By James Wright, MD, MPH
When
confronted with the prospect of their child having an operation, many
parents are understandably concerned. Surgery is a serious undertaking
and it does carry risks. However, they might take some solace in the
fact that their family is experiencing this in modern times.
Surgeons are highly trained, highly skilled, and
have often specialized -- meaning they have maximum experience and
knowledge about the types of surgery they perform. Millions of surgeries
are performed every year without incident saving countless lives. This
was not always the case. The incredible success of modern surgery is
built on a difficult past of trial and painful error
