# Who gets the trophy after surgery" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-trophy-after-surgery/610308 "2012-01-22T16:02:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-trophy-after-surgery/610308/1 "2012-01-22T16:02:29Z")
Inspired by this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14694031&posted=1#post14694031) I wonder who gets the man’s nail. Is there any legal precedent establishment ownership of things removed from a persons body? Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-trophy-after-surgery/610308/2 "2012-01-22T16:14:24Z")
If it’s evidence of a crime, the police get it. If it could be evidence of something pathological in the body’s system (like a cancer), it will get sent to pathology for testing. If it’s removed during a surgical procedure where it can be used in the surgical repair of something else, it will be. My son’s extra rib was cut up and used to splint some vertebrae together during his spinal fusion surgery. If it’s something that could get another person sick, it will be destroyed by the hospital according to hazardous biological waste protocols. If it’s not of any use to the hospital or police and it’s not dangerous for you to own and you ask for it, they’ll often give it to you. I’ve got one friend who has her gallbladder in a jar. If you don’t ask for it, they dispose of it. Technically. In reality, I know a few ER docs with some rather interesting “trophies”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-trophy-after-surgery/610308/3 "2012-01-22T18:21:39Z")
When I was in training, the pathology lab got a specimen that consisted of a length of steel girder (the patient was a construction worker who fell and impaled himself on it). Path labs at which I’ve worked over the years have gotten a fair number of interesting foreign objects, ranging from medical devices that had to be removed for various reasons, metallic items ingested by disturbed individuals, appliances of a personal sort that were inappropriately inserted and a large brussels sprout that was obstructing a patient’s small intestine. After suitable documentation all went for disposal. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-trophy-after-surgery/610308/4 "2012-01-22T19:12:06Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > and a large brussels sprout that was obstructing a patient’s small intestine. > > After suitable documentation all went for disposal. So, George Bush was right! Still, I’m on the “love 'em” side. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-trophy-after-surgery/610308/5 "2012-01-22T21:43:13Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > So, George Bush was right! > Still, I’m on the “love 'em” side. Bush I hated broccoli. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-trophy-after-surgery/610308/6 "2012-01-22T21:59:49Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > Bush I hated broccoli. Right. I regret my mistake. Broccoli is the one I like, brussel sprout is okay if cooked right. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-the-trophy-after-surgery/610308/7 "2012-01-22T23:27:01Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Broccoli is the one I like, brussel sprout is okay if cooked right. I’ve never met a vegetable that _wasn’t_ OK if cooked right, but I’ve always thought broccoli fares pretty badly at the hands of the over-cookers. It doesn’t get the sulfurous stench Brussels sprouts do, but it doesn’t exactly end up edible.