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Original poster

Had knee surgery today but feel a bit violated please help

86 replies

FletchersMum · 14/04/2016 21:50

I had keyhole surgery on my knee today. First ever operation under general anaesthetic. I'm hoping there may be a doctor or nurse on here who can set my mind at ease as feel really upset tonight.
I am female aged 42. I was the first on the list for surgery, got wheeled into theatre by 2 males, one of whom was an anaesthetist assistant I think. He was 50 odd and extremely patronising and quite rude. As I was wheeled in there was another male washing his hands in theatre , and the male consultant anesthetist who was very nice. The knee consultant is also male but had not yet arrived.
I was put to sleep within 5 minutes. Woke up, op a success, but after I got home I noticed that the Orange disinfectant stuff they paint on your skin goes right up my legs to about an inch from my crotch. I feel really upset as I was on my period and had a sanitary towel on, had not done bikini line for months. I can't imagine how they opened my legs to brush the stuff on, it goes all the way around my left leg front and back and almost right up to my crotch. I don't know who would have done this but as there were no females present I assume it was one of the men. I know they are professionals but I feel so upset to think a man (possibly) has had his hand so close to my fanny and whether I was lying there with everything exposed to them all. On my right leg (not operated on) it looks like there are orange fingerprints at the top near my crotch but my partner thinks they might just be drips.
Can anyone please reassure me? Ideally I would like to know how they did this, did they lift my leg in the air or pull my legs apart and put the stuff on then roll me over?
The best way I can describe it is I feel violated. I know that is a strong word but that's how I feel. If it was any other situation when you are awake eg at a GPs you can usually ask for a female chaperone. I was not given this opportunity or warned what they were going to do. It would really help me to know what the procedure is after they you to sleep. Thank you.

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 14/04/2016 22:14

No I am upset that someone put their hands up to my crotch. Not what I expected for a knee operation

Having assisted in knee replacements often the leg needs repositioning-that might mean someone holding it near the crotch to move it. It's absolutely standard to swab a much larger area than where the incision will be made. Honestly, no one will have been looking at your bikini line.

Sorry you've had a bad experience in hospital and the staff shouldn't have been rude to you. You could contact pals about the manner you were spoken to in. Please don't think anything untoward about the betadine up to the crotch. It's a standard thing to do.

CharleyDavidson · 14/04/2016 22:15

I understand your feelings, but I'm sure that the operating theatre staff were professional - apart from the rudeness. It's a situation where you are out of control and it's not nice.

I had a hip operation last year. Keyhole, not hip replacement. I knew that they dislocated your hip to make room for the camera and tools in there. And knew that they put your foot in a traction boot to do the dislocating. What I didn't consider was what keeps you from falling off the table when they are pulling hard on your leg..... til I read that there's a post that they stick up against your fanny to provide leverage! While you're wearing paper knickers, no less!

It did help that I found out in advance, and part of your feelings must stem from knowing that you were unable to be aware of what was going on while you are asleep and are probably quite normal.

Are you just mulling it over or are you considering a complaint?

AnthonyPandy · 14/04/2016 22:16

I have attended a few operations as a student and to not have any females present amongst the staff (nurses, doctors and others) would be really really unusual, and I've never seen it. The ones you saw would be joined by others who you wouldn't have met. Theatres can be full of people all of whom have a specific theatre job and all of whom have seen it all before. Please don't worry.

welshweasel · 14/04/2016 22:18

Your leg will have been lifted up in to the air, probably by the surgeon, and held by your foot whilst either the assistant or the scrub nurse (often female) applies the disinfecting liquid with a sponge on the end of a long instrument. No one will have put their hands on your crotch. I can assure you that your pubic hair or whether or not you had your period would not have crossed the mind of any of the people in theatre. Honestly.

Original poster
FletchersMum · 14/04/2016 22:26

Thanks all am having trouble keeping up with the speed of replies. Charley No not considering a complaint, the rudeness was not that bad. Thank you to those who were kind and not sarcastic. I'm fully aware my feelings are irrational but feelings often are. Especially when you're sleep deprived and trying to process what just happened to you. If I had known in advance about the dye and how high it would go it would not have bothered me so much. I should get some sleep now. Thank you for your kind words and to those with medical experience and expertise for sharing. X

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 14/04/2016 22:27

Wishing you a speedy recovery Flowers

Original poster
FletchersMum · 14/04/2016 22:27

welshweasel thank you so much that is exactly what I needed to know and has made me feel a million times better xxx

OP posts:
Wigeon · 14/04/2016 22:28

I completely get why this has freaked you out. I think it's unfair that people are saying you are being ridiculous. I am a very rational, educated, generally very pragmatic person, but was very surprised to find myself teary, emotional and generally uncharacteristically obsessing over what actually happened when I had a GA recently. I guess it helped me to keep telling myself (after the op!) it was all fine. It sounds like what happened to you was completely normal, but it's also not surprising that you are feeling funny about it. A doctor friend of mine was very reassuring and said a GA is a very unusual experience for most people (even if it's a very routine medical thing) and it's ok to feel strange about it after. Hope you are reassured by the informed comments on this thread and recover well from the op. [Flowers]

ouryve · 14/04/2016 22:33

They saw a human body doing what it does.

They see human bodies of all shapes and sizes doing what human bodies do over and over.

Nothing they will possibly have seen is worthy of shame or embarrassment.

Take care of yourself and I hope your knee heals well Flowers

ouryve · 14/04/2016 22:34

And give yourself time to recover from the GA, too. They can be strength sapping buggers for longer than you realise.

Original poster
FletchersMum · 14/04/2016 22:39

Thank you all, yes some people can be a bit harsh. Of course I expected them to move my leg and I don't think you should ever say someone else's feelings are ridiculous. Now I know more about how they did it I feel much better. I really should try and sleep as my baby will be waking soon for a feed. Goodnight, I would send flowers but my iphone is shit x

OP posts:
Follyfoot · 14/04/2016 22:40

I worked in theatres for a long time. Its most likely that they would have held your leg up vertically by your foot to prep it. Please dont think anyone was touching you inappropriately, that just doesnt happen, they would definitely not be fingerprints. The skin prep would have been put on with a sponge/swab on a sponge holder. and probably dripped elsewhere.

Really, in the nicest possible way, no-one would have been remotely interested in your crotch or bikini line, and I include female AND male staff in that comment. If it makes you feel better, I have had surgery three times and having worked in theatres, I was completely confident that my dignity would be maintained at all times within the constraints of what was surgically necessary.

YabuDabbaDoo · 14/04/2016 22:44

Yes was same for me after my knee op.

I think it's perfectly understandable that you would be weirded out. It is a strange thing to let yourself be put to sleep and in the hands of others. I felt the same after my first surgery, I found later that I'd had a pessary inserted and whilst my practical self knows that this was routine and nothing untoward has happened, my sensitive self felt uneasy at the thought of it being inserted without me knowing about it/expecting it.

It is not an unreasonable thing to have happened but YANBU to feel strange about it. Hope you heal well.

YabuDabbaDoo · 14/04/2016 22:45

Oops - ought to clarify - the surgery that required a pessary was NOT a knee op! Blush

Original poster
FletchersMum · 14/04/2016 22:47

Yabu totally understand why that would freak you out..Shock

OP posts:
UnderTheGreenwoodTree · 14/04/2016 22:48

Ah Thanks OP - I can understand you feeling a bit strange about that. I hope some of the posts on here have put your mind at rest.

IME of surgery on leg veins under a local anaesthetic, they do not offer a full enough explanation of the surgery/after effects before you go in (possibly not to worry you too much?).

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Original poster
FletchersMum · 14/04/2016 22:48

Thanks Folly for the reassurance

OP posts:
Original poster
FletchersMum · 14/04/2016 22:48

Thanks Greenwood x

OP posts:
ChipperCharlie · 14/04/2016 22:50

Some foul answers on here. Should be fucking ashamed of themselves. OP came here for support, not sarcastic, backhand comments.

Hope you're ok, OP. Thanks

Niknack · 14/04/2016 22:50

I woke up minus my paper knockers once Hmm
Speedy recovery op Thanks

Niknack · 14/04/2016 22:51

Dear God, knickers! I still have my knockers!

PurpleDaisies · 14/04/2016 22:53

I assumed it was a breast reduction niknack. Grin

TrixieBernadette · 14/04/2016 22:56

For me whenever I've had surgery it's the feeling that something, has happened to you that you are completely unaware of. It's not like you're asleep, you're unconscious and being moved about. And it's always made me feel a little bit weirded out.

Hope you're ok OP

Niknack · 14/04/2016 22:57

Unfortunately not Purple Smile

Original poster
FletchersMum · 14/04/2016 22:57

Thanks Chipper. I think some people must have thought I posted on AIBU. Just had some Galaxy. Feeling better x

OP posts:
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