Enhancing Safety of Orthopaedic Surgery: The Role of Surgical Safety Checklist
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65745/soj.v1.i1.11Keywords:
Surgical Safety Checklist, Orthopaedic Surgery, Patient Safety, Perioperative Errors, Clinical OutcomesAbstract
Surgical errors remain a critical threat to patient safety, particularly in orthopaedic procedures involving complex anatomical structures. Despite their preventability, such errors, including wrong-site surgery, retained foreign objects, and equipment failures, persist due to systemic issues like poor communication, insufficient planning, and procedural noncompliance. The World Health Organization introduced the Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) in 2008 to address these challenges by standardizing perioperative practices through structured protocols. The SSC encompasses three phases: Sign-In, Time-Out, and Sign-Out, aiming to enhance communication, verify critical patient data, and reduce avoidable complications. Evidence suggests significant reductions in mortality and postoperative complications when the SSC is implemented with high fidelity. However, inconsistent application across specialties and institutions, along with mixed results regarding long-term team dynamics and adherence, underscore the need for more robust implementation strategies. In orthopaedics, where surgical errors can severely impact quality of life, the SSC serves as a vital tool to ensure procedural safety and improve clinical outcomes. Promoting rigorous, team-based adherence to the SSC can substantially mitigate risks and reinforce a culture of safety in surgical practice.
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