The debate between surgeon sleep deprivation and performance continues. This study looked at complications from laparoscopoic cholecystectomies (n=94,183) in surgeons who operateed the night before and found no difference in outcomes. Although lap cholecystectomies don't translate to cardiothoracic surgery, some of the discussion points apply.
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Ethics
March 4, 2014
March 13, 2007
To be reading this, you either already are or are on the way to becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. Career choice is no longer an issue. The important concern going forward on your career pathway is the quality of your life, both in its professional and personal aspects.
July 15, 2005
Live telecasts of surgery are on a dramatic rise. We are spammed daily with invitations to peer over the shoulders of master technicians, to learn nuances of operative technique and, in some, to even ask questions during the procedure.
October 16, 2002
As members of our cardiothoracic surgical specialty are subjected to an increasing frequency and variety of stresses, ethical considerations are assuming a more prominent role in everyday practice. Frustrated by the ever-changing procedural and financial restrictions of Medicare and managed care; by the complexities of business arrangements with partners, competitors, referring physicians and hospitals; by the inducements to utilize new drugs, devices and protocols; by the unrelenting pressure to lower morbidity and expected/ observed mortality rates; by shortening hospital lengths of stays and constraining hospital costs, today's surgeons are experiencing difficulties in avoiding conflicts of interest or obligation. Consequently, there is added responsibility to function as moral fiduciaries and patient advocates, protecting and promoting the patients' best interes