When you suffer from a medical condition and learn you need to undergo an operation, the first things that may go through your head is fear related to complications arising from surgery. This is why it is vital to find an experienced and skilled surgeon who is prepared for handling your spine-related health issues.
An article written by Dr. Pauline Chen for the New York Times explains that whenever a surgeon made a mistake, patients spent weeks in the hospital suffering from infections, open wounds, or other problems. However, when a new surgeon joined the hospital, things changed drastically, as operations took less time and patients went home much faster due to less complications in the surgery room.
“In the operating room, his bear paw hands turned delicate, teasing out tissues, caressing vessels and nimbly knotting thread as fine as human hair,” Chen wrote about the new surgeon. “There was not a single wasted movement; and each step blended seamlessly with the next, giving those of us who had the fortune to observe the sense that we were watching not surgery, but a well-choreographed ballet.”
Chen went on to discuss one study in which experts were provided with videotapes of 20 different surgeons at work and told to evaluate the tapes. It was then seen that huge variations in surgeons’ skill likely impacts the health outcomes of patients.
Surgeons ranked lowest took the longest to finish an operation and had the highest mortality rates. One solution that the experts cited is the potential for master surgeons to train more mediocre physicians on proper techniques in the operating room.
If you need a spinal surgeon, Dr. K has a vast amount of knowledge and experience on surgical approaches within spinal care. Dr. K will work with you to improve your quality of life.