What is the most risky surgery in the world?

Asked by: Gillian Yost  |  Last update: October 18, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (61 votes)

A craniectomy is a type of brain surgery and one of the riskiest surgeries. This medical procedure involves the removal of part of your skull to relieve any pressure on your brain. Although modern technology means it is a more common procedure, it is still very risky.

What is the riskiest surgery to have?

Which Surgical Procedures Are the Most Dangerous?
  • Brain surgery. One of the most dangerous procedures is any type of surgery on the brain or skull. ...
  • Heart surgery. ...
  • Cancer surgery. ...
  • Transplants. ...
  • Spinal cord surgery. ...
  • What if my doctor made a mistake during my surgery?

What surgery has the highest failure rate?

Surgeries that have high failure rates:
  • Hiatal hernia which is intended to fix the problem of the stomach protruding out of the diaphragm space into the esophageal area.
  • Hip resurfacing utilizes a metal cup that fits over the ball of the femur. ...
  • Grafts involve replacing patches of skin with treated cadaver tissues.

Which is the most difficult surgery in the world?

One of the most complex surgeries that patients can undergo is surgery related to the liver, pancreas, and gastrointestinal system. The surgery itself is a lengthy and complex process and requires a team of specialists to carry out the operation.

What is the number 1 painful surgery?

In general, research has found that orthopedic surgeries, or those involving bones, are the most painful. However, researchers also found that some minor surgeries or those classed as keyhole or laparoscopic could also cause significant pain.

World's MOST DANGEROUS Surgeries!

44 related questions found

What surgery has the lowest survival rate?

Mortality rates and procedure volume

The higher risk procedures included upper GI cancer resection, colorectal cancer resection and elective aortic aneurysm repair (mortality rate 2.2–4.5%, table 1). Lower risk procedures were bariatric surgery, thyroidectomy and hip replacement (mortality rate 0.07–0.4%, table 1).

Which surgery is most critical?

The 6 Most Complicated Medical Surgeries
  1. Thoracic Aortic Dissection Repair. Thoracic aortic dissection repair is an emergency procedure to repair a tear in the aorta, your body's main artery. ...
  2. Craniectomy. ...
  3. Coronary Revascularization. ...
  4. Surgical Ventricular Restoration. ...
  5. Septal Myectomy. ...
  6. Spinal Osteomyelitis Surgery.

What is the mother of all surgeries?

Treating pseudomyxoma peritonei and some appendix cancers can be challenging. The surgical procedure is commonly referred to as MOAS (Mother of All Surgeries) because, depending on the extent of cancerous tissue and affected organs that need to be removed, it can be comparable to undergoing several major surgeries.

What is the #1 surgery in the nation?

An appendectomy is the most common surgery in the US when it comes to general surgery.

What surgeries are considered high risk?

Procedures with major impact on hemodynamics, fluid shifts, possible major blood loss
  • Aortic surgery.
  • Cardiac surgery.
  • Intra-thoracic procedures with lung resection.
  • Major transplant surgery (heart, lung, liver)

What is the most expensive surgery?

Heart Transplant: The Costliest Procedure

Heart transplants top the list as the most expensive medical procedure in 2024. The complexity of the surgery, the need for donor matching, and the lifelong post-transplant care contribute to the high cost.

What is the hardest surgery to recover from?

5 of the Most Difficult Orthopedic Surgeries to Recover From
  1. Spinal Fusion Surgery. Spinal fusion is a procedure where two vertebrae are fused to prevent the movement that is causing pain. ...
  2. Complex Spinal Reconstruction. ...
  3. Knee Replacement. ...
  4. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Surgery. ...
  5. Shoulder Replacement.

What is the biggest risk after surgery?

Wound infection

Infections can delay healing. Wound infections can spread to nearby organs or tissue, or to distant areas through the bloodstream, which when severe can cause death. Treatment of wound infections may include: Antibiotics.

What is the safest surgery in the world?

According to a recent article, of all the potential elective surgeries in the world – LASIK surgery has officially been named the safest, most studied and most successful!

What is level 5 surgery?

Level 5. • Highly invasive procedure. • Blood loss greater than 1,500 cc. • Critical risk to patient independent of anesthesia. • Usual postoperative ICU stay with invasive monitoring.

What is the biggest surgery in history?

To separate Ganga and Jamuna Shrestha, a pair of conjoined twins united at the head, bound by physical and neural connections. Conjoined at the head, the 11-month-old twins shared a cranial cavity and a complex network of fused brain tissue. The surgery normally requires around 30 hours.

What is jelly belly disease?

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare tumour that grows slowly and causes a build-up of mucin (a jelly-like substance) in the abdomen and pelvis, giving rise to the name “jelly belly”. Symptoms. Diagnosis. PMP often starts in the appendix but can also start in other organs such as the large bowel and ovary.

What surgery takes 10 hours?

HIPEