Do weekends really affect surgical outcomes? (Apparently “Yes”)

Researchers have tried to answer a longstanding fear that undergoing surgery on a Friday leads to higher levels of complications or even death. Their analysis of data from 429,691 patients has revealed higher rates of complications, readmissions, and mortality in the days and months following surgery compared to those who had procedures performed after the weekend. Researchers conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort analysis to determine whether patients undergoing surgery immediately before the weekend faced increased risks. Data from 429,691 adults undergoing one of 25 common surgical procedures in Ontario, Canada, between 2007 and 2019 were analyzed. Patients were divided into...