Weekend Surgeries May Higher Risk of Complications
9April2013
Patients who have emergency surgery on weekends may have extra reason for concern. According to an analysis, weekend surgeries may involve a higher risk of complications than the same surgeries performed on weekdays.
The researchers analyzed data involving 7,112 surgeries for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis from across the country, the New York Times reported.
According to the researchers, there was no difference in the weekend or weekday admission rates based on age, gender, or other factors.
However, ulcerative colitis patients who were admitted on weekends had a 70 percent increased chance of complications compared with patients who were admitted on weekdays. In general, postoperative infection rates were approximately 50 percent higher in weekend patients and the rates of pulmonary complications were approximately twice as high as for weekday patients. There was also a much higher risk of wound complications and repeat surgeries, with these risks a staggering 10 times higher for weekend patients.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that every weekend surgery for ulcerative colitis is likely to end in complications. However, the Seattle medical malpractice lawyers at Morrow Kidman Tinker Macey-Cushman, PLLC would like to see more investigation of this disparity between weekday and weekend surgeries for this particular condition.
It is important to ask whether a lack of skilled medical personnel contributes to the difference in complication rates.
The Seattle medical malpractice lawyers at Morrow Kidman Tinker Macey-Cushman, PLLC represent victims of medical negligence by doctors, nurses, technicians, and other medical personnel across Washington.
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