Hands too big for surgery?

[NewIntern]

I'm doing my (required) 4th year sub-i in surgery (I'm going into IM) and today when I was scrubbed in the attending asked if I was going into surgery. I said no I matched into IM and he commented that's a good thing because my hands are too big for a surgeon. I did notice his hands were on the average size and the female resident had petite hands. Just to give you an idea my hands are big enough that size 9 gloves still feel a bit tight. Are big hands a disadvantage for surgery? Is there an area of surgery where big hands make it more difficult?

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[SLUser11]

I'm doing my (required) 4th year sub-i in surgery (I'm going into IM) and today when I was scrubbed in the attending asked if I was going into surgery. I said no I matched into IM and he commented that's a good thing because my hands are too big for a surgeon. I did notice his hands were on the average size and the female resident had petite hands. Just to give you an idea my hands are big enough that size 9 gloves still feel a bit tight. Are big hands a disadvantage for surgery? Is there an area of surgery where big hands make it more difficult?

Size 9's are fine. They would not be a major problem in most surgical specialties....unless you couldn't use them well....

 

[McGillGrad]

Well, general surgery is fine with size 9's. Smaller hands can fit into smaller spaces but you also don't have banana fingers like Andre the Giant.

Now I am sure you would not be a great OB, though...lol

 

[cpants]

No problem. You just make the hole bigger.[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

 

[Residual]

No problem. You just make the hole bigger.

That's what she said.

 

[sponch]

I would hate to have a urologist with bear claw and sausage fingers do a DRE. I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.

 

[Guile]

I'm doing my (required) 4th year sub-i in surgery (I'm going into IM) and today when I was scrubbed in the attending asked if I was going into surgery. I said no I matched into IM and he commented that's a good thing because my hands are too big for a surgeon. I did notice his hands were on the average size and the female resident had petite hands. Just to give you an idea my hands are big enough that size 9 gloves still feel a bit tight. Are big hands a disadvantage for surgery? Is there an area of surgery where big hands make it more difficult?

We have a surgeon on staff who wears 9s or 9.5s. He has amazing hands.

OP, you may need to find a box of 9.5s and put it in your locker so you don't have to hunt for gloves for every line and thoracentesis you do. I'm pretty sure they don't keep those on our floors, only in the OR central supply. Maybe where you're going will be different.

I do think smaller (average) hands might help on thoracic surgery. Easier to get in through the thoracotomy incision. Otherwise I don't see where it would make a difference.

 

[blue2000]

I do think smaller (average) hands might help on thoracic surgery. Easier to get in through the thoracotomy incision. Otherwise I don't see where it would make a difference.

Smaller hands help in open cases in the male pelvis. On the other end of the spectrum, most of the laparoscopic instruments are made for the average size hands. I struggle with the surgiwand (which I think is a crappy instrument) due to my hand size.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Smaller hands help in open cases in the male pelvis. On the other end of the spectrum, most of the laparoscopic instruments are made for the average size hands. I struggle with the surgiwand (which I think is a crappy instrument) due to my hand size.

Agreed...instruments are still made for the average *male* hand. I understand that, but it does make things more difficult for those of us with smaller hands.

 

[Apollyon]

When I was a med student, there was an Ob/Gyn resident from the Ukraine. We asked him one day if he was a weightlifter in the old country. He said, "No, I vass wrestler."

One finger from him equaled my thumb, index, and middle fingers. We always marveled when he said a patient was "fingertip dilated".

 

[MossPoh]

I would hate to have a urologist with bear claw and sausage fingers do a DRE. I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.

I know a urologist that was a bigtime D1 football player and still actively lifts weights. He has huge hands. That being said, not like some of the other things that may make their way up there are much better than slightly fatter fingers. I believe most institutions frown upon the fist insertion, regardless of any data pertaining to its benefits that may come out.

 

[aashiq]

I'm doing my (required) 4th year sub-i in surgery (I'm going into IM) and today when I was scrubbed in the attending asked if I was going into surgery. I said no I matched into IM and he commented that's a good thing because my hands are too big for a surgeon. I did notice his hands were on the average size and the female resident had petite hands. Just to give you an idea my hands are big enough that size 9 gloves still feel a bit tight. Are big hands a disadvantage for surgery? Is there an area of surgery where big hands make it more difficult?

I would not worry too much about big hands as long as you have slender fingers. Some of the best surgeons I ve worked with had long slender fingers which would dissect out tissues perfectly

 

[Medhatter]

I'm curious about the other end of the spectrum. I have small hands with short fingers, size 6.5 fit my fingers ok but not my palm well, size 7 gives me air spaces at the tip of the glove. I worry about open procedures where I have to use my finger to retract in difficult angles and wondering if it would be disadvantageous for me?

 

[MediCane2006]

I'm curious about the other end of the spectrum. I have small hands with short fingers, size 6.5 fit my fingers ok but not my palm well, size 7 gives me air spaces at the tip of the glove. I worry about open procedures where I have to use my finger to retract in difficult angles and wondering if it would be disadvantageous for me?

Nah. I wear 6's and I've never had a problem.

 

[mercaptovizadeh]

It could be a problem in peds surgery, but honestly most of the surgeons I worked with were 6' 2-3" and had larger hands.

 

[Kahreek]

you can always go for ob-gyn, it is said to favour big handed people

 

[Buzz Me]

Doubtful that will be a problem. I've seen residents and attendings with size 5.5 or 6 hands. No issues.

 

[LucidSplash]

Doubtful that will be a problem. I've seen residents and attendings with size 5.5 or 6 hands. No issues.

Size 6 here. There's one particular laparoscopic stapler preferred by some attendings that I have trouble wrangling with one hand because just the tips of my fingers make it to the lever while my palm is on the handle. There's a lot of teasing that sometimes I have to use both hands to depress the lever. But it's not that big a deal. I'm just not going to use that one when I'm in practice and get to pick my own equipment.

 

[Medhatter]

Nice to hear some reassurance. Haven't had problem with laparoscopic instruments myself yet.

Any surgeries where having small hands is an advantage? Funny I see open male pelvis surgery being mentioned here. I always feared with my short fingers, I wouldn't be able to get a good feel of what's in there when I see the attending basically doing the surgery by feel on the rectum.

 

[Smurfette]

Size 6 here. There's one particular laparoscopic stapler preferred by some attendings that I have trouble wrangling with one hand because just the tips of my fingers make it to the lever while my palm is on the handle. There's a lot of teasing that sometimes I have to use both hands to depress the lever. But it's not that big a deal. I'm just not going to use that one when I'm in practice and get to pick my own equipment.

I have similar problems with some staplers/energy devices as far as grip sizes; it's annoying but it's not a big deal to use two hands instead of one if you use your assistants/retractors appropriately. My biggest problem is that when my hospital changed glove suppliers (think cheap), the new supplier didn't make gloves that fit me. They have to order a separate (quality) brand just for me.

I find small hands work well in a narrow pelvis since I can get my hands deeper. I also can do hand assisted lap cases (if I find myself struggling through a difficult lap case) through a pretty small incision which makes it a nice option for me; in comparison, my partner and his 8 1/2 gloves basically converts to a mini-laparotomy if he wants to put in a hand port.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Most devices/instruments are made for the average male hand: I've rarely met a female surgeon who didn't have some trouble. I've often told the reps that they should be taking back this information to their manufacturers that females often cannot deploy the staplers with one hand.

The other problem with smaller hands (I wear 6.5 so about average for female I would guess) is that most ORs do not routinely stock gloves smaller than 6s, so they'll have to be special ordered.

 

[LucidSplash]

The other problem with smaller hands (I wear 6.5 so about average for female I would guess) is that most ORs do not routinely stock gloves smaller than 6s, so they'll have to be special ordered.

Yes. One of our current 2nd years wears 5.5. They bought a bunch and have them in a particular place but don't stock them in the individual ORs. She knows where they are and carries them with her.

On another note, I seem to wear a different size depending on the brand? Triflex I find a 6.5 is more comfortable but Biogels a 6. But the biogels do stretch a bit by the end of a long case. For the med student who commented on having trouble with the fit of their gloves, if the ORs have different brands, it might not hurt to try out some different ones.

 

[DrNick Riviera]

On another note, I seem to wear a different size depending on the brand? Triflex I find a 6.5 is more comfortable but Biogels a 6. But the biogels do stretch a bit by the end of a long case. For the med student who commented on having trouble with the fit of their gloves, if the ORs have different brands, it might not hurt to try out some different ones.

This.

We rotate at 6 (yes, 6) hospitals, and almost all of them carry different brands. I find that I am sort of between sizes and always struggle the first few days after switching hospitals to remember which combination of gloves I like.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Gloves do seem to fit differently depending on the brand just like clothing. And the Biogels do seem to stretch more.

Fortunately as the attending bringing them business I get my Biogels supersensitive wherever I go, regardless of the contract they may have.

It is good to be Queen.

 

[Dr.LeoSpaceman]

OB/GYN.

Colorectal.

 

[You shall know the Truth]

I'm doing my (required) 4th year sub-i in surgery (I'm going into IM) and today when I was scrubbed in the attending asked if I was going into surgery. I said no I matched into IM and he commented that's a good thing because my hands are too big for a surgeon. I did notice his hands were on the average size and the female resident had petite hands. Just to give you an idea my hands are big enough that size 9 gloves still feel a bit tight. Are big hands a disadvantage for surgery? Is there an area of surgery where big hands make it more difficult?

OB would be difficult

 

[LucidSplash]

I wear a size 6 glove and a couple of my female co-residents and an attending or 2 wore 5 1/2. It doesn’t matter. You can do anything with smaller hands.

 

[TraumaLlamaMD]

5 1/2 here, agree with above posters about hating certain laparoscopic staplers/instruments (one attending uses Snowden-Pencer handles which I really enjoy), but you learn to adapt. The colonoscopy dials are a bit annoying. My hand-assist ports are lovely unless the attending decides he needs to feel something, in which case the size doubles..

 

[dpmd]

Nice to hear some reassurance. Haven't had problem with laparoscopic instruments myself yet.

Any surgeries where having small hands is an advantage? Funny I see open male pelvis surgery being mentioned here. I always feared with my short fingers, I wouldn't be able to get a good feel of what's in there when I see the attending basically doing the surgery by feel on the rectum.

If the target area is mobile enough I can make very small laparotomy incisions. I can get my hand inside and finger dissect areas that people with bigger hands wouldn't be able to. I can get a lot of rectal foreign bodies out with just a little sedation instead of general because i can dilate the anus gently and get my whole hand in there if needed while my bigger handed colleagues probably cause too much pain to be successful. So while your short fingers can't reach as far, you can get your hand further into the pelvis and other tight spaces.

 

[axfem]

In med school, the congenital CT guy at my place had HUGE hands but he was a magician at operating