How many hours does surgery last (on average)

[Shelley A]

So, I know surgery lengths vary from patient to patient.  I just want to take a poll and get an average.  I have surgery scheduled on Friday and keep getting asked how long it will take.

Thanks,
Shelley

[CHD63]

Approximately 5 hours for each of my surgeries (one retrosigmoid and one translab).

Clarice

[Jim Scott]

Shelly ~

It does vary.  Mine took 9 hours but I've read posts from AN surgery patients that took under 4 hours and a few that went much longer.  I'd say 8 hours is average but we'll see what the consensus is.

Jim

[rsteph]

My surgery took 12 hours.  We are all unique.

[Tod]

I get to give you the scary answer.

Both HEI and MCV surgeons estimated 14-18 hours for me. Surgery ended after 32 hours.

That is soooooo very unusual. I am simply a very difficult patient. Don't go by me. Your docs probably should have an estimate for you.

-Tod

[LakeErie]

My time will be the on the short side. I had a minimally invasive retrosigmoid that removed 95% to 97% of the tumor in just under 3 hours through a craniotomy the size of a quarter. I spent no time in an ICU, was up walking in under 24 hours, and discharged in less then 48. And if I had this tumor again, I'd have the same procedure. Good luck with yours.

[alabamajane]

Hi Shelley,
First best wishes for a most successful surgery in the morning,, you "get"to sleep through it ,, your family and friends will be the ones in that anxious wait mode,,

My Dr had told us 5-6 hrs and my translab was closer to 12 hrs,, there are SO many factors that affect that timeframe,, many of which are unforseen until they are in surgery,, as was my case with a very deep tumor and facial nerve involvement ,,

I agree with Jim that 8 is probably pretty average,, I would just tell family etc to plan to "spend the day ",,,,,,,our wishes for peace and calm spirit in these preceding hours and for your recovery,, Jane

[jaylogs]

Six hours here! Although I don't remember a single second! LOL

[lkrk]

Good Luck!  My Translab was on March 13th was 5 hours.  My tumor was not vascular and it was not sticky.  I hope you have the same results. 

Lauren
1.5 cm; translab approach on March 13, 2013
Dr. Driscoll; Dr. Link of Mayo Clinic
St Mary's Hospital, Rochester MN
SSD

[james e]

10 hours, and that included , my BAHA surgery...like Jay, I don't remember any of it. It was harder on my wife.

James

[millie]

Five hours "wheels in wheels out" as the doctor told me...and it was sticky.

[mk]

Mine was 10-11 hours (retrosigmoid) for a 3.5 cm AN. I wonder, if the duration has to do more with the type of surgery (middle fossa, retro, translab), or with the size of the tumor? or none of the above and it depends more on the stickiness/ease of removal?

Marianna

[jsanders1379]

Although I now seem to be unable to locate the post, I am sure someone posted earlier that their surgery took longer than expected because the surgeon found that the tumor was actually larger than it presented on the MRI- this has gotten me very worried about my upcoming GK if the MRIs can be that inaccurate? Does a patient typically have an MRI right before surgery, or could this have been an MRI done earlier?

[Kathleen_Mc]

First time about 15 hours
Regrowth something like 4-5 hours.

[mk]

Although I now seem to be unable to locate the post, I am sure someone posted earlier that their surgery took longer than expected because the surgeon found that the tumor was actually larger than it presented on the MRI- this has gotten me very worried about my upcoming GK if the MRIs can be that inaccurate? Does a patient typically have an MRI right before surgery, or could this have been an MRI done earlier?

The discrepancies/underestimation in the size are related to the number of slices taken during the scan. Usually diagnostic MRIs tend to have less number of slices (because they are looking everywhere), so they may not reveal the true size of the tumor. This is certainly what happened in my case, where the size was underestimated in my diagnostic MRI.  Before GK there is very careful planning, with the MRI scan taken right before the treatment, while the frame is on, and  targeting exactly the tumor, so that it is much more accurate.

Marianna