It It Normal For Plastic Surgeons To Have Assistants in the OR? What Is Their Role?
asked 3 months ago by s.perez in San Antonio, TX
Latest answer by Stephen Prendiville, MD
Question viewed 79 times
Tags: assistance, assistant, normal
Is assistants often used by plastic surgeons in the OR? and if so what are their main duties in the OR? Thanks much for all your answers.
4 answers to It It Normal For Plastic Surgeons To Have Assistants in the OR? What Is Their Role?
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Assistant in the Operating Room for Plastic Surgery?
It is absolutely normal for a Plastic Surgeon to have assistant(s) in the operating room. Well performed surgery works like a well drilled string quartet. The Surgeon performs the procedure, relying on the Anesthetist (Anesthesiologist or CRNA) to maintain sedation for the patient, the scrub technician (CMT) to make sure that the proper instruments/suture are organized and available, and the circulating nurse (RN) to assist with medications, supplies, and patient comfort.
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Role of Assistants in the Operating Room
Most surgical procedures go a lot faster and smoother when the surgeon has help in lifting skin out of the way, points of bleeding are exactly identified by suction allowing quick cautery and stitches are cut immediately. If you are uncomfortable with this concept or wish to know who will do what in your operation feel free to ask your surgeon.
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Careful and safe Plastic Surgery requires Assistants
Hi there-
It is always helpful to have another pair of hands to hold skin steady or cut sutures during surgery. Provided you chose your surgeon carefully and for all of the right reasons, you should be confident that he chose his assistants with the same care and that their roles in your surgery are appropriate to their training and skills. Provided this is the case, their presence can only benefit you.
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Plastic surgery assistants
You can't do plastic surgery alone. It always requires an assistant to hold the tissues, cut the sutures, etc etc. Sometimes these are nurses, PA's, or techs. Sometimes they sew also if they have been trained to do that. But the surgeon is still the one doing the surgery.
