This question was originally posted on Quora.com and was answered by Sid Schwab, Surgeon, newspaper Columnist, Vietnam Vet, author Don’t know if this qualifies as a moral dilemma, but I was asked to see a young girl, around six, for suspicion of appendicitis. The mom and another daughter were in the room, and even before I examined the girl, the mom informed me that doctors had failed to diagnose appendicitis in the other girl, and she’d suffered a ruptured appendix and nearly died. After examing the girl and checking her lab work, I was very certain she did not have it. I could see the terror on the mom’s face when I said so, obviously replaying what had happened to her other daughter. I promised I’d check the girl regularly, but for now I saw no reason to operate, or danger in waiting. As I left the room, the mom got on her knees and starting praying, had the other daughter do the same. And I thought, well, until this girl gets her appendix out, with every tummy ache she ever gets, she’s gonna be made to live in fear and her mom will, too. At the time, I was pretty new in practice, the young guy in town, and there are records kept about “unnecessary” surgery. So I had several factors to consider, some of which involved my interests above the family’s. I took it out, through my usual tiny incision. Took about 15 minutes. It was normal. The girl went home in less than 24 hours. Right decision, wrong decision. I really can’t say. But, to those who might think money entered into it, you’re wrong. Source
