Could 8 hour surgery be dangerous? Also, might my surgeon might get tired? He appears healthy and around 50 years old. (photo)

Personally, I like to limit surgery to about six hours at one setting.  However many surgeons will perform much longer procedures quite safely.  It is not unreasonable for you to ask that the surgery be separated into two operations a few weeks apart, if that will provide peace of mind.

I typically limit the time under general anesthesia to about 4 or 4.5 hours.  I could not determine if you were doing Brazilian buttlift revision from the procedures listed.  Try to research this to find the surgeon who consistently produces the
results you would expect. Look at reviews on this site and see who gets the surgery right every time. Find
a board certified plastic surgeon who performs hundreds of Brazilian
buttlifts each year. Then look at the plastic surgeon's
website before and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can
deliver the results. Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Thank
you for your question .

I operate some days about 12 hours with breaks in between. I do not think age is a problem . Some doctors take longer to make sure you receive everything you are looking for as far as results. 


Choose a
board certified plastic surgeon who has done a ton of Brazilian Butt Lifts
and has privileges to do this surgery at a local university hospital. This
says his credentials have been checked out by fellow Drs. All surgeries carry
risk, talk to your plastic surgeon and choose one wisely.

Many surgeons operate 8 or more hours in a day. As for your particular surgery, it really depends upon your health the extent of surgery.

The human body undergoes different changes while on surgery, mainly because of inflammatory substances released by the tissue from the damage being undertaken. Surgical safety times are very well established by numerous published investigative reports, according to this, surgery limited to 4 hours is the safest; 4-6 hour surgery is in a gray spot, still safe, but probability starts to go against you; surgery times of more than 6 hours is well known to put statistics completely against you, and they get worse by the hour. Personally, I rarely perform surgery over 4 hours long, and when I do, planning is maxed out at 5 hours. For your particular surgery, I think 8 hours is a bit too much, it could be done in 4 to five hours. Try and talk it out and divide your surgery times in two stages. Good luck

Combining cosmetic
plastic surgery procedures is not uncommon. Whether you are a reasonable
candidate for those procedures depends on your anatomy, your medical history,
realistic expectations of the outcome and an understanding of the pros and cons
of the various procedures.

Safety should always be the main concern. It is generally recommended that the
length of elective surgery be less than six hours. The procedures should be
performed in an ambulatory facility that is accredited by one of the
national organizations like the American Association for Accreditation of
Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF) or in a licensed hospital. Many
surgeons would recommend an overnight stay at an appropriate facility where you
can be appropriately monitored. Most patients prefer undergoing one anesthesia
and one recovery period which is usually more cost effective.


Having said all of that, many ethical well trained plastic surgeons would feel
that the combination and length of surgery you are asking about is excessive and has significant
risks factors if performed in one stage.

Keep in mind that following the advice of any surgeon on this or any other web
site who proposes to tell you what to do without: examining you, physically
feeling the tissue, assessing your desired outcome, and taking a full medical
history, as well as discussing the pros and cons of each operative option would
not be in your best interest. I would suggest that your  plastic surgeon should be certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery who is ideally a member of the American Society for Aesthetic
Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) that you trust and are comfortable with, and that you should discuss
your concerns with that surgeon in person. That way, you can have a better idea
what is safe and makes the most sense for you.

Before proceeding with a combination of these procedures, you should have
medical clearance from your primary care physician and a discussion between him
or her and your plastic surgeon.

Robert Singer, MD FACS

La Jolla, California

Surgical risks go up dramatically after 6 hours so most surgeons will not plan much over 5 hours to leave a little room in case the surgery goes longer than they anticipate. There is no reason to plan for an elective cosmetic surgery that is longer than that. Then it is necessary to do the procedures in two stages.