Incidence of wrong-site surgery among foot and ankle surgeons

In 1998, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons initiated the "sign your site" campaign to address the issue of wrong-site surgery (WSS). Using a confidential online survey sent to 1094 active members of the American Academy of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, the authors assessed participation in the "sign your site" campaign and the occurrence of WSS encountered during their careers. A total of 319 responses were received (response rate = 29.2%). In all, 41 of 310 respondents (13%) reported performing WSS at least once, with 4 surgeons (1%) reporting the occurrence twice in their careers; 70 of 310 (23%) surgeons reported that they had prepped the wrong surgical site, but the error was recognized prior to making an incision. In all, 302 of 309 respondents (97.7%) reported that they were aware of the "sign your site" initiative. Since the introduction of the campaign, significantly more (89.2% vs 49.2%) foot and ankle surgeons routinely mark the surgical site (P < .001). The Joint Commission revised the universal protocol for surgical site verification requiring an individual directly involved in a surgical procedure to mark the site as of January 1, 2009. The authors believe this revision will lower the incidence of WSS further.