Sleep-Deprived Surgeons No More Error-Prone

Studies on the effects of fatigue on surgical outcomes have had mixed results, but one recent study indicates that missed sleep does not make surgeons more error-prone. The risk of complications from gallbladder removal surgery was found to be the same for patients whose surgeons had been up all night performing emergency surgery as for those whose surgeons were well rested. Complication rates were fairly low across the board. Researchers say the findings should ease the concerns of people requiring surgery. More...