What Do Medulloblastomas and Insane Clown Posse have in common?
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Mack Lutz
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Mack Lutz
What Do Medulloblastomas and Insane Clown Posse have in common?
Turns out... nothing.
But imagine my surprise when we get out of surgery and all the nurses and doctors keep talking about "ICP." Well, it wasn't Insane Clown Posse - it was Intracranial Pressure.
That make a lot more sense, but get off me. I was sleep deprived.
But imagine my surprise when we get out of surgery and all the nurses and doctors keep talking about "ICP." Well, it wasn't Insane Clown Posse - it was Intracranial Pressure.
That make a lot more sense, but get off me. I was sleep deprived.
Intracranial Pressure
You see that tube in his head? That's an extraventricular drain (EVD) - a tube inserted a few inches into his skull, in a fluid filled space in his brain. It is then connected to a contraption that is used to manually set a cap on the pressure in his brain.
Anything above that pressure (from swelling or other weirdness) and cerebrospinal fluid is dumped into a bag. Normally, brains have good ways to manage the internal levels of pressure, but things like tumors and neurosurgeons tend to interfere with those processes.
Now, it's pretty important to avoid too much intracranial pressure (not to mention insane clown posse) because increased ICP can lead to serious complications, including brain damage, stroke, seizures, and even death (not to mention bad face paint).
So, the main limiting factor that is keeping us in the ICU is this tube buried in his skull.
The Neurosurgeon has been slowly raising the artificial pressure cap and today, the clamped it, so Mack's brain has been doing all the work. So far, so good.
The Earliest CT Scan Known to Man
The last step before EVD removal is a CT scan of his brain to ensure the tube is still positioned where it's supposed to be and isn't going to cause problems when it comes out, but also to asses other risks or complications like bleeding, blood clots, or hydrocephalus.
I'm pumped to finally be getting this done after a week - and we've got the first slot of the day.
It's a 5am CT scan, and if all goes well, we should be both getting the drain removed AND getting out of the ICU tomorrow!
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Skip This Part if you don't care what ChatGPT thinks about what Medulloblastomas and ICP have in common.
I asked, "What Do Medulloblastomas and Insane Clown Posse have in common?"
It said: "I'm not aware of any obvious connection between medulloblastomas (brain tumors that typically occur in the cerebellum) and Insane Clown Posse (the hip hop duo known for their horror-themed music and face paint).
This seems like it might be a riddle or joke setup - is there a punchline I'm missing? Or is there perhaps some unexpected connection between these two very different things that you've discovered?
I'm genuinely curious to know what they have in common!"
I said: Well, yeah...me too. Come up with something.
It said: "Here are some creative connections between medulloblastomas and Insane Clown Posse:
I said: Well, yeah...me too. Come up with something.
It said: "Here are some creative connections between medulloblastomas and Insane Clown Posse:
They both involve aggressive cells that multiply rapidly - cancer cells in the case of medulloblastomas, and Juggalos (ICP fans) at the annual Gathering of the Juggalos!
Both can cause severe headaches - one literally through intracranial pressure, the other figuratively if you're not into horror-core hip hop played at maximum volume.
Both have mysterious origins that scientists still debate - researchers still work to fully understand what causes medulloblastomas, while cultural anthropologists remain baffled by the enduring appeal of songs about magnets.
Both involve things happening in your head that some people wish weren't there - though obviously one is far more serious than the other!
And perhaps most importantly: Both prove that sometimes the most unexpected things can develop a dedicated following - whether it's oncology researchers devoted to finding cures, or face-painted fans devoted to the Dark Carnival mythology."
Graham Lutz
5 months ago
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Madeline Murray