch it. Can you imagine being operated on by any of those clowns , who play surgeons? Let’s get real folks.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:39:57 +0000

As an RN and heart valve patient, most anything medical in the movies and on TV is blatantly inaccurate. It drives me crazy. Cardiology is a real sticking point, I usually end up screaming at the screen at the stupidity of their actions. Alas, they are just looking for drama, a good story, and to make money. If it were real life the mortality rate would be very high for on screen patients. I do my best to avoid watching “medical shows”.

By: Amy Machtay

Amy Machtay — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:33:10 +0000

Thank you for speaking up. I didn’t see this episode, but this report doesn’t surprise me. I was a fan of the show for awhile, but the over-dramatization of essentially everything in life was just a little too much for me. The writers and producers can’t hold a candle to Michael Creighton and ER.

By: jerry

jerry — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:50:09 +0000

Can you clarify a bit? Why did they portray her debate as silly, and did they offer some sort of choice of their own?

And I agree with you that all too often tv shows get the details way wrong, but sometimes they do do a good thing. Way way back when, we saw Jack Klugman use Quincy MD to lobby for funding of orphan drugs, and in my family, that was a very good thing indeed.

By: Robin Hirsch

Robin Hirsch — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:31:16 +0000

As a tv cameraman I have had many experiences shooting nonsense under the guise of reality or entertainment. A medical show though carries a certain responsibility for accuracy. I would urge you to contact the producers, network, and sponsors and raise an objection. You are absolutely right. Watching a show like that could easily discourage surgery in someone who desperately needs it and potentially cost lives. All in the name of entertainment….disgusting.

By: Goodsport

Goodsport — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:45:57 +0000

The wife watches that crap and I’ve caught enough going in and out of the room to realize that the producers should be sued for theatrical malpractice.

If the scripts are discouraging needy patients from seeking legitimate help, the show is doing a disservice to the medical community.

If I knew there was that much screwing around at my hospital, I’d find someplace else to go. So much for trash TV.