Flatline to Lifeline With Dr. Long
by Dr. William Long, M.D.
Consider a world where increasing survival rates in patients typically deemed dead on arrival could be the norm. Is dead actually dead? Is it an assumption or a fact? In Flatline to Lifeline we explore the very real potential for survival within the medical field of trauma and near-death experiences. During his 50-year career, Dr. Long and his team radically altered the approach to trauma care by applying simple principles in profound ways. We hope to educate the general public and inspire medical practices worldwide to acknowledge and adopt these life-saving approaches to trauma care, because when the need is greatest for the patient, saving time saves lives.
Episodes
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Shot in the Face Part 3: Reconstructing Hope with Dr. Eric Dierks & Dr. Larry Over
An extraordinary medical journey unfolds as devastating trauma—a 17-year-old girl's shotgun blast to the face—is transformed into renewed hope through groundbreaking facial reconstruction. Dr. Long welcomes special guests Dr. Eric Dierks, an oral maxillofacial and ENT surgeon, and Dr. Larry Over…
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Shot in the Face Part 2: A Miraculous Survival Story with Dr. Mark Buehler & Dr. Bryce Potter
What happens when a 17-year-old girl arrives at the trauma center with her face destroyed by a shotgun blast? In this episode, we explore an extraordinary case that demonstrates why specialized expertise and immediate intervention make all the difference between life and death. The shotgun injury...
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Shot in the Face Part 1: A Miraculous Survival Story with Dr. Potter
Caution: Graphic Medical Content. Listener Discretion Advised A shotgun blast to the face at close range should've been fatal. Everything between her eyebrows and upper teeth was gone—eyes, nose, mid-face—yet somehow, a 17-year-old girl survived. This is the first episode in a three-part series...
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The Hard Place to Die: Saving a Cop with a Hole in His Skull
A police officer is shot point-blank in the face during a routine traffic stop, the .38 caliber bullet severing his internal carotid artery at the base of his skull. Most wouldn't survive this catastrophic injury, but at Emanuel Hospital—a place Dr. Bryce Potter describes as "a hard place to...
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Surviving a Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound with Dr. Bryce Potter
In this compelling episode of Flatline to Lifeline, Dr. Bill Long welcomes his longtime colleague Dr. Bryce Potter, a remarkable specialist with dual MD and DMD degrees, to explore how specialized training and innovative systems change patient outcomes. Dr. Potter represents a rare breed of…
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When Every Second Counts: A Motorcycle Officer's Survival Story with Dr. Jeff Chen
When a motorcycle police officer collided with an SUV at 50 mph, his survival chances seemed slim. With fixed, dilated pupils—a classic sign of severe brain trauma—the clock was ticking. In this riveting exploration of emergency neurosurgery, Dr. Bill Long and special guest Dr. Jeff Chen, former...
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Down but Not Completely Out: A High School Boxing Champion's Brush with Traumatic Brain Death
Every second counts when a young boxing champion collapses unconscious in the ring. With his brain hemorrhaging and pressure building inside his skull, his life hangs by a thread. This is the story of a race against time, innovative medical thinking, and the power of teamwork in trauma care. Dr....
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Beyond the Bedside: How Advocacy Transforms Care
In this poignant and insightful episode, Dr. Bill Long and host Will welcome special guests, producer Lindsey Kealey and organizational guru Esther McDonald, for a candid roundtable discussion as Season Four of Flatline to Lifeline begins. Moving beyond immediate shock trauma, this conversation...
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Flatline to Lifeline Returns: Season 4 Update
We're thrilled to announce that Flatline to Lifeline is officially returning for Season 4! Thank you for your patience, loyal listeners. We haven't forgotten you! Get ready for more compelling case studies and insights into the revolutionary trauma care pioneered by Dr. Long. We'll be diving…
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Breaking Barriers in Rural Trauma Medicine
Ever wondered how trauma care can reach the most remote corners of our country? Joining us today is Dr. John Hill, the brilliant mind alongside Dr. Bill Long, who pioneered the Mobile Surgical Transport Team (MSTT) in Oregon. Discover how their innovative approach has revolutionized trauma care…
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Trapped in the Blizzard: Learning Ramifications of the Mount Hood Climbing Disaster
Join us for a gripping recap of the 1986 Mount Hood disaster on Flatline to Lifeline. Listen as Dr. Bill Long takes us through the bone-chilling events, describing the blizzard that ensnared a group of high school students and faculty, turning an annual expedition into a catastrophe. Dr. Long...
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Organ Donation Ethics
Balancing on the tightrope of life and death, we delve into the ethical quandaries of critical care. Listen to Dr. Long's and Dr. Hill’s insights into the moral complexities medical professionals face, especially when personal beliefs intersect with broader ethical standards. Through a case...
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Pinned Down and Burned Up
In this episode we share a case study of a young woman who survived a devastating car crash, thanks to Dr. Long’s use of cardiopulmonary bypass . We explore the differences between various types of burns and the extreme impacts of chemical and electrical injuries. This episode covers it all,...
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Shotgun Blast to the Chest: A Rural Trauma Survival Story
Prepare to be inspired by the innovations of Dr. Bill Long and Dr. John Hill, the "Cardiac Cowboys," who have revolutionized trauma care. You'll gain deep insights into their use of the portable cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) machine, a game-changer in emergency medicine that has saved countless...
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Crushed by Construction: Hemorrhagic Shock and Pulmonary Failure
What if the key to saving lives in critical moments lies in the blend of mechanical precision and human compassion? Join us as we uncover the extraordinary journey of Dr. Bill Long and Dr. John Hill, two trailblazers in trauma care whose partnership began in the fast-paced world of Southern...
