One of the silliest stories to emerge in the media this summer was that of GP Dr Jonathan Heatley who back in August performed a vasectomy on himself in his West Sussex surgery.

Dentist Andrew Sharp of Barnsley quickly responded to the GP's challenge; the following week he amply illustrated the long standing competitiveness between the medical and dental professions. Andrew, aged 32 and old enough to know better, extracted his own wisdom tooth in his surgery after reading about Dr Heatley in his morning paper.

What next one wonders? If any doctor does take up the challenge he probably would not be the first. Certainly members of the medical profession have done some very strange things: the insane American murderer and fabled lexicographer Dr William Chester Minor eventually received his release from Broadmoor after 38 Years' residence only after performing a penectomy on himself with a penknife.

But not everyone who performs surgery on themselves is mad, nor for that matter are they members of the medical professions.

Not long ago Antarctic explorer Kate Jordon, stuck in the icy wilderness, performed her own fine needle breast biopsy, albeit encouraged and supervised by doctors giving her advice over the radio.

In South Australia last year a university student turned up at the Flinders Medical Centre complaining that he had been unable to remove the last of six screws which held a plate to his fibula. The plate had been fitted six years earlier. The young man had been experiencing some pain and discomfort and had decided, apparently while perfectly sober, to make a 15cm incision in his ankle and remove the offending item. According to the published report the student first took five shots of an unspecified alcoholic beverage as an anaesthetic before beginning the procedure. The consumption of the "anaesthetic" perhaps contributed as much to the auto-surgeon's failure as the fact the plate had, over the years, become embedded in the bone.

Fortunately the self surgery practised by Dr Heatley and his dental colleague Andrew Sharp seems to have caused no harm to them, though it may do some harm if others, rather less able and even more adventurous, decide they would like to have a go too.

Those who feel really inspired to have a go will enjoy visiting Project Gastro a delightful website (www.projectgastro.com/selfsurgery.htm) which offers browsers a home surgery kit for just $299. But surfers beware; this hilarious site also offers designer body bags!