[2012-Sep-13] Why are SMBC dads so terrible.

[Sentient AI]

I mean seriously. They're all monsters.
Albeit hilarious monsters, but all the same monsters.

[Anon21]

I know that whenever I encounter a person, the very first thing I notice is whether or not they're breathing.

But no, I'm sure it totally makes sense, Zach. Good work.

[Anon]

We have it! It's called ECMO!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extracorpo ... xygenation

[rwwright]

Easily the least funny SMBC of all time.

[FarleShadow]

Anon and his ECMO post, I thought precisely the same thing.

Pretty boring use of that tech though. Whoo! dads not breathing but is still somehow alive!!?!.....
BORRRRING. Lets play Tetris.

[angus beef]

So this is a bit of semantics, but "intravenous oxygen" is probably not what Zach means. If any significant amount of oxygen or gas similar to air is injected into a vein, the result is an almost-instantaneous air embolism to the lung - since the venous circulation passes through the right heart and into the capillaries of the lung, where it will become lodged and prevent continued circulation, and therefore oxygenation of the rest of the body. In other words - catastrophic and possibly fatal. What Zach means is oxygenation of the arteries without oxygenation of the lungs. As previous posters pointed out, ECMO is essentially taking venous de-oxygenated blood and bypassing the heart/lung into an "oxygenating" machine, and then back into the arterial circulation. I'm not sure of any way to describe this with finesse suitable for a comic strip, though.

Keep up the good work, Zach!

- M.D.

[Jewlian]

What's the point of having kids if you're not gonna troll them?

[jkono29]

I wonder if it would be possible to stop breathing through the lungs. Will oxygenated blood suppress the reflex to continue inhaling/exhaling? Seems to me that our bodies likely evolved to panic when the lungs aren't actively working (not just panic when organs aren't receiving oxygen).

[Lethal Interjection]

The Sirens of Titan.

[FarleShadow]

I wonder if it would be possible to stop breathing through the lungs. Will oxygenated blood suppress the reflex to continue inhaling/exhaling? Seems to me that our bodies likely evolved to panic when the lungs aren't actively working (not just panic when organs aren't receiving oxygen).

The body can't detect oxygen in the blood, it works by detecting carbon dioxide (I think its due to dissolved CO2 making the blood more acidic, not sure bout that though), so provided the machine REMOVES CO2 then you shouldn't get the reflex.

[Guest]

How relevant!

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science ... e-10087551

[smiley_cow]

And here I am using my lungs like a sucker.

[DonRetrasado]

And here I am using my lungs like a sucker.

And how come everyone has a bed pan and I have to walk all the way over there!

[Jewlian]

STOP QUOTING THE SIMPSONS YOU UNORIGINAL HACKS!!!111

[DonRetrasado]

"STOP QUOTING THE SIMPSONS YOU UNORIGINAL HACKS!!!111"-Lisa Simpson (off The Simpsons)