Health

British doctor drops trousers on Everest

by Paul Conneally | January 8, 2009 at 12:18 pm

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At 27,559ft in winds blowing above 20-knots a British doctor drops his trousers not out of any sexual need to expose his privates to the elements on the highest mountain in the world but in the name of medical science.

Blood was taken and he was found to have the lowest ever blood oxygen level ever recorded.

The doctor was part of a team trying to find better treatments for patients with amongst other diseases, acute respiratory distress syndrome, cystic fibrosis and blue baby syndrome.

It may have been -25C, but one mountaineering doctor dropped his trousers on Everest and measured his blood oxygen level to find new treatments for his patients.

Anaesthetist Daniel Martin, who had a sample taken from his leg artery just 400m from the summit of the world's highest peak, was found to have the lowest blood oxygen level ever recorded.

His bloody oxygen measurement was previously thought to be incompatible with life, but despite this Dr Martin was walking and able to take samples from his nine mountaineering colleagues.

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Karenke4

at 15:11 on January 8th, 2009

Well that is one devoted doctor!

Terri Potratz

at 17:14 on January 8th, 2009

Interesting! Nice headline too.

Uwe Paschen

at 19:45 on January 8th, 2009

I am sure they could have done this in a lab simulator, may have been less fun though yet a lot cheeper. Makes you wonder though about the Oxygen levels in the blood. I would really like to read his research findings.

Paul Conneally

at 22:58 on January 8th, 2009

yes - blood oxygen levels at the figure sugested - 'the lowest ever recorded' are sat levels that life isn't supposed to be possible - very interesting