The timing of surgical procedures does not affect the risk of death after surgery, according to research published in Anesthesia & Analgesia.
For their study, researchers analyzed the outcomes of 32,001 elective surgeries performed from 2005-2010. The risk of death within 30 days after surgery was analyzed according to time of day of the procedure (from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.), day of the week and month of the year. The researchers eliminated emergency surgical procedures from the study, along with certain types of surgeries that are commonly performed on an urgent basis.
The overall risk of death within 30 days after surgery was 0.43 percent. After adjusting for other factors, mortality risk was not significantly different for patients operated on at different times of day or times of the year. In addition, there was no evidence of an increased risk of death for operations performed later in the workweek.
Notably, 30-day mortality risk was not increased for operations performed in July and August, which is when most new residents start working in teaching hospitals. A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine supports the "July effect," during which time hospital mortality rates are thought to increase as new medical trainees enter the nation's teaching hospitals.
For their study, researchers analyzed the outcomes of 32,001 elective surgeries performed from 2005-2010. The risk of death within 30 days after surgery was analyzed according to time of day of the procedure (from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.), day of the week and month of the year. The researchers eliminated emergency surgical procedures from the study, along with certain types of surgeries that are commonly performed on an urgent basis.
The overall risk of death within 30 days after surgery was 0.43 percent. After adjusting for other factors, mortality risk was not significantly different for patients operated on at different times of day or times of the year. In addition, there was no evidence of an increased risk of death for operations performed later in the workweek.
Notably, 30-day mortality risk was not increased for operations performed in July and August, which is when most new residents start working in teaching hospitals. A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine supports the "July effect," during which time hospital mortality rates are thought to increase as new medical trainees enter the nation's teaching hospitals.
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