Patients who receive treatment from female anesthesia providers face fewer complications during surgical procedures, according to a study published June 25 in the British Journal of Anaesthesia.
The study analyzed 364,429 patients who underwent surgery between 2008 and 2022 at two centers in the U.S., and it determined that patients had a 4% lower risk of experiencing respiratory complications during surgery when their anesthesia provider was a woman, according to a July 4 report from Medscape.
The study reviewed a total of 900 anesthesia providers, 511 men and 389 women.
The primary outcome reviewed was complications during surgery, specifically hypotension and hypoxemia, while secondary outcomes examined were complications within 30 days of surgery, readmission to the hospital and mortality.
The study found no association between postoperative complications and the sex of the specialist, according to the report.