I wish you a BORING SURGERY !
An uneventful flight is a good flight. It is safe, nothing unexpected happens, and it takes off and lands on time. No fuss, no excitement. A boring flight is a good flight. On the other hand, an eventful flight—though it may sound exciting—is rarely a good thing. There may have been severe turbulence, a cabin pressure problem, a delay, or even a diversion. At best, it is inconvenient; at worst, it is terrifying.
Which would you prefer? I suspect most sensible people would choose the former. If someone asks how your flight was, you are not disappointed to say that it was routine and uneventful.
I am a Pediatric Surgeon and am trained to operate on children. After completing a child's operation, I usually speak with the parents, often in the presence of an extended audience that includes grandparents, assorted uncles, and the occasional neighbour.
When I tell them that the operation went exactly as discussed beforehand, that nothing unexpected occurred, and that everything is fine, there is often a palpable sense of anticlimax. They are, of course, relieved and grateful that their child is well, but many seem to expect more. Where are the dramatic moments? The unexpected twists? I sometimes get the impression that they feel short-changed—as though the show failed to deliver the excitement it had promised, depriving them of a story worth retelling.
I have often wondered about this phenomenon. A few possible explanations come to mind:
1. Relief after prolonged anxiety. Families are understandably tense when a child is undergoing surgery. They may have imagined numerous worst-case scenarios. When none of those fears materialise and the operation proceeds smoothly, the resulting relief can leave them feeling emotionally drained and somewhat empty.
2. Information overload. Parents today consume enormous amounts of information about their child's condition. Some of it is accurate and helpful; much of it is misleading or outright false. This often amplifies anxiety and distorts expectations.
3. The influence of popular media. Hospitals, operating rooms, and emergency departments are frequently portrayed in films and television as places of high drama, where lives are saved in the final seconds through heroic interventions. Real medicine is usually far less theatrical.
4. Rising expectations. As healthcare costs have increased, some people seem to expect more than a good outcome. A successful operation alone may not feel like enough; there must also be a compelling story to accompany it.
5. The culture of medical heroics. Doctors themselves may inadvertently contribute to this perception through self-congratulatory social media posts that highlight dramatic rescues and extraordinary feats. Families may therefore expect their own moment in the spotlight—or at least a story worthy of sharing.
As someone who has been operating on children for more than three decades, I can say this with conviction: when someone you love is going into surgery, hope for the most boring operation imaginable. Hope that absolutely nothing unexpected happens. Hope that everything is routine, predictable, and uneventful.
As a patient—or as a relative—the last thing you should wish for during an operation is excitement.
May all who need surgery have one that is as routine, uneventful, and as boring as possible. Much like a flight, excitement in surgery usually means trouble. So when your surgeon tells you that everything went according to plan and that nothing special happened, be pleased, not disappointed.
After all, surgery is not a television drama, and your surgeon is not George Clooney.
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Dr. Sanjay Rao
Pediatric Surgeon.