Burnout is common among surgeons and the results can be harmful for patients, new research suggests.

In a survey of 7,900 surgeons, 9 percent said they had committed a major medical error in the last three months, according to the study by researchers from Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic.

Surgeons who reported burnout or depression said they were more likely to commit medical mistakes, according to the study appearing in the Annals of Surgery. Overall, 40 percent of surgeons who responded to the survey said they were burned out.

And here's a fascinating point that drives home the big picture: while surgeons don't appear to make more errors than other doctors, the consequences of these mistakes can be more severe, the article says. Some estimate that as many as 10 percent of patients are affected by such errors.

The survey, commissioned by the American College of Surgeons, asked participants about  emotional exhaustion and questions that screened for depression.

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Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Surgery
        

I've always wondered if doctors are more or less apt to seek treatment for medical conditions. Well, when it comes to plastic surgery, the doctor is often the patient, a new study finds.

In a survey of 276 members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 62 percent said they had gone under the knife for at least one procedure. Most receive minimally invasive procedures such as laser hair removal chemical peels and Botox -- no word of whether they throw Botox parties. A third had gone under a surgical procedure, with liposuction being the most common.

Women surgeons were more likely than men to have cosmetic surgery. The study about the survey -- appearing in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery -- suggests they can be an asset to patients who are trying to decide which kind of reconstructive surgery to receive.

Is this the result of sheer vanity, having all these nifty tools within an arm's reach, or true medical necessity? I wonder.

AP photo

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Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Surgery
        

Two weeks ago, I walked into Mercy Medical Center with a gallbladder and was wheeled out without one.

Already, the surgery is minimally invasive. You end up with just a few small scars on your tummy. But this surgeon is among those trying to make the surgery even less invasive than that. He is among the pioneers of single-incision gallbladder surgery -- just one cut into the belly button. That's it. The result is essentially scarless. (I'd take a picture of my navel to show you, but after two children I'm not quite ready to get that personal here.) Aside from the vanity stuff, recovery times are supposed to be better (I was back at work 11 days after surgery and Kelly wants me to tell you I'm doing just fine).

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Posted by Stephanie Desmon at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Surgery