Deciding to get a surgery done is not an easy decision. Patients and their families derive a lot of clues from the surgeon’s demeanor and body language, which helps them make these decisions. Even the smallest of surgical procedures can lead to grave complications and rarely can even lead to mortality. As the complexity of the operation increases, so does the chance of having complications. Most patients and their families suffer from “optimism bias”, and despite being informed about complications during a consultation, they tend to filter the information related to bad news.
Hence the onus is on the surgeon to drive the point home. In an increasingly litigious environment, surgeons have to tread carefully on the fine line between being optimistic and brutally honest. Well, the solution to this conundrum may probably be found in realistic optimism. I have always believed that surgery is…