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Development of the Portable Cardiopulmonary Bypass Machine and Reapplication of Use for Trauma and Other Emergencies
Join us on this enlightening episode of Flatline to Lifeline as Dr. Bill Long unpacks the complexities of fluid dynamics in medicine. We'll draw intriguing parallels between the cardiovascular system and electrical circuits, making sense of blood flow and pressure gradients. Understand how these...
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Blunt Chest Trauma Causing a Thrombosis of a Vein Graft to the “Widow Maker” Coronary Artery
In a small Oregon coastal fishing port, a 60 y.o. male fell from a ladder on a pier trying to get into his boat. He fell 6 feet breaking his sternum, causing a cardiac arrest. The fall was witnessed by 3 men who hoisted him to the top of the pier, where EMTs awaited him. The man wasn’t breathing,...
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Playing Hearts Without Cards: Blunt Chest Trauma With Hernia of the Heart
Case study of a 22 y.o. male driver of car, head on collision on an interstate highway, blunt chest trauma, rupture of pericardium with herniation of heart into left pleural cavity The accident occurred not far from The Dalles, an Oregon town on the Columbia River about a 1 ½ hour drive from...
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Making the Most of Life and Limb Threatening Injuries in a Remote Rural Setting by Mobilizing Local and Regional Resources to Obtain an Unexpected Survivor
Penetrating Trauma (.22 rifle bullet at close range) with injury to left common iliac artery & vein with initial stabilization by emergency physician in a very rural hospital in Lakeview, Oregon Josh, a 16 y.o. boy, was going to hunt squirrels with his .22 rifle. He drove his car to a ranch…
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Saving Lives and Limbs
Case Study: Temporizing Balloon Angioplasty and Embolectomy for a Blunt Trauma Thrombosed Left Common Iliac Artery at a Rural Level 3 Trauma Center A 36 year-old lady and her husband from New York were vacationing on the northern Oregon Coast when an oncoming car crashed into their car and their...
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Shot Through the Heart
Case Study of a Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound to the Heart in a Very Rural Setting This episode includes a discussion of a mathematical description of the severity of the three worst injuries in a trauma patient, the Injury Severity Score, developed by Susan Baker at Johns Hopkins Hospital and…
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Learning From Failure: Teamwork, Humility, & Lessons in Medicine
This episode, packed with an edge-of-your-seat medical scenario and compelling discussions, will encourage you to envision a world where there's always a glimmer of hope, even in the face of failure. Dr. Long brings his 50-year medical journey to life as he delves into the intricacies of board...
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Revolutionizing Trauma Care with the Mobile Surgical Transport Team
Welcome to season two of Flatline to Lifeline! Join us in this episode for a conversation about the events that changed the way some emergency treatments can be approached, somewhat akin to improving the performance of a football team. We explore the concept of the Golden Hour and how medical…
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Crushed Liver... Ride It Out
Motor Vehicle Crash (Pickup Truck vs. Telephone Pole) This accident happened in the Fall of 1983. At the time of impact, the restrained teenage female driver’s upper torso moved forward and hit the steering wheel. The transformer crashed through the roof, hit her in the mid back, and crushed her...
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Death From Cold Water Immersion
Motorcycle Crash in Oregon Coast Mountains Resulting in Paraplegia and Prolonged Immersion in Near Freezing Water and Death From Severe Hypothermia This young man, riding his motorcycle on trails in the Coastal mountains during the wintertime, lost traction and rolled down a steep hill, hit a…
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Drowning & Aspiration of Sand & Saltwater
Survival of Salt Water and Sand Aspiration This middle-aged woman drove her SUV to a beach on the Oregon coast to watch the ocean in a winter storm. She parked her vehicle on the beach, about 100 yards from the surf. A “sneaker” wave, much larger than usual, swept up the beach and washed her…
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Pediatric Cold Fresh Water Drowning
Pediatric Cold Fresh Water Drowning in a Portland Metro Area Case Study Summary This 4-year-old boy got away from his mother and disappeared near an area where Johnson Creek meanders and drains the foot hills of the Cascade mountains in Clackamas County on its way to the Willamette River. This...
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Rural Trauma, a Race Against Time
Rural Trauma Road Traffic Accident in SW Washington State Case Study This young man was the sole occupant in a car at an intersection, when his car was “t-boned” by another vehicle with a drunk driver. The accident was witnessed by other drivers who called on their cell phones to get help. Rural...
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Death From Profound Hypothermia and Hemorrhagic Shock
Mt. Adams Rescue A college climbing party was descending from the summit. An estimated 400 pound boulder broke free from ice and rolled down the mountain striking a 19 y.o. girl on the back, breaking ribs, thoracic spines, and shattering her pelvis. She was conscious, and moving her limbs. She...
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Introducing: Flatline to Lifeline With Dr. Long
Consider a world where increasing survival rates in patients typically deemed dead on arrival could be the norm. Is dead actually dead? Is it an assumption or a fact? In Flatline to Lifeline we explore the very real potential for survival within the medical field of trauma and near-death...
About this show
Consider a world where increasing survival rates in patients typically deemed dead on arrival could be the norm. Is dead actually dead? Is it an assumption or a fact? In Flatline to Lifeline we explore the very real potential for survival within the medical field of trauma and near-death experiences.
During his 50-year career, Dr. Long and his team radically altered the approach to trauma care by applying simple principles in profound ways. We hope to educate the general public and inspire medical practices worldwide to acknowledge and adopt these life-saving approaches to trauma care, because when the need is greatest for the patient, saving time saves lives.
Hosted by
Dr. William Long, M.D.