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Original poster

No pants on after surgery - weird?

81 replies

CardiganBlobby · 15/04/2020 18:50

I went into hospital today for some surgery to remove some non-invasive cancer cells from my breast - all good from that perspective. I was under general anaesthetic for the procedure which I have had before as well.

My question stems from the fact that I went into the surgery wearing my pants (wasn't told to remove them) but woke up without them. Can anyone help me understand why my pants came off?

I don't think I peed/pooped myself - pants were still fine when I got them back afterwards too.

Suggestions appreciated Grin

OP posts:
Crystal87 · 15/04/2020 19:20

Howzaboutye, didn't happen.

Ginfilledcats · 15/04/2020 19:22

As a million other people have said, you'll have been catherterised. However I would still ask someone about that as I'd hope my nurses would advise that they would catheterise and therefore would be removing underwear, however obvious it is.

You certainly won't have had an internal whilst under. First of all there will have been at least 6 people in that theatre too who all would have gone ballistic if it was even suggested. Which it wouldn't be. Because it's not and never has been a thing.

They are on strict turn around times, no time to be gallivanting around looking up your foo for a teaching moment. Not least because it was a breast surgery - done by general or breast surgeries and trainees, not gynae or urology, so even if they WERE teaching someone, the trainee would be on the wrong module.

Crystal87 · 15/04/2020 19:22

Most surgeries you aren't allowed to wear anything other than a gown. It's for cross contamination reasons. I've had c sections and you have to be naked other than a gown, even the bra has to come off.

ClientQ · 15/04/2020 19:24

I kept mine on for a GA as I was on my period and asked beforehand. 5hr op, they were still on when I woke up and no catheter

Mrsmorton · 15/04/2020 19:26

@Howzaboutye absolutely has not happened in the UK in living memory. Please don't scaremonger like that.

OP, you should have
GiveN consent to something like catheterising so you wouldn't be unreasonable to ask.

There are so many people present at every stage of any procedure that it would be a conspiracy theory on a vast scale for there not to have been a legitimate reason. Hope you're recovering well and results were good for you.

Greenandcabbagelooking · 15/04/2020 19:27

I had my pants removed once under GA when I had my appendix out. I assume they inserted a catherter, or for infection control reasons. I got them back at some point, but I can't remember exactly when!

Original poster
CardiganBlobby · 15/04/2020 19:43

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, sounds like it might have been a combination of cross contamination and catheter. I don't feel that there has been any impropriety at all, I trust the surgeon and agree funny stuff would definitely not have been tolerated.

OP posts:
SauvignonBlanche · 15/04/2020 19:46

Please take no notice of @Howzaboutye, that is just Scaremongering nonsense

PhoneLock · 15/04/2020 19:51

Sorry to say, but you might have had an internal exam while you were under.

By aliens... in their spaceship.

opinionatedfreak · 15/04/2020 20:06

I'm an anaesthetist.

We don't allow people to examine random bits of patients when they are under GA. It does not happen.

Pants off - multiple innocent reasons possible - catheter/ suppository/ infection control concerns/ concern re fabric causing problems with diathermy & wanting to avoid you getting a diathermy burn/ team not wanting to get skin prep on them (iodine skin prep stains).

I work in Paeds we usually remember to put the kids underwear back on. In adults it is much harder to do this so we save our backs and send them back in a plastic bag.

lokoho · 15/04/2020 20:09

You're so wrong. It did happen and within living memory.

It happened in Manchester Royal Infirmary in the 1990s.

lokoho · 15/04/2020 20:10

"In living memory, vaginal and rectal examinations were performed without consent on anaesthetised patients solely for the purpose of teaching. "

~ www.uhs.nhs.uk/HealthProfessionals/Clinical-law-updates/Examining-patients-with-their-consent.aspx

RoryGilmoree · 15/04/2020 20:15

@Howzaboutye this does NOT happen anymore. That would be GBH and result in a prison sentence. Please don't scaremonger

RoryGilmoree · 15/04/2020 20:18

@lokoho it may have happened in living memory however I'm a doctor in that trust. It does not happen now without consent.

RainbowBalloon · 15/04/2020 20:21

Anyone sniffing a lot of fetish bait on this thread? Hmm

Strangerthanstrange · 15/04/2020 20:21

Examinations without consent definitely happened in the not too distant past. "Pelvic Exams On Anesthetized Women Without Consent: A Troubling And Outdated Practice" www.forbes.com/sites/paulhsieh/2018/05/14/pelvic-exams-on-anesthetized-women-without-consent-a-troubling-and-outdated-practice/amp/

midnightstar66 · 15/04/2020 20:25

Surely you can't wear any every day clothing from home in surgery. Could be full of all kinds of bacteria.

lokoho · 15/04/2020 20:25

Sorry, OP, this is not to say this is what happened to you, at all! But it has happened to other people and it makes me really angry when HCPs deny this. It did happen. It has happened. It is wrong to deny this.

It must not be lied about in this way. It should not be done, either, and I think in the main nowadays it is not done in the UK. But it really must not be lied about and covered up. It happened.

I'm sorry to have commented on your post without addressing you, though! I lost my head a little. It's obviously something that personally affected me.

DevonLulu · 15/04/2020 20:26

Infection control. Your clothing is removed to reduce infection risk. You would usually be given paper knickers. You would absolutely not have had an internal examination without prior written consent. There are lots of people in the theatre room, doctors, nurses, scrub nurses, anaesthetist and their assistant. There will be no foul play. Just lots of dedicated staff wanting to reduce your complication risk and get you home safe and quickly.

perniciousdot · 15/04/2020 20:27

@Speakout

How would it be 'plain wrong' for OP to ask why her pants were removed? I think it's entirely reasonable to ask this. You are allowed to know the details of what happens during your procedure.

Ilikeanimalsmorethanpeople · 15/04/2020 20:30

@1forsorrow haha I'm not sure about that maybe the first operation but by the second I was on so many drugs I didn't even do my gown up Blush

Peapod29 · 15/04/2020 20:35

I’m just thinking about the infection risk if they let everyone wear their dirty old pants into theatre. No wonder they ask people to remove them.

Pandoraslastchance · 15/04/2020 20:38

I asked this when I had my mastecomy last year and I was told it was to ensure that there was no injury from the diathermy.

CaptSkippy · 15/04/2020 20:45

Last time I had surgery I couldn't wear my own, but had to wear some net-like one from the hospital. I hated it as I was on my period at the time. So I asked that I could wait to the last moment to switch,

When a nurse came in to get me for the surgery. I told him I still needed to switch pants. He tried to do it for me and I got really angry and told him to get out, after which I changed them msyelf.