Discounting a surgical risk: data, understanding, and gist.

“No, no. It’s a day surgery, and one I do routinely. The complications we might see are mainly bleeding and infection. We can control bleeding by cauterizing blood vessels or tying them off, and if there are signs of infection, for instance, if the wound becomes red or if you begin to have fever, we will start you on an antibiotic. There is always a slight risk of injuring a nerve to your vocal chord, but I’ve done this surgery many times and that’s very rare. What questions do you have for me about the procedure?”