Sneezing in Surgery

[mct2762]

So this may sound dumb, but it was a legit question I had after yesterday. I was scrubbed in on a hysterectomy and had to sneeze really bad. What are you supposed to do in that situation!? You can't touch your face....are you supposed to sneeze in the mask and just have your snot sitting there?

I can't be the only person who has had this question!

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[dyspareunia]

So this may sound dumb, but it was a legit question I had after yesterday. I was scrubbed in on a hysterectomy and had to sneeze really bad. What are you supposed to do in that situation!? You can't touch your face....are you supposed to sneeze in the mask and just have your snot sitting there?

I can't be the only person who has had this question!

Yes, you sneeze in the mask and continue acting like you don't exist.

 

[kavorca]

Let it fly!

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

happened to me soooo many times. At first I thought you were just supposed to hold it in so it was just bad. I started coughing and got all choked up and then I couldn't talk so all the nurses and even the surgeon stopped what they were doing and just looked at me like "wtf?" And then I finally asked if it was ok to sneeze and of course they said let it fly. From there on out I had a much better time in the OR haha

 

[repititionition]

only because it hasn't been said - you look directly at the field while you sneeze. srs.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Just step away but stay facing the field.

 

[bearded frog]

​

 

[Spitphire]

I'm curious. Why do you stay facing the field?

 

[bearded frog]

​

 

[Spitphire]

Okay, that makes since! I started to think that was the reason, but it sounded odd at first haha

 

[mct2762]

happened to me soooo many times. At first I thought you were just supposed to hold it in so it was just bad. I started coughing and got all choked up and then I couldn't talk so all the nurses and even the surgeon stopped what they were doing and just looked at me like "wtf?" And then I finally asked if it was ok to sneeze and of course they said let it fly. From there on out I had a much better time in the OR haha

LOL!!! thats hilarious!

 

[ridethecliche]

Since I'm usually just watching in the OR's, I'll just go to the corner and sneeze facing the door or wall.

 

[Spinach Dip]

Snot and saliva are the least of the fluids you will have to worry about after 10 hours in surgery....

 

[The Buff OP]

Let it fly!

I'm putting my MAN card on the line here with this gif.

 

[Xenoblade]

Snot and saliva are the least of the fluids you will have to worry about after 10 hours in surgery....

So, what do you do when Mr. Hanky wants to visit you in the OR?

 

[hoihaie]

Yeah, actually, what WOULD you do if you had to use the bathroom during an operation? Do surgeons purposefully not eat or drink too much before long operations?

 

[Spinach Dip]

depends

 

[Spinach Dip]

Actually, I knew a female spinal surgeon who would foley herself before long operations so she wouldn't have to scrub out.

Seriously.

 

[hoihaie]

what if you had to pee to the point where you're practically dancing on your feet? or poop so heavy that your butt is about to give up on the clinching?

 

[Xenoblade]

what if you had to pee to the point where you're practically dancing on your feet? or poop so heavy that your butt is about to give up on the clinching?

Like this?

 

[hoihaie]

Yeee man, you a mind reader.

Like this?

 

[dudeliness]

Or what if you have horrible gas? Oh man

 

[Xenoblade]

Ladies and gentleman, this thread is a shinning example of the intellectual minds of the doctors of tomorrow. What great scientific curiosity!

 

[hoihaie]

These are serious concerns. How unsterile would it be to have fecal matter in the operation room...! :O

Poop is serious. It can cure C. difficile

 

[hoihaie]

Or what if you have horrible gas? Oh man

What if you farted mid operation and one of the nurses called doorknob???

 

[NickNaylor]

what if you had to pee to the point where you're practically dancing on your feet? or poop so heavy that your butt is about to give up on the clinching?

Unless you're at the point of bursting you really don't think much about it. Especially if you're actually scrubbed in and nervous about screwing up/surviving the regular pimping circus. You also don't drink or eat too much because of the schedule, so you really don't have much need to go.

I've had multiple days of procedures when I pee twice (once at the beginning of the day, once at the end) over the course of 12 hours. Definitely not healthy, but that's just how it goes sometimes.

 

[majestic red]

what if you had to pee to the point where you're practically dancing on your feet? or poop so heavy that your butt is about to give up on the clinching?

This may come as a shock, but... if you ask to go to the bathroom, you will almost certainly be allowed to do so. My experience has been that during most long surgeries, people will rotate out to take 15-min breaks (i.e., the attending will take a break while the fellow/resident continues with a less critical part of the surgery or vice versa). Most people, even surgeons, aren't THAT unreasonable.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I would also just say that I have never had to scrub out to date for bathroom issues. I always just go before the case and the thing is that you become dehydrated so your urine output kind of plummets. I find the thirst much more pressing than the need to relieve myself in a long case.

 

[Catalystik]

what if you had to pee to the point where you're practically dancing on your feet? or poop so heavy that your butt is about to give up on the clinching?

If you are prone to such issues, you can consider using adult diapers or a Texas catheter, also called a condom catheter: https://www.google.com/search?q=tex...AS994DADw&ved=0CDUQsAQ&biw=1217&bih=888&dpr=1

 

[The Buff OP]

So, what do you do when Mr. Hanky wants to visit you in the OR?

Please refer to my post above.

 

[pacman2018]

@0:52

 

[tiedyeddog]

I would also just say that I have never had to scrub out to date for bathroom issues. I always just go before the case and the thing is that you become dehydrated so your urine output kind of plummets. I find the thirst much more pressing than the need to relieve myself in a long case.

I haven't had to, either. I always looked at the cases the day before so I knew when a long case (8+ hours is long in my book) was coming up. That morning I would limit my coffee and water intake to the bare amount needed and would try to eat a light lunch. Before heading to the ORs make a quick trip to the restroom and "empty" yourself out.

From a medical student prospective, there are times when you can just step away and break scrub. I would often do this by saying "I am going to check out what is going on in OR XX and I'll be right back". If the case was really long or there was a lull in action then usually the attending would say go for it.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

I once "grazed" a table during an ortho procedure. The PA was about to kill me. The surgeon said my mishap would result in an amputation.

 

[tiedyeddog]

I once "grazed" a table during an ortho procedure. The PA was about to kill me. The surgeon said my mishap would result in an amputation.

We're you sterile? If not then amputation is justified.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

We're you sterile? If not then amputation is justified.

I was scrubbed in. It was a surgical supplies table that I may or may not have "grazed" (not the operating table). The PA yelled at me and the surgeon joked that an amputation would likely result. And of course everything on the table was quickly replaced.