Quality of life: an important endpoint both in surgical practice and research

Surgery asks patients to trade present discomfort and risk for future gains. Although research reports on the effectiveness of surgery have largely focused on mortality, length of hospital stay, major complications, and laboratory analyses, the principal criteria guiding surgeons' clinical decisions and patients' acceptance of treatment are most often the patients' subjective feelings and capabilities, the quality of their lives. This is true for both major and minor surgical procedures. We discuss the role of information on functional capacity, overall well-being, and quality of life in the assessment of surgical outcomes. Broadening the choice of endpoints beyond traditional, so-called "hard" variables in surgical studies has advantages for both surgeons and patients.