Probably not, however, a recent study indicated that around 15 percent of surgeons responding had met the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependency per the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Since the majority (around 18,000) of the surgeons included in the survey (25,000) did not respond, it is impossible to verify whether this condition is worse or better than these results indicate. These admissions did not offer any links to increased surgical error in Pennsylvania.

However, the results are noteworthy. The study indicates that around 14 percent of male respondents and 26 percent of female practitioners had some dependency on alcohol. Respondents also stated that those who felt "burned out" or depressed were more likely to depend on alcohol more heavily. Having children, being male or working for the Department of Veterans Affairs seemed to lower the incidence of alcohol dependency.

As noted, the study did not further analyze the issue of an over use of alcohol and any effect on surgical errors. However, the lead study professional noted that "the chance of a patient being injured by an impaired surgeon is really very uncommon…one in 10,000."

There are two popular views on the unsatisfactory response rate. First, medical academics believe that the low response rate makes it "unfair" to conclude that these findings should be applied to the overall surgeon community. The second common opinion holds that the dearth of responses could indicate trouble. Could surgeons who drink more frequently be less likely to respond to some of these intrusive questions?

Interestingly, another similar recent study from April 2011, albeit smaller, indicated that no significant "immediate" effects occurred when combining alcohol and surgery. However, there may be more surgical errors on the day following a night out partying. Do you believe in a correlation between alcohol abuse and surgical mistakes?

Source: Medical Daily, "Survey Reveals that 15% of Surgeons Have Alcohol Dependency," Christine Hsu, Feb. 23, 2012