A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a large, multi-country study which found that survival rates, and risks of adverse outcomes (ranging from complications to death), are higher for patients operated on by male surgeons. 

Although the study could not explain why this was the case, a number of possible causes were considered, such as speed of surgery and risk-taking. It was found that 90 days after surgery, 13.9% of patients operated on by male surgeons experienced adverse outcomes, compared to 12.5% of patients operated on by female surgeons. Whilst 1.4% does not read significant, this represents around an 11% increased potential for an adverse outcome. When death as an outcome was considered by itself, the risk was much higher at 25% for male surgeons compared to 20.7% for female surgeons: An increase of 20%.

As the article stresses, the exact causes for this are unknown and, whilst they may include what could read as a more ‘gung-ho’ approach this has not been established. The study does not take into account the underlying reason for surgery, and so does not address, for example, if male surgeons are more prepared to give patients in poor health a ‘chance’ in offering surgery.

Whatever the underlying cause for the difference in outcome, the one clear thing is that any stigma attached to female surgeons is inappropriate in the modern age.