Is it safe to have multiple surgeries for 6 hours and then go home afterward?

Dear bwilliams1114,

Your question touches on a crucial aspect of patient safety. However, based on the information provided, it's challenging to give you a specific answer. Several factors come into play when determining the safety of a prolonged surgical procedure followed by discharge on the same day. This includes the nature and complexity of the surgeries, the patient's overall health, age, medical history, and the facilities available for post-operative monitoring.

To provide a more comprehensive answer and guidance, I'd need details about the specific procedures you're considering, your health status, and any potential underlying medical conditions.

It's essential to discuss this thoroughly with a board-certified plastic surgeon or surgical specialist. They can evaluate your specific situation and provide insights tailored to your needs, ensuring the utmost attention to safety and care.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

This is a very important question! In many ways, and the answer has to do with several factors including: you're Health preoperatively, the type of procedure being done, the anticipated blood loss, your tolerance of pain, the expected help and support you will get at home. I absolutely recommend you have a clear discussion about this with your surgeon before your operation. It is imperative
that you seek the advice of a plastic surgeon who is certified by the American
Board of Plastic Surgery and has extensive experience in brachioplasty / arm
lift.

I wish you the best.

Dr. Gabbay.

Unfortunately there is no clear cut answer for this question because it depends on so many factors. Every patient needs to be evaluated both pre and post-operatively on an individual basis. No 2 patients will be the same nor will their surgery be the same even if they are undergoing the same type of procedure. That being said, I do send almost all of my patients home after surgery. I evaluate my patients pre-operatively and then after surgery I monitor them for a period of time making sure they are completely stable before they are sent home. I also call all my patients the night of surgery to once again make sure they are doing well and that everything is progressing normally. My patients also get my personal cell phone number so that if they do have any questions or concerns they can call me immediately for advice and because of all this I fell comfortable sending them home. I also believe patients do better at home, they feel more comfortable at home and probably have less risk of bacterial contamination at home. I think this will require a discussion with your plastic surgeon of choice during which you can express your concerns and ask questions and then based on the answers and his/her experience determine whether you believe it is safe or not. Ankur Mehta MD

To answer your question, it depends on the health of the patient, the type of surgeries performed and other factors.  My preference is to keep patients with longer surgeries overnight.  For example, all tummy tucks, mommy make-overs and facelifts stay overnight with a nurse, at my facility.All the best,

Hello, I agree with the others. Combining multiple surgeries can be done but should be done carefully. In general, having more than six hours of anesthesia usually means you need to stay overnight to be monitored. Either way, when combining multiple surgeries make sure you are at an accredited facility and that your doctor is certified and appropriately trained and comfortable combining these procedures. You will want someone at least at home for the next week that can help care for you. Best wishes in your surgeries. 

This will depend upon the expertise of the surgeon and your medical health.   Surgery should not extend for more than 6 hours.  Some patients may want a nurse with them or they may want a recovery center.Kenneth Hughes, MDBeverly Hills, CA

Six hour surgeries are not uncommon in Cosmétic Surgery. We dont like going over 6 hours because the incidence of complications like deep venous Thrombosis or pulmonary embolism can increase.  It is not always mandatory to leave a patient hospitalized after a surgery this long. The decision líes on what type of surgery is being done and what type of patient is being operated (high or low risk  patient). 

The safety of elective surgery is dependent on many factors.1: the expertise of the surgeon and staff2: preparedness to deal with emergencies3: equipment availability4:Where the surgery is done, is the facility accredited? 5: The patients' own health  history and present co-morbidities6: clearance from the family physician and other specialties 7: pre-operative lab work8: age9: How many areas of the body is being traumatized by the surgery. Surgery is trauma. The more the body surface area is traumatized the more the complications. This normal body response to trauma.Just because we can do the surgery, does not mean we should.there is financial interest by the surgeon.There is convenience for the patient to do multiple surgeries in one recovery period and financial interest.Is it worth the risk?

Thank you for
your question. It is not uncommon to have multiple surgeries in one day that
last 5- 6 hours and afterward safely be sent home. There are a few factors to
consider before making the decision. It includes your surgeon’s experience and
comfort with performing multiple surgeries at once as well the type of
procedure performed, your health status, and potential complications. I
encourage you to meet with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with an extensive
experience in the area of interest to discuss your options.

Whether or not to go home depends upon the surgeries involved and who is taking care of you at home. Smaller procedures with less blood loss and fluid shifts are different from larger procedures with greater blood loss and fluid shifts.  I find that after 5 hours, most patients would prefer to stay. Staying overnight insures better pain control and better hydration from iv fluids.  It also makes a difference who will be taking care of you at home.  I think in most instances that six hours is longer that I would feel comfortable sending someone home.