Eli5 why is it that if I cut myself with a knife I bleed like crazy, but when a surgeon cuts into a chest, removes the ribs to perform a major surgery you don’t see all that much blood comparatively?

Question

Eli5 why is it that if I cut myself with a knife I bleed like crazy, but when a surgeon cuts into a chest, removes the ribs to perform a major surgery you don’t see all that much blood comparatively?

In: 562

Answer 1

Because surgeons use tools that cut and cauterize at the same time. The cauterizing seals blood vessels shut and minimizes blood loss.

Also, a suction machine is used during surgery. It sucks the blood away from the surgical field and it goes into a reservoir in the machine. So the surgical field remains relatively bloodless.

Source: I’m an OR nurse.