Devil is in the details

A forerunner poet, Pampa, from the pre-Shakespearan era of Karnataka, wrote this beautiful poem:

ಚಾಗದ ಭೋಗದಕ್ಕರದ ಗೇಯದ ಗೊಟ್ಟಿಯಲಂಪಿ ನಿಂಪುಗ 

ಳ್ಗಾರವಾದ ಮಾನಿಸರೆ ಮಾನಿಸರಂತವರಾಗಿ ಪುಟ್ಟಲೇ 

ನಾಗಿಯುಮೇನೊ ತೀರ್ದಪುದೇ ತೀರದೊಡಂ ಮರಿದುಂಬಿಯಾಗಿ ಮೇಣ್‌ 

ಕೋಗಿಲೆಯಾಗಿ ಪುಟ್ಟುವುದು ನಂದನದೊಳ್‌ ಬನವಾಸಿ ದೇಶದೊಳ್‌….

It means, even if I am stabbed again and again with a bullhook (Ankush), I still like to be born over and over again in this beautiful land full of sacrifice, splendour, joy, riches, musical concerts, and academic conferences, at least as a honeybee or a cuckoo. The Covid-19 snatched all my international travel and handed me a streak of the local tour. Most intimate was a visit to Banavasi, the first known capital of the ancient Karnataka state. That is where Pampa lived, and the lord Madhukeshwara Temple is situated.

The Madhukeshwara temple is a magnificent architectural feat. Every stone carving is stunningly beautiful. However, the most astonishing piece of work is the carving of Nandi (Bullock), located in front of Lord Shiva temple. At the outset, it appears as if Nandi is guarding Lord Shiva. But if you go to Goddess Parvathi’s temple, you will get the impression that one of the eyes of Nandi is watching over Goddess Parvathi also! I got a feeling that wherever I stood, the Nandi was staring at me! There are many such wonders in this temple. So how did those sculpturists pay attention to even the minutest detail and achieve such perfection?  

“Michael, with all due respect,” the tailor says, “I made the original jacket. And I made these four replicas. Everything is sourced and constructed exactly as it was forty years ago.”

“Something’s off,” Michael says, “it’s not right.”

As the debate intensifies, it suddenly hits Michael.

“I see the problem,” Michael eurekas, pointing to Mohammed Ali’s collar in the photo. “The stitching on the collar of the replicas is single thread; but look, in the photo, the stitching is double thread. “The tailor squints and realizes that Michael is correct. He then remembers that in the mid-1970s, the fabric of the thread changed, and he stopped using the double-stitching technique. He shook Michael’s hand and set off to make the jacket . . . right.”

“As it turns out, Michael Mann is a savant-level researcher. I had never before (nor since) met a more thorough cinematic scientist.”  

That was Will Smith recounting his experience with the director of his film – Ali, in his Autobiography – Will. Some outliers would go to any extent to reach that perfectionism. I had read similar stories about the acclaimed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, of Seven Samurai fame. For example, he wanted to create an authentic-looking clinic set that appears properly ravaged by time for the film Red Beard. So he asked his assistants to dismantle rotten wood from old movie sets and then create the prop from scratch. For the same movie, he needed old and stained teacups. When such old teacups couldn’t be sourced on time, he asked his crew to dip the new teacups into more than fifty years’ worth of tea until they appeared ancient and stained.  

Even more exciting anecdote is from the movie Throne of Blood shooting. In one scene, lead actor Toshiro Mifune is attacked with arrows by his own people. As he ran, the director Akira made archers shoot real arrows toward the actor from about ten feet. And to avoid being hit, the actor was asked to run carefully along with the chalk marks on the ground. Fortunately, he escaped being hit, with some arrows missing him only by an inch. Nevertheless, the actor later admitted that he was not merely acting. Actually, he was terrified and even suffered nightmares later.

Today, Dr. ABR Desai, a legendary Otologist, has left us to join the heavenly abode. I didn’t have any personal acquaintance with him. However, I have heard countless stories about how he used to stress upon even the minutest detail when is operating. The most amazing fact is that he performed an audiogram in the operation theatre following stapedotomy surgery. God bless his soul and give enough strength to his family members to survive his loss.  

One gets a similar impression with maverick surgeons such as Dr Meghanath, Dr Vijayendra, Dr Baser and a score of others are operating. While demonstrating a surgery, they will address every minute detail required to accomplish a flawless operation. Recently Dr. Meghanath showed FESS surgery on our first episode of “Weekend with a Maestro”. The amount of attention he paid for each surgical step is incredible, and when such masters are in action, it’s a pleasure to watch.

There is a big debate over having the big picture or attending to minor details. Accomplished American Biologist Leroy Hood quotes, “If you just focus on the smallest details, you never get the big picture right.” However, I have observed that students who understand every minute and intricate detail of a procedure learn surgery quickly. Conversely, those who concentrate only on the big picture falters. Famous sculptor Michaelangelo, who painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling, said, “Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.” Michaelangelo worked on every minute detail for long hours, which otherwise looked trivial for others. When we are operating on a live patient, nothing is inessential. Former CEO of Citigroup Sanford I. Weill rightly emphasized, “Details create the big picture.”    

Corporate diva Nita Ambani passionately explains, “My husband Mukesh Ambani is that rare man who is blessed with the ability to see the big picture but will not ignore the smallest detail. He will work an 18-hour day and still find time to help the kids with their homework.” Hence please ignore the statement, “Don’t sweat the small stuff!” and embrace “Devil is in the details.”   

“Every surgery should be like a painting on the Sistine chapel, and every surgeon should be a Michaelangelo!” thus spake PNB!  

Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. Unexpected events have forced us to postpone “Superficial parotidectomy” to 6th February 2022. This weeks’ topic will be “Trans-sphenoidal Pituitary Surgery.” It’s an excellent opportunity to understand how a devilish attitude of a maestro in addressing every surgical detail. Please click this link to join us this weekend, Sunday, 23rd January 2022, 06.00 -08.00 pm – IST, for our “Weekend with a Maestro!” program:    

With best regards, 

Prof. Dr. Prahlada N.B

+91-9342310854

[email protected]