What is what do surgeons do when they have to go to the bathroom?

Surgeons, during long operations, face the practical need to relieve themselves. Here's how they typically manage this:

• Strategic Timing: Whenever possible, surgeons will try to use the bathroom before the surgery begins. This is the most straightforward approach.

• Planned Breaks: For extremely long procedures, breaks are scheduled in advance. The surgical team may take turns stepping out. The patient's condition and surgical phase heavily influence whether a break is possible. These planned breaks may include a trip to the restroom. The ability to take a break depends heavily on the type of surgery, but the surgeon's needs are important too.

• "Relief" Surgeons/Coverage: In some situations, another surgeon will be present to temporarily take over the primary surgeon's role, allowing for a bathroom break or other needs. This is more common in larger teaching hospitals and with specific types of complex surgeries. A "relief%20surgeon" may take over at certain points in the surgery.

• Minimizing Fluid Intake: Surgeons may limit their fluid intake leading up to a long surgery. This is a personal choice and not always possible, but it can reduce the urgency.

• Catheters (Rare): In extremely rare and exceptional circumstances, a urinary catheter may be used. This is generally not standard practice due to the risks of infection and is only considered in specific cases where the duration and critical nature of the surgery make any other option impossible, and only if the patient's health is not at risk.