Increased Surgeon Stress Linked to Reduced Surgical Complications
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2025 -- Increased surgeon stress at the beginning of a surgical procedure is associated with reduced major surgical complications, according to a study published online Jan. 15 in JAMA Surgery.
Jake Awtry, M.D., from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues conducted a multicenter prospective cohort study in 14 surgical departments within four university hospitals to examine whether surgeon physiological stress, as assessed by sympathovagal balance, is associated with postoperative complications. The analysis included 793 surgical procedures performed by 38 attending surgeons.
The median surgeon heart rate was 88 beats per minute, and the median low-frequency to high-frequency ratio was 7.16 and 1.00 before and after normalization, respectively. The researchers observed an association for increased surgeon sympathovagal balance during the first five minutes of surgery with significantly reduced major surgical complications (adjusted odds ratio, 0.63; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.41 to 0.98; P = 0.04); associations were not seen with reduced intensive care unit stay (adjusted odds ratio, 0.34; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.11 to 1.01; P = 0.05) or mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 0.18; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.03 to 1.03; P = 0.05).
"The results suggest an association between human factors elements and patient outcomes while highlighting the complex association between physiological stress and surgeon performance," the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted January 2025
Read this next
Pediatric Magnet Ingestion Rates Still High
THURSDAY, May 22, 2025 -- Global pediatric magnet ingestion rates remain high and incidence has increased, despite the implementation of national policies, according to a review...
Similar Survival Seen With Simple Versus Radical Hysterectomy for Cervical Cancer
WEDNESDAY, May 21, 2025 -- For patients with low-risk cervical cancer, survival is similar following simple hysterectomy (SH) versus modified radical hysterectomy (MRH) or radical...
Adding Team Therapist Reduces Burnout for Critical Care Nurses
TUESDAY, May 20, 2025 -- For nurses in critical care areas, adding a team therapist can reduce burnout and improve resilience, according to a study presented at the American...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.