THE IMPACT OF CATARACT SURGERY START TIME ON COMPLICATION RATES

This study aims to determine whether the time at which surgery is performed influences complication rates in cataract surgeries. The primary objective is to evaluate the impact of surgery start time on complication rates. Additionally, we aim to identify other factors that may be associated with an increase in surgical complications.

Given its high frequency, short duration, motor and cognitive demands, and lower reliance on the performance of other team members, cataract surgery provides an effective context to assess the relationship between start time, fatigue, and complications, isolating surgeon-related factors from other variables.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study at the university center in Sherbrooke. All patients aged 18 and over who underwent primary cataract surgery were included. Medical records were reviewed to collect baseline characteristics, perioperative parameters, and postoperative outcomes. Surgery start and end times were recorded, and complication rates were compared across different time intervals.

Among the 32,762 cataract surgeries analyzed, the overall complication rate was 1.14%. Temporal analysis throughout the typical surgical day, from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, revealed no statistically significant differences in complication rates, which ranged from 0.9% to 1.3%. The highest complication rate was observed between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM at 1.25%, while the lowest was recorded between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM at 0.93%. However, these differences were not statistically significant.

Our results indicate that the start time of surgery does not have a statistically significant influence on the incidence of surgical complications in cataract procedures. Temporal analysis confirmed that complication rates remained stable. These findings suggest that other factors, rather than start time, may play a more decisive role in perioperative complications. Further research is recommended to explore these potential factors.