Sufficient Number Of Techs?

[DrewE]

How many techs do you feel is necessary to perform a moderate sized strip surgery between 2500-3500 hundred grafts? Two of the docs I consulted said that they can perform this amount in one day but only have a total of 4 techs. When I review docs like Feller or Rahal who can perform this number of grafts and schedule this as the only surgery of the day they use a higher number of techs.

[DrewE]

How many techs do you feel is necessary to perform a moderate sized strip surgery between 2500-3500 hundred grafts? Two of the docs I consulted said that they can perform this amount in one day but only have a total of 4 techs. When I review docs like Feller or Rahal who can perform this number of grafts and schedule this as the only surgery of the day they use a higher number of techs.

[thanatopsis_awry]

I think this really would vary clinic to clinic (theoretically). In practice, I think the # of techs is irrelevant insofar as the proof being in the pudding (the actual results).

 

I would imagine that a clinic performing an elite HT of X session size would have a similar number of working techs as another clinic performing an elite HT of X session size.

 

Feller and Rahal are obv quite good, and have a ton of techs to be able to handle larger cases. H+W have the most techs, I believe, in part because they of the insanely large sessions they sometimes do.

 

I don't know who the clinics you talked to where w/ 4 techs....my opinion on them would likely not be dictated by this number, so much as their history of performing elite HTs with excellent patient care.

 

Could always ask Feller, Rahal, Hasson, Shapiro, etc. to see how many techs they would want to have at their disposal on a 2500-3500 case.

[DrewE]

My main concern is that the techs are not overworked with their respected duties and fatigue could become a factor.Having extra techs could only seem to benefit the procedure ie. keeping them rotated and fresh. After reading through Dr. Bernsteins extensive web site{a great read} tech fatigue,reducing the amount of time the grafts are out of the body, and the handling of grafts puts alot of the procedure in their hands.

[thanatopsis_awry]

Ya, totally agree...the more competent techs the better; there is a general "sweet spot", though, for a given session size. You can never have too many quality techs, though, for sure. I'm actually kinda curious how many Bernstein has.

[skunky]

I think the number of techs isn't that big of an issue ;rather their qualifications and skills. A very skilled tech can easily perform the same amount of grafts taken by two not so skilled techs in the same time. But I think 4techs for one surgery a day is sufficient to do the trick. You also have to know if you are the only patient that day, if not than most of the time more techs will be available to make sure multiple surgeries can take place and so there will be more techs to make sure both surgeries can be done at one day without loss of precious time (cutting strip, extracting grafts, replacing grafts,etc)

The amount of time grafts are out of the body tissues has to be brought to a minimum , but I recently got to know that Dr Feriduni is going to invest in a special cutting table which has a cooling system so the grafts can be out of the skin for a longer period; I think it's very beneficial ; you never know if any complications or difficulties arise during surgery or when it's baking hot outside to make sure the grafts are in the best circumstances; don't know how many surgeons actually use this kind of tables? Just got to know of them during a chat with the doc.