"Turn your head and cough. please!" Day 11

This morning I felt like I was a very unfit 90 year old lady. It took a few minutes of walking around before I could actually move my back.

We had two procedures today.

Circumcision: Sadly it wasn't the right Dr.H doing the operation otherwise I'd probably get to sew again. I got to assist though and felt pretty confident in that role ;)

Cystectomy: Bladder removal. Normally, if the patient doesn't have a lot of other problems or a complicated anatomy, this procedure takes only a few hours. This patient had both and it took 6 hours!!!

The bladder was encased in fibrous tissue and the intestines were stuck together. The process of removing the bladder took the most time because of all of this. Since the patient had a few other medical issues a general surgeon came and operated later on.

I was second assistant because two attendings were operating. There wasn't much for me to do other than occasionally hold a few hooks. I woke up pretty tired this morning and really fought to focus and pay attention during the operation. To be honest, I was bored just standing there and hardly being able to see anything. If this had been my first operation ever, every little move the people make would be interesting but since this wasn't, it is kind of as if I was just standing in one place for hours on end. You'd be bored too.



If I was operating myself I'm sure I'd feel differently and be so focused on what I was doing that I wouldn't have time to feel my back pain. Luckily after about three hours, the general surgeon showed up to operate with the other two. Since there wasn't any more room at the table I was told to go have a coffee break.

I did for about 20 minutes and then returned to watch some more. Once the general surgeon finally left I got washed up and joined the surgeons again to hold a few more hooks.

What made it all fun though was the team. It's a great mix of people that joke with each other. Makes operating a lot more enjoyable than grumpy, serious and quiet people.

After 6 hours we had the patient cleaned up and out of there. And I was right behind him.

Got this little message from a friend and had to share!

"When I was young, I decided to go to medical school. At the entrance exam, we were asked to rearrange the alphabets:

P N E I S

and form the name of an important human body part which is most useful when erect.

Those who answered SPINE are doctors today, while the rest are on Facebook."

Now I beg to differ if you end up in Urology ;)

Baci, V