A recent study has found a connection between the day of surgery and mortality rates.

The study analyzed data from over one million surgeries across the United States and discovered that patients who underwent surgery later in the week had a higher risk of mortality compared to those who underwent surgery earlier in the week.

Background

Surgical procedures can carry a degree of risk, with factors such as patient health, the surgeon’s skill level, and the procedure itself playing a role. However, the day of surgery may also play a role in determining a patient’s outcome.

While previous studies have looked at this relationship, the results have been mixed. The recent study aims to provide a clearer picture.

Methodology

The study analyzed data from over one million surgeries conducted in the United States between 2010 and 2018. The surgeries were performed across 114 hospitals.

Patients were categorized based on the day of the week they underwent surgery; Monday to Wednesday were classified as “early in the week,” while Thursday to Friday were classified as “late in the week.”.

The study adjusted for a range of factors, such as patient demographics, the complexity of the surgery, and hospital characteristics.

The primary outcome measured was in-hospital mortality, with researchers tracking the number of deaths within 30 days of surgery.

Results

The study found that patients who underwent surgery later in the week had a higher risk of mortality compared to those who underwent surgery earlier in the week.

Specifically, the odds of in-hospital mortality were 44% higher for patients who underwent surgery on Friday compared to those who underwent surgery on Monday.

Related Article The impact of weekend surgeries on patient mortality

The study also found that patients who underwent surgery on weekends had a higher risk of mortality compared to those who underwent surgery on weekdays.

The odds of mortality were 82% higher for patients who underwent surgery on weekends compared to those who underwent surgery on Monday.

Discussion

The reasons for the association between day of surgery and mortality rates are not entirely clear.

However, the study suggests that a possible explanation could be a combination of factors, including staff fatigue and reduced access to resources on later days in the week.

Having the operation earlier in the week may mean that routine maintenance and staffing levels are higher, meaning that there is less chance of complications during surgery.

There are also fewer unanticipated problems from patients waiting in the ED for long periods on a weekend compared to during the week.

Conclusion

The study provides evidence that the day of surgery is an important factor in patient outcomes. Patients who undergo surgery later in the week or on weekends have a higher risk of mortality.

While the reasons for this relationship need to be further researched, this study highlights the need for hospitals to prioritize early week surgeries and ensure adequate staffing and resources later in the week and over the weekend.

Limitations

The study was observational and retrospective, so the findings do not indicate a cause and effect relationship between the day of surgery and mortality rates.

Additionally, the study did not account for factors such as surgeon experience and patient comorbidities that may have contributed to mortality rates.