1 Power Outage
Dr. Yang’s office experienced a power outage, resulting in people getting their appointments canceled. When it came to the vasectomy patient, a staff member joked that Dr. Yang’s 4-month-old Rivian R1T pickup truck could be used as a backup power source. The electrocautery device needed to perform a vasectomy required very little power, so technically the plan could work.
2 The Patient Agrees
Dr. Yang discovered an extension power cord long enough to go from his car into the clinic—and what started off as a joke suddenly became reality. “When talking to the patient, we mentioned that we could just reschedule the procedure itself, or, if he was up for it, we could do the vasectomy using power from the truck,” Dr. Yang told WGLT. “And he had a good laugh as well, and we agreed.”
3 What If the Power Fails?
Dr. Yang had a backup plan in case the power failed: He was planning to use a handheld cautery device which would do the job, but it wasn’t as precise as the electric one. The truck has multiple 110v and 12v outlets, and Yang was concerned the power might get interrupted during the procedure. Thankfully, it didn’t.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
4 Success!
The 20-30 minute vasectomy procedure went off without a hitch. Not only did the Rivian power the cautery device, but it also kept a little fan going, a relief as the air conditioning was obviously not working. “After we were done, I told his family. We all had a good laugh together too,” Dr. Yang says.
5 A Hero Truck
Dr. Yang bought the truck in May and took it on a road trip from Texas to Colorado, where he drove around Pikes Peak. He isn’t planning to use it for any more procedures—but likes having the option in a pinch. “I’m not sure that this (vasectomy) should be planned use of the truck,” he joked. “But it’s definitely great to have that as a backup just in case.”
