Epilogue: Safety and Certainty in Bariatric Surgery

Abstract

Striving for safety in surgery is closely linked to ­uppermost medical rule “primum nil nocere.” To achieve a situation of safety, various concepts have been developed for some time and have been implemented more or less.

In a discussion with my teacher and former superior Professor Hans Troidl, he used the terms “safety” and “certainty” as different aspects of safety. He defines “certainty” as the safety of choosing the appropriate therapy. “One can perform the wrong procedure with correct surgical technique,” referring to surgery. “Safety” or “patients’ safety” is safety while performing the procedure, meaning the avoidance of intra- and postoperative complications and an effective management of complications. “Safety” and “Certainty,” combined with systematic aftercare are the conditions for the success of the surgical therapy of morbid obesity.