When surgeons perform surgeries for long periods of time (10–12 hours or more), do they take breaks? How are things like eating and sleeping handled?
Long surgeries are normally long because they are many many parts. They don't just have one guy doing everything. They might have a head surgeon that directs everything but it's not like he is personally cutting for 12 hours straight he can leave while someone is doing some stitches or something.I'm a medical student and have been in on longer surgeries. My most recent one was a Whipple surgery that lasted about 8 hours. We took a 15 minute break in the middle to grab some food. On other occasions, even with shorter surgeries, the surgeon left to use the restroom. It isn't too much of a hassle to rescrub.I also assisted on an 8 hr cleft lip surgery with a plastic surgeon. We had to go to the bathroom and quickly went about 3/4 through. I ate a protein bar and then scrubbed back in. During the surgery, all the nurses and anesthesiologist rotated out (the surgery went over their shift). The residents assisting never left (they are tough man!)Usually the main surgeon will do the whole surgery, since they know how they got there, but support staff take breaks.If the surgeon was sick or had diarrhea, they would just have to reassign or delay the surgery. It is a very physically demanding job!
How are surgeons able to operate on long surgeries without rest, taking a break, scratching their head, or even using the bathroom?
Before I answer, I want to share a few war stories:About two years ago, I was working with a neurosurgeon doing a spine case, when he had a seizure and collapsed. Turned out he was an undiagnosed diabetic. He hadn’t eaten breakfast, and had been operating about four hours. He was hypoglycemic. This particular surgeon is a very sweet man, a real pleasure to work with. Now, he takes a break in the middle of every case. He asks everyone's permission before he leaves the operating room to drink some juice and eat a snack.During residency, I was doing a finger reimplantation case. These cases are a curse for anesthesiologists. Typically, it’s a young male patient who was carelessly using a band saw, usually working an under the table construction job. So they show up in the hospital towards the end of the work day, and it’s after dinner by the time they are in the operating room. We put them to sleep, and the surgeons take all night long doing the surgery. All. Night. Long. And these are healthy young males having relatively noninvasive surgery, so they are totally stable. The biggest challenge for the anesthesiologist is just staying awake. Anyhow, at some point around 3am the entire surgical team left the room to pee and grab a bite. I was reading The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, to stay awake. I was in tears by myself in the operating room when they all walked back in.I used to work with an extremely slow cardiac surgeon. We would start the case at 8am, and we would be on pump around 11:30am. That’s when the main part of the case, the heart surgery, can start. So right before we went on pump, he would leave the room, go pee, and drink a fresca. He loved fresca. Then he would come back and do the rest of the case, typically ending around 4pm.I just realized that by relating these stories, I have basically answered the question. Surgeons take breaks when they need to, keeping in mind that all things being equal, the faster we go the better it is for the patient.
Do surgeons wear pampers during long surgeries?
Although I know of some how do get hooked up to an IV for hydration and or sugar inclusion I have never heard of anyone even thinking of such a comical actWe are not locked into the OR. We stop when we want to even order in food and stop to eat if we want to. I even have the award for having the best interoperative sessions in that I make my staff stop and take breaks. I have catered meals brought in for nonsensically long cases and anyone can leave and go potty and or make calls or the like as long as the flow of things isn't affected. When I stop for a break everyone except anesthesia stops as well we simply cover the site and do what we need to and then return. Patients are FINE and except for the fact that there is added anesthesia time which in the case of a 12 hour procedure doesn't count to a hill of beans there is no down sideDr D
Smoking and Drinking after Knee Surgery?
Had a Scope done on my knee to repair some cartilage damage on friday morning. Had general Anesthetic, and surgery lasted about a half an hour, or less. Can I smoke some weed and drink some Alcohol Sunday night? It would be over 48 hours after surgery. Its currently Saturday night, and I feel fine, completely 100% normal. What do you think? Any Medical professionals opinions would be handy if their out there! :D
Are surgeons allowed to smoke? And if so, do they get cigarette breaks during surgery?
Surgeons can do whatever they like in their own time and home.American Hospitals are non smoking and have non smoking campuses. Its rare we have to leave surgery -- gastro intestinal distress, rarely I've had to run and do a delivery (if my surgery patient is stable and its safe to do so). Taking a smoking break in surgery would not be allowed.
How long should I wait before smoking after wisdom teeth surgery?
You shouldn't this is your chance to stop!!!