Peer Review of Perioperative Adverse Events

By taking a patient to the high-risk environment of the operating room, the surgeon often develops a special and personal bond of trust with the patient. As such, patient mishaps often take a personal toll on surgeons. Critically analyzing complications and adverse events to prevent their reoccurrence has become a key part of training and is central to the discipline of surgery. While there are many described and practical ways that perioperative adverse events could be analyzed, a peer review discussion in the morbidity and mortality (M & M) conference is the standard in almost all surgical specialties. M & M provides an environment where errors can be addressed and analyzed directly among peers in a memorable way that all can learn from them, but in the end the surgeon gains the support of his or her peers to move forward, learn from it, and keep treating patients safely.