From the Research
The 10 rules of surgery are fundamental principles that guide surgical practice to ensure patient safety and optimal outcomes, and they include obtaining informed consent, confirming the correct patient and procedure, maintaining strict aseptic technique, handling tissues gently, achieving meticulous hemostasis, identifying and preserving vital structures, closing dead space, ensuring proper wound closure, providing comprehensive postoperative care, and maintaining detailed documentation. These rules are based on anatomical principles, physiological understanding of healing, and decades of surgical experience aimed at minimizing complications and optimizing patient recovery 1. Some of the key principles of surgery include:
- Obtaining informed consent by thoroughly discussing the procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives with the patient
- Confirming the correct patient, procedure, and surgical site using universal protocols to prevent wrong-site surgery
- Maintaining strict aseptic technique throughout the procedure to minimize infection risk, as emphasized in the study on sterile technique 2
- Handling tissues gently to reduce trauma and promote healing, as outlined in the study on basic surgical skills 3
- Achieving meticulous hemostasis to prevent blood loss and hematoma formation
- Identifying and preserving vital structures like nerves and blood vessels to prevent iatrogenic injury
- Closing dead space during wound closure to prevent seroma formation and promote proper healing
- Ensuring proper wound closure with appropriate tension to minimize scarring and wound complications
- Providing comprehensive postoperative care including pain management, early mobilization, and wound care instructions, as recommended in the study on preoperative measures for surgical site infection prevention 4
- Maintaining detailed documentation of the procedure, findings, and any complications for continuity of care and medicolegal purposes. The practice of surgery is based on the technical capabilities of the surgeon, their knowledge, and their capacity of judgment, and surgical ethics play a crucial role in guiding surgeons' decisions and actions 1.