Surgeons vs. Anesthesiologists

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

patelakshar

Member
7+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2002
Messages
93
Reaction score
0
How do surgeons feel about anesthesiologists? What type of relationship do they have with them...i have heard that many surgeons discount the role of the anesthesiologist as a 'pilot' and have to much of an ego....is any of this true for the majority of hospitals?

thanks

Members don't see this ad.
 
For the most part, things are pretty congenial here at our hospital. There are a few big egos - on both sides of the ether screen - but overall the surgeons and anesthesiologists each play defined roles in patient care which work synergistically. Many are also friends, and go on ski trips, vacations, social outings together.
 
Hi there,
In my program, we are dependent upon each other and have plenty of mutual respect. I just finished a rotation through the SICU with two more senior residents who were anesthesiologists. They were awesome folks who had a very high level of knowledge and practice. They were great about helping me put in Swan lines and getting many procedures done. When it came to debriding wounds and the like, they deferred to me. The head of our STICU is an anesthesiologist/critical care specialist who is a wonderful professor with a broad depth of knowledge about Surgical Critical Care.

Anesthesia manages both our Acute and Chronic Pain service here. It is a great relief to be able to pick up the phone and get a consult for either Acute or Chronic Pain whenever necessary. We are all colleagues and none of my surgical attending physicians feels the need to have an adversarial role with any of the anesthesia attendings or fellows. Then again, I am in an excellent program with thorough professionals on both sides of the drape.

You can bet that when someone needs to berate another specialty or colleage for ego enhancement, there is a major problem with the person doing the berating. There is usually some major insecurity floating about that has no room in good medicine.

njbmd
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Originally posted by njbmd
You can bet that when someone needs to berate another specialty or colleage for ego enhancement, there is a major problem with the person doing the berating. There is usually some major insecurity floating about that has no room in good medicine
Amen.
 
Ditto. In general, we work quite well with our anesthesia colleagues - any problems are generally related more to personality/temperment difficulties than any perceived superiority/egoism.

We rely on the anesthesia department to provide safe and effective pain control and muscle relaxation - not only during cases, but for epidural management post-op, chronic pain issues or for conscious sedation on the floors. I've really enjoyed working with all of the anesthesia juniors we have here and can't say I've ever seen a resident or attending surgeon discount their role or take offense to any "pilot" analogies...we need each other (ie, its not as if after take off the plane is on auto pilot, or without need of the surgeon).
 
I'm impressed.

Just a lowly student seriously considering anesthesiology as a career. The professionalism demonstrated by the above posters deserves some special recognition...

To further the discussion...are there any cases where you've found the interaction w/ the anesthesiologist to be especially critical? I know cardio can definately require this heightened interaction, and was wondering if anything else requires a such an approach?
 
Originally posted by Gator05
I'm impressed.

Just a lowly student seriously considering anesthesiology as a career. The professionalism demonstrated by the above posters deserves some special recognition...

To further the discussion...are there any cases where you've found the interaction w/ the anesthesiologist to be especially critical? I know cardio can definately require this heightened interaction, and was wondering if anything else requires a such an approach?

Hi there,
Everytime I go into the OR to do a case, my interaction with the anesthesiologist is critical. I CAN'T operate without anesthesia. Surgery and Anesthesia are forever linked for the foreseeable future.

I can't worry about the monitoring of the patient while I am operating. I leave the anesthesia and all things concerning the anesthesia to the professional on the other side of the screen. While we do not sit there and exchange "small talk" during critical parts of the case, I totally appreciate how good our anesthesia department provides a high level of service to our patients.

During a cardiac case, the surgeon relies on the anesthesiologiest to provide safe and effective anesthesia for the patient. There is very little interaction unless the patient is crashing. In that event, we both do our jobs to make sure that there is a good outcome.

njbmd
 
When the old chief of surgery here (MGH) was asked what the greatest contribution to surgery was, he answered: "anesthesia"... and when I think of the greatest contribution to anesthesia, I think it was finding surgeons crazy enough to wanna cut somebody open! :)

I am glad that njbmd has such a good anesthesia dept at Univ. of Virginia... unfortunately at quite a few programs that balance between the two departments has been hurt by the early 90s when anesthesia programs were filled mainly by FMGs with severe language/competency barriers. Now that anesthesia programs are filling with better grads (who can speak english), the competency level has risen too.

I love my interaction with the surgeons in my program - I have yet to witness any confrontation between the two (polite disagreements maybe). And it often feels like a well-choreographed ballet... especially since we (anesthesia) run the SICU as a semi-closed unit, the relationship extends beyond the OR... and often ends up at the bar across from the hospital.
 
Maybe it doesn't matter 'cause I'm not a doctor (yet!), but the anesthesiologist I observed over the course of four neurosurgical procedures pretty much made me lose all respect for him, and ruined my desire to further look into anes.
This doc proudly exclaimed when he finally finished the NY Times crossword during the procedure to remove a craniopharyngioma. I found him asleep 3 times during 3 cervical fusions.
This man was not a shining example of a professional...hopefully NO ONE ELSE ON EARTH is like him...but he exists...
 
You know, pulling conclusions from single incidents can be scary. Every specialty has its bad apples. I would venture to say that those who consider such acts of unprofessionalism the most reprehensible are those within the same specialty (it gives them all a bad name).

Please, let's not get started with single-event mediated conclusions; we've all seen our share of poor physicians in almost every specialty. This thread has gone to some length to demonstrate the professionalism amongst surgeon and anesthesiologist; let's not become petty at this juncture.
 
Gator05-
I certainly don't mean to be petty - you're 100% right. It is, in my opinion, a waste of time to make complete, concrete decisions on only one incident. I guess the devil's advocate in me jumped out in posting my lone experience - more of an FYI than anythng else.
 
Bigdan,

Don't sweat it; I've seen some shoddy examples of professionalism on both sides of the curtain. Luckily, have also seen enough role models to keep me optimistic...
 
interesting thread . . .

i am applying for a general surgery spot, my wife is applying for anesthesia! we could start our own little OR in the den!
 
Actually pre-doc, if u end up going into Plastic fellowship one day, your wife may very well be working in your office.
I've seen a couple of plastic surgeon / gas (wife/husband) teams that do most case together.
 
Top