[Are physicians and their relatives at risk of postoperative complications when they are scheduled for surgery? Case control study from a prospective survey of 11,756 patients].
OBJECTIVE
Are physicians and their relatives at risk of postoperative complications when they are scheduled for surgery? With the aim to answer this question, a case control study was performed from a cohort of 11,756 patients scheduled for surgery from 01/01/1987 to 12/31/2002. Fourty seven patients were physicians and 122 were a close relative to a physician. The percentage of physicians in the current series is comparable to that in the general urban population in France. Each of these patients was matched with 5 patients as controls regarding sex, age, diagnosis, procedure, and date of surgery.


RESULTS
No statistically significant difference was observed between the 47 physicians and their 235 controls in the occurence of postoperative complications: 6% vs 6% (Odds ratio (OR)=1,07; CI(95%): 0,28-3,74), unplanned return to the operative room: 2% vs 2% (OR=1,00; CI: 0,11-8,8), and postoperative mortality: 0% vs 0,5% (p=0,07). No stastistically significant difference was observed between the 122 close relatives to a physician and their 610 controls in the occurence of postoperative complications: 6% vs 6% (OR=1,00; CI: 0,43-2,3), unplanned return to the operative room: 2% vs 3% (OR=0,55; CI: 0,18-3,4), and postoperative mortality: 1% vs 0,5% (OR=1,67; CI: 0,13-12,12).


CONCLUSIONS
this study does not confirm the widespread opinion that postoperative course would be worse in physicians as patients and in their close relatives. Their recovery is not different from that to other patients if they are treated as well as other patients.
Gillion
J F
JF
Unité de Chirurgie Générale et Digestive, Hôpital privé d'Antony - Antony. jfgillion@wanadoo.fr
Lacaine
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012086:Reoperation; D012307:Risk Factors; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification