How do surgeries last so long? Example, heart transplant surgery that last 36 hours.

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Does the surgical team change?

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3 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Typically there’s plenty of nursing staff, tech staff, anesthesia staff to rotate so that the others can go on break or come back later. Additionally usually the surgeons will have other surgeons assist or come in later to scrub in and help.

Anonymous 0 Comments

a quick search shows that heart transplant usually take 6-8 hours at max, not 36

extremely length surgeries typically involve very uncommon procedures, like separating conjoined twins, which involve multiple teams of surgeons and assistants, or something like a face transplant that requires dealing with a huge number of nerves and blood vessels

Anonymous 0 Comments

I don’t believe any heart surgery takes 36 hrs.

However, surgeries usually last 1-5 hours because there is a lot of stuff to do. I’m going through surgery soon and I will be getting operated on for 2-3 hrs.

They have to cut me, insert a camera, insert other surgical equipment and slowly do what they need to do. Also, extra procedures that are done alongside the surgery, but are not part of the surgery itself can be time consuming.

For example, cryo freezing nerves for pain control is not part of the surgery itself but has to be done under anethesia because -70C and well.. your nerves.

Stuff like that can’t be rushed and there is no reason to rush it as it can be life-threatening.