Of course this is on my mind as I go into my first major surgery in two weeks, but it's been on my mind before.

I know it's silly to a certain degree, but before I started riding airlines I did a lot of research and found out which airlines had few to no crashes or fatalities.

Obviously there are numerous mitigating factors involved with why those crashes happen that aren't always indicative of a airlines over-all safety, just as the chance happening of someone dieing due to unforseen complications by a very experienced hospital staff isn't a reflection on their ability to perform operations properly.

I'm still curious though.

I mean, every doctor, and anyone who's gone through the process always echo the sentiment "Every surgery has risks" or the fact that an invariable possibility is death, but what's really the statistics and the hard numbers if any?

I've definitely alleviated a lot of my fears of going into major surgery by reading up on the usual causes of the remote possibility of death... health of the patient, faulty equipment, human error, etc... yet still people throw out "there's always a risk".

So yeah... I dunno.  Something I really don't see brought up a lot.  I kinda want to ask the surgeons I go to about this but I feel it's a faux pas... to even bring it up here, let alone to ask a surgeon face to face.

... um... so yeah, anyone have hard info on this, and if not... your own thoughts on the matter.   

I have read that even though it's classed as major surgery the procedure is quite simple but besides that the human body could react in any number of bad ways. But saying that I've never heard of one single death, just a few people that weren't happy with their outcomes. But they were fixable.
It's a reasonable question I wish I could be more informative

To return to my favorite subject...

General anesthesia has an incidence of death of 3-5 people in 1,000,000.
Spinal anesthesia does have complications, but death is much rarer.

In any case, these statistics are for people undergoing surgery who are mostly in poor health.
You have the advantage of being in good health beforehand.

So just do everything that you can possibly do to be in the best health before and after surgery.

A death during an elective procedure is pretty much a career ender.  I've heard of a couple of cases of death over the years, and those surgeaons dropped off the radar afterwards.  I don't know of any well known surgeons practicing today who have had such an occurrence.  There was a fairly recent one I read about, but I can't remember the details.  It wasn't any surgeon that I'd ever heard of before.

The incidence of death in the OR is low or non-existent.  The reasons being that there is so much upfront effort to ensure a safe outcome.  Blood tests, EKG's, health profiles of the patient, and a well trained surgical TEAM all contribute to ensuring that there will be a good outcome.  Most surgeons will not accept a patient for surgery that is not in good health to start with.  But there is ALWAYS risk.  You cannot eliminate it completely.

What is more likely are complications following surgery.  Infections and healing issues can  complicate recovery.  For example, following my surgery, while I was in recovery, I apparently had a panic attack and started thrashing my legs (I remember nothing of this).  As a result, while my surgery went exceedingly well, I did tear some stitches and spent the following four days immobilized and horizontal.  Fortunately everything turned out well.

Yes, it is quite acceptable to ask the surgeon about their record.  They will not be able to go into any sort of detail because of patient privacy issues, however.  But, truly, the risk of death in the OR is very low.

-Sandy

The incidence of death in the OR is low or non-existent.

I fail to see how you could say that.  Top Secret documents involving national security are easier to get access to then records of the medical boards involving malpractice claims and ethics violations against doctors. 

Dr. Eugene Schrang used to be a well known surgeon until a patient died of a DVT related event. Anne Lawrence wrote a piece critical of the incident and was threatened with a lawsuit over it. He then "retired" shortly afterwards.

Please don't make me think too closely about this just three weeks before I go in for an elective minor revision. I'm already terrified enough as it is but I've also lived with the cosmetic limitations of early 1980's SR surgery for long enough!

Quote from: FlanKitty on January 06, 2010, 10:22:03 AM
Dr. Eugene Schrang used to be a well known surgeon until a patient died of a DVT related event. Anne Lawrence wrote a piece critical of the incident and was threatened with a lawsuit over it. He then "retired" shortly afterwards.

What's DVT?

Quote from: glendagladwitch on January 08, 2010, 06:50:35 AM
What's DVT?

Deep Vein Thrombosis - basically a blood clot in one of your veins. Often fatal if not properly and swiftly treated, and one of the major risks of any invasive surgery where the patient will be imobile or semi imobile for a long period during recovery.

They can also happen if you are on an aircraft for a long flight and have insuficcient room to move your legs around.

OK, got to speak from personal experience here:

2002 - colon cancer, surgery to remove 6" of colon, 15 lymph nodes, and Liver biopsy
(chemo followed)

2004 - gallbladder burst, emergency surgery

2005 - cancer returns to liver, 5cm & 3cm lesions go to Boston, mass general 75% of liver removed (Dr OK'd glass of wine 6 months later  )

2006 - original incision of colon ruptures, emergency surgery for colostomy (yyeeeeuuuck)

later that year, I think December, double bypass (99% blockage i the "widow maker, and 93% in the other major artery)

Finally April 2007 reversal of colostomy (yeah no f****g bag anymore)

OK 6 majors surgeries in 5 years, all of them to me felt like lights out and a few minutes later I was awake again 

And before every damn one of them I was scared sh****less I wasn't going to wake up

but I'm here  and thankful that this year I'm now 5 years clear and free of cancer, but now I look likeI got in a fight with a blender and lost but when I go for breast aug, I'm going to have something done about the "zipper" I have running down my chest.

Evie's 2¢


[edit] p.s. for the liver surgery I was on the table for 8 hours

EveMarie... you are a shining light of awesome. 

Thank you so much for that.  I keep reminding myself that people go through all kinds of much more serious surgeries in life and are fine, but it's always nice to hear about it. *hugs*

... and woweezoweee, congratulations on making it through all that!

Here's to many more years of awesomeness. 

Yeah, and people die on the table with much less serious operations too. Like I said, check it out, and don't be surprised if you can't get that information.

Quote from: tekla on January 13, 2010, 09:38:00 PM
Yeah, and people die on the table with much less serious operations too. Like I said, check it out, and don't be surprised if you can't get that information.

Thanks as always for bringing a healthy dose of negativity to the discussion.

I was scared to death.. does it count? ^^ luckily I didn't die!!! was so scary though.

Thanks as always for bringing a healthy dose of negativity to the discussion.

Actually, it's just reality, which, as it turns out, can be very negative.  Serious things should be taken seriously.

But hey, why worry? I'm sure if you ask your doctor or state medical board how many patients they have lost, or how many times they have been sued for malpractice, they'll be very forthcoming.

Try it, and see how wrong I am.