I work in the Operating Theatre. AMA

[1AnotherOne]

I’m an Operating Department Practitioner working in the private sector.

I work the majority the time in a senior speciality role as a scrub practitioner or surgical first assistant.

Sometimes I work alongside the anaesthetist.

ask me anything!

Thanks op! what's the worst mistake a surgeon has made in theatre?

Do the team make jokes about the patient while performing surgery?

I just saw a video where a patient had taken their phone in for a sedated procedure so they could, on coming round, ask questions and record the answers. They accidentally pressed record on the way in. It recorded the anaesthetist saying awful things, it was in America-they’ve just been awarded $$$$$$ in compensation! Not an op but still, not what you expect to be said when sedated.

Are women ever given pelvic/vaginal examinations while unconsciousness that they haven’t consented to? I’ve heard that students and junior doctors often practice doing the examinations in theatre.

When you cut people open do the insides smell?

Do you feel able to call out mistakes? What's the power dynamics like in the operating theatre?

Are all orthopaedic surgeons c*nts? Speaking as X-ray....

I was a student in the operating theatre. Surgeons mostly talk about cars and golf.

Do surgeons start by saying "10 blade"? #GreysAnatomyfan!

Do other bits of the body register with you? With my GCSE biology I will attempt an example: operation is a hysterectomy and you think oooh they've got a good bowel, or oooh their ovaries are a bit on the small side.

If you google ‘Never Events’ that should give you a good idea

I saw this and it’s awful. I haven’t heard anyone making jokes. Quite the opposite. Lots of ‘beautiful hair, love that tattoo’ comments instead

I have never ever seen this. We don’t have juniors working with us. I did read about this happening somewhere though, it’s awful.

You don’t really come across mistakes. You need to work together to make sure mistakes don’t happen. I am happy to speak up for sure. I had a recent surgery where I was assisting for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), the anatomy was really skewed and the surgeon was struggling to find the gallbladder. I asked my circulating team to prepare for an open surgery. The surgeon said it should be ok to continue laparoscopic but after 5 minutes said let’s open instead. They thanked me for putting the idea into their head as they would’ve struggled on a bit longer otherwise.

There are lots of very strong characters in operating theatres.

No comment 😬🤣 I don’t work with them too often but when I see them in the staff room they are very nice to me. Perhaps working with them can be different.

Yes mostly!!

Ours are lovely. Spinal surgeons on the other hand....

Yes all the time I think or say this out loud. We often comment on anatomy when working.

Do people generally die under anaesthetic or is it when they are coming round in recover?

Do you ever get to speak to your patients? If not, does it feel strange that you play such an important part in their life but they never know it?

Personally I’ve never seen anyone die under anaesthetic or in recovery but it does happen. There are many different factors that would contribute to a death.

Does seeing the effects of some habits or behaviour make you more conscious of your own habits or indulgence?

In the sense we all know X is bad for us (alcohol, foods, smoking, vaping, drugs) but by seeing the physical consequences does it put you off a glass of wine or phat take out?

Yes the ward nurses get all the chocolates and we get nothing 😩🤣

Occasionally I will see a patient post operatively if a surgeon invites me along the day after. Usually it’s a plastic surgery case, it’s nice to see them and they are always very appreciative.

Do people often get very emotional before being put under? And what do theatre staff think? I got very very scared before my major surgery and properly sobbed lying on the table. I was quite embarrassed!

I also woke up in loads of pain - is that normal? I have to have another op that's similar and don't know whether to ask if they can give me more pain relief than they did last time!

Thanks OP - Do people wee/poo whilst under GA?