Nearly all neurosurgeons carry lasting emotional effects after surgical complications, according to research in the August 2026 issue of Neurosurgical Focus. The issue, from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, is devoted to grief in neurosurgery.
Grief has been widely studied across medicine but remains relatively understudied in neurosurgery, the issue’s introduction notes.
An international survey drew 256 respondents, 114 from Europe and 142 from the U.S. Among them, 99% reported at least minimal immediate distress after a complication, and 98% reported persistent long-term effects. The authors recommended a “forgive and remember” approach: self-forgiveness to move forward, paired with learning from the complication.
A separate survey of AANS members by Penn State researchers found that every respondent had experienced at least one serious adverse patient event. Of those, 98.9% reported physical, cognitive or emotional responses within two weeks. Secondary traumatic stress from the most serious event lasted a median of six months, and 45.4% of respondents with available data reported ongoing effects. The authors noted that a low response rate limits the extent to which the findings can be generalized.
The stakes extend to patient safety. More than two-thirds of respondents said the stress interfered with their personal and professional lives, and 70% believed it raised the risk of further adverse events.
An editorial in the issue argues that the profession has mistaken grief for burnout, which has led to interventions that miss the mark. It also cites research showing that residents strongly preferred peer support over employee assistance programs after adverse events.
The issue also points to training as a lever. In a study of pediatric neuro-oncology clinicians, prior training in palliative care, prognosis communication or grief management was linked to significantly lower emotional burden.
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