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.

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

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