In 1995, a well-known orthopedic surgeon named Angus Wallace saved a woman’s life during a flight from Hong Kong to London.
Earlier that day, Paula Dixon had been in a motorcycle accident on her way to the airport. She was injured but decided to take the flight anyway. While the plane was flying 10 km above the ground, she suddenly started having severe chest pain.
Dr. Wallace was called to help and quickly figured out what was wrong. One of her broken ribs had punctured her lung, causing a dangerous condition called a pneumothorax. If not treated, it could be life-threatening.
With no medical equipment available, he had to get creative. Using only a coat hanger, a catheter, and a bottle of brandy, he performed an emergency procedure. He carefully inserted a tube into her chest to release the trapped air.
Within minutes, Paula Dixon felt much better. After finishing the procedure, Wallace took a sip of the remaining brandy and joked, “I can tell I needed it.”