As compared to an operation usually done in an emergency situation, elective surgeries are far more different since it is carefully planned out in advance. Some common examples of elective surgeries are cosmetic and scoliosis surgeries, tonsillectomies and the like. Notably, there has always been a belief that surgeries done on Friday are, well, bad luck.
A large Canadian study has claimed that there is no difference for people who undergo an elective surgery on a Friday than people who undergo procedures any other weekday. However, as per CBS News, a new study suggests that a higher mortality risk is found among patients opting for a surgery on Fridays.
A British study reports a 44 percent increase in death rate among patients who had their surgery done on a Friday as compared to a Monday. An assistant professor at Western University in London, Ontario and study lead author Dr. Luc Dubois has conducted the research to determine whether it's just a matter of having less experienced surgeons on Fridays than those who operate on other days of the week.
Because of this, Dubois suspects that surgeons know that if they operate on a Friday, they may provide post-operative care over the weekend leaving the less experienced surgeons to do the job instead. On the other hand, Health has recently found a new study which suggests that the patients' mortality risk within the 30 days of surgery was still similar and it does not relatively affect the procedure.
Thus, Dubois claims that people are still getting the consistent care across the week. Additionally, since the American and Canadian health systems are different, Dubois has also said that it really is hard to conclude with the findings.
Dr. Keith Naunheim, a surgeon based in St. Louis, who serves on the board of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, has apparently claimed that they might just be seeing the same thing in the US, making them less unlikely to that of the Canadian system. The "weekday effect" is well known but fewer studies have been conducted in the United States.
As of the present time, Dr. Naunheim believes that Elective Surgeries on Fridays are now as safe as any other day of the week. This is largely thanks to stricter pre-operative processes and nurse-to-patient ratios, which make surgeries smoother for both parties involved.
