What is a "Successful" surgery?
Most surgeons would say a successful surgery looks like this: lower postoperative pain scores, increased functional scores, the patient isn't readmitted to the hospital and doesn't complain of any further complications.
But that's not necessarily how patients would define "success." Patients are looking for a surgery that alleviates their pain, allows them to return to work and daily activities, and reduce or eliminate narcotics use. And they want all of this done in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Otherwise, they don't consider their procedure a success.(1)
Consider your own surgery. If you are planning a surgery, you have time to think about what would make it a success for you. I would like to propose a radical idea: that if the surgery is worth trying, and you try it, then it is a success. I don't mean to sound glib, but I have whittled down what success meant to me, and so much of the criteria is just out of my control. If I get my mobility back, if it solves the pain, if it removes the cancer, etc. I cannot control any of that and more. I may create new problems with my surgery, I may not know of consequences until years later, or a doctor may make a mistake. If a surgery is conducted because it is my best shot, life would be worse without it, and I take that shot then I am in control of it being a 'success'. This isn't just semantics, when I am in control of my thoughts regrading a successful surgery I am more confident when I go under the knife and I can better handle surprise outcomes.
Surgery is kind of a big deal. If I regret the surgery, think it was not a success, if I call it a mistake, think "things shouldn't be this way!" then I am going down a dead-end road. You can think these things, but they lead no where. I cannot go back to the past or have any do-overs. I am looking backwards, feeling sorry for myself and fighting the reality of my current situation. If I am looking backwards then I am not looking forwards.
If I am content with the thought, "It was worth trying and I tried it", then I am showing trust in myself with what I knew at the time. I show trust in myself that I will handle whatever comes up with compassion and creativity. I am looking forward, with whatever surgical mysteries I need to solve.
This helped me greatly after my big toe fusion surgery. There was so much unknown about this recovery to me, I did not know what life looked like with a fused big toe. After speaking to my doctor and looking up the surgery on line as much as I could, I made the decision that it was absolutely worth trying. The consequences of not having the surgery were dire and the potential consequences of having the surgery were worth trying to me. Of course, Post-op I learned just how intense some of the consequences were. But since I had a generous definition of a successful surgery, I did not think I made a mistake. Because I wasn't mentally chastising myself for a bad decision, I had the energy and forward thinking to solve my problems creatively and with gentleness for myself. For example, I still want an adventurous life. Instead of focusing on my limitations, I am thinking up ways to still have adventures. I am going to try my first kayak-camping trip this summer. You don't need perfect feet in a boat!
Of course, this line of thinking can also assist those post-op. If you are days to years out from a surgery that you are regretting or thinking of harshly, try on my idea of success. You made the best decision for yourself that you could make at the time. You thought it was worth trying, and you tried it. That was the success.
Work through this idea and more in coaching sessions with me. I invite you to reach out for a consultation call to talk about your specific views on success and surgery! (1) Dyrda, L. (2014, December 15). How do your patients define success? probably differently than you do. Becker’s Spine Review. https://www.beckersspine.com/spine/23659-how-do-your-patients-define-success-probably-differently-than-you-do.html
Comments