2 answers
Kaidence
Student
Madison Heights, Michigan
1
Question
Updated
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How many people are required to do surgery on the brain? Has anyone ever become nauseous or anything like dat?
How many people are required to do surgery on the brain? Has anyone ever become nauseous or anything like dat?
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2 answers
Brittany Kuhn
Registered Nurse, MSN, CCRN
4
Answers
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Updated
Brittany’s Answer
Hi Kaidence!
If you mean how many people are actually in the operating room with this patient, this varies from case to case. At the hospital I work, there will be multiple doctors in the room including neurosurgeons and anesthesiologists. There will also be operating room nurses, respiratory therapists, and surgical techs involved in the case. Nurses also help to prepare the patient for and to recover from brain surgery.
Some patients do have nausea after surgery, but not all.
Hope this helps!
If you mean how many people are actually in the operating room with this patient, this varies from case to case. At the hospital I work, there will be multiple doctors in the room including neurosurgeons and anesthesiologists. There will also be operating room nurses, respiratory therapists, and surgical techs involved in the case. Nurses also help to prepare the patient for and to recover from brain surgery.
Some patients do have nausea after surgery, but not all.
Hope this helps!
Jean Noel Sanchez
Developer/Data Analyst
199
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Jean Noel’s Answer
Hi - ### Operating Room Team Size
A standard brain surgery (craniotomy) typically requires a core team of **6 to 10 people** working directly in the operating room:
* **Primary Neurosurgeon:** Leads the procedure and performs the surgery.
* **Assistant Surgeon or Resident:** Assists the primary surgeon with holding instruments, suctioning, and closing.
* **Neuro-Anesthesiologist:** Manages anesthesia, monitors vital signs, and regulates brain swelling and blood pressure.
* **Anesthesia Assistant or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA):** Helps administer medications and monitor patient vitals.
* **Scrub Nurse or Surgical Technologist:** Passes sterile instruments directly to the surgeons and manages the sterile field.
* **Circulating Nurse:** Manages the room environment, opens sterile supplies, documents the procedure, and coordinates with outside teams.
* **Neuromonitoring Specialist / Neurophysiologist:** Monitors real-time nerve signals and brain activity to protect critical functions (speech, movement).
*Depending on the complexity, the team may also include a speech-language pathologist (for awake brain surgery) or an imaging specialist operating intraoperative MRI or CT equipment.*
---
### Do People Become Nauseous During or After Surgery?
**Yes, nausea is a known occurrence, but it happens under specific conditions:**
#### 1. Patients After Surgery (Very Common)
Post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is one of the most common side effects following brain surgery. It affects roughly **20% to 50% of brain surgery patients**. Key triggers include:
* **Anesthesia side effects:** Gas and intravenous anesthetics commonly cause temporary stomach upset as they wear off.
* **Changes in brain pressure:** Operating near fluid centers in the brain or changes in brain tissue pressure can directly trigger the brain's "vomiting center".
* **Pain medications:** Strong post-operative opioids frequently cause nausea.
#### 2. Patients During Surgery (Awake Craniotomies)
During an **awake brain surgery** (where a patient is brought out of sedation while the brain is being mapped), nausea can happen. However, anesthesiologists give specialized anti-nausea medications (like ondansetron or dexamethasone) through the IV beforehand to keep the stomach settled.
#### 3. Surgical Team Members / Observers
It is surprisingly common for **medical students, new nurses, or observers** to experience lightheadedness, nausea, or even faint during their first few surgeries. The combination of standing still under hot lights for 4 to 8 hours, mask wearing, and the visual/auditory sensations of neurosurgery (such as the sound of the surgical drill or the smell of cauterized tissue) often triggers a vasovagal response in newcomers. Experienced surgical staff build a tolerance over time.
A standard brain surgery (craniotomy) typically requires a core team of **6 to 10 people** working directly in the operating room:
* **Primary Neurosurgeon:** Leads the procedure and performs the surgery.
* **Assistant Surgeon or Resident:** Assists the primary surgeon with holding instruments, suctioning, and closing.
* **Neuro-Anesthesiologist:** Manages anesthesia, monitors vital signs, and regulates brain swelling and blood pressure.
* **Anesthesia Assistant or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA):** Helps administer medications and monitor patient vitals.
* **Scrub Nurse or Surgical Technologist:** Passes sterile instruments directly to the surgeons and manages the sterile field.
* **Circulating Nurse:** Manages the room environment, opens sterile supplies, documents the procedure, and coordinates with outside teams.
* **Neuromonitoring Specialist / Neurophysiologist:** Monitors real-time nerve signals and brain activity to protect critical functions (speech, movement).
*Depending on the complexity, the team may also include a speech-language pathologist (for awake brain surgery) or an imaging specialist operating intraoperative MRI or CT equipment.*
---
### Do People Become Nauseous During or After Surgery?
**Yes, nausea is a known occurrence, but it happens under specific conditions:**
#### 1. Patients After Surgery (Very Common)
Post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is one of the most common side effects following brain surgery. It affects roughly **20% to 50% of brain surgery patients**. Key triggers include:
* **Anesthesia side effects:** Gas and intravenous anesthetics commonly cause temporary stomach upset as they wear off.
* **Changes in brain pressure:** Operating near fluid centers in the brain or changes in brain tissue pressure can directly trigger the brain's "vomiting center".
* **Pain medications:** Strong post-operative opioids frequently cause nausea.
#### 2. Patients During Surgery (Awake Craniotomies)
During an **awake brain surgery** (where a patient is brought out of sedation while the brain is being mapped), nausea can happen. However, anesthesiologists give specialized anti-nausea medications (like ondansetron or dexamethasone) through the IV beforehand to keep the stomach settled.
#### 3. Surgical Team Members / Observers
It is surprisingly common for **medical students, new nurses, or observers** to experience lightheadedness, nausea, or even faint during their first few surgeries. The combination of standing still under hot lights for 4 to 8 hours, mask wearing, and the visual/auditory sensations of neurosurgery (such as the sound of the surgical drill or the smell of cauterized tissue) often triggers a vasovagal response in newcomers. Experienced surgical staff build a tolerance over time.