Why does the body bleed so little during surgery?

Question

I mean, I get a little nick from a knife while chopping vegetables and I fill up a small bowl with blood… but these guys are doing open heart surgery and theres barely any blood at all.

Why is that?

In: 4

Answer 1

I work in hospitals and the operating rooms.

Surgeons are adept at minimizing blood loss through speed and efficiency. There are also many tools, such as tourniquets for limbs and cauterization tools (which seal cut vessels) to minimize blood loss. Additionally surgeons know where to cut to avoid vessels that will cause significant bleeding.

I’ve seen joint replacements where the patient loses less than 250 mL / 8 oz of blood. This is well within the body’s ability to replenish without undue stress.