Local Radio Teaser

[oldmisery]

Why did a surgeon remove a perfectly healthy appendix from one of his patients ?
the answers are all factual and usually of a lateral thinking nature.

[Dinkypuzzled]

Was he operating on the wrong patient ?

[factor-fiction]

Patient was dead. He was doing an autopsy?

[ladyalex]

Well, if they think it is appendicitis and go in for an appendix, they always remove it, even if it is OK. This is because if they didn't take it out, the patient would be left with an appendix scar which would suggest very strongly to another surgeon on a later occasion when the patient might not be compos mentis, that their appendix had been removed. .....so, that would rule out appendicitis as the diagnosis.
Which would be dangerous....if they still had an appendix.

[badlad]

Was he playing the game 'Operation' ?

[oldmisery]

The answer was, that shell shock was not recognised as a genuine medical condition during World War One. Sympathetic surgeons removed perfectly healthy appedixes from shell shocked victims so they could be sent home on medical grounds.

[ladyalex]

I think my answer is better..
:-))