“May the odds be ever in your favor”: modulating risk and surgical selection in the treatment of spinal epidural abscess

In the dystopian series The Hunger Games, the phrase “May the odds be ever in your favor” appears quite frequently as a catch phrase, well wish or quotidian blessing depending on which character is speaking. In healthcare today, and especially in surgery, we are always trying to ensure that odds are always in favor of a positive outcome at the ins titutional level, the provider level and most importantly—the patient level. That is really what risk modeling in surgical decision-making boils down to; ensuring the odds of the best result possible are maximized while those of an adverse event are minimized.

Source: The Spine Journal - April 25, 2024 Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Andrew J. Schoenfeld Tags: Commentary Source Type: research