Complications – Every surgeon’s Nightmare

Complications are, in the true essence of the word every surgeon’s nightmare. Though causing harm was never the intention and every surgeon approaches any operation with the intention of doing good, things do unfortunately go wrong – sometimes these are easily remediable but sometimes they are not…..sometimes they lead to irreversible harm and even death.

It is difficult -from the patient’s point of view he or she comes to the hospital for a simple operation, though when you consider the innumerable intricacies and variability of humans, no operation is “simple”. Though human anatomy is depicted in clear multicolored beautifully drawn images in the operative atlas, nothing can be further from the truth….This is more so when normal anatomy is distorted by disease. Often experience, not knowledge is the only guide for the surgeon in these murky waters and despite the best intentions things do go wrong….and go wrong badly.

No doubt the patient suffers and takes the brunt of these mishaps, but there is also a second victim. It is never easy to fathom the fact that your actions caused a patient serious harm and to live with it and get on with life – You will remember the one patient to whom you caused harm every time you take a knife again…..every time. Every surgeon has a little “cemetery” in his or her heart, where such memories are buried…

I always feel that honesty is the best policy in such situations – We owe it to the patient to be truthful and candid. Things go wrong despite our best intentions ….being candid about it is often the best policy.

Being available to the patient when the patient needs it is also important. Once a complication happens the patient becomes ” your” patient. You may ask for more experienced help for sure, but still, you can’t walk away or Shy away from responsibility or ownership…

It’s tough …..equally tough on both the patient and the surgeon, to say the least.

Thankfully it is rare in modern-day surgical practice, but it is worth remembering that every time you take a knife to your hand, however good your intentions are, there is potential to cause serious harm…..So never take the decision to do an operation lightly or carelessly.

With that in mind, I will take leave- Wishes for another glorious and rewarding day in surgery !!

See you soon!!

LBS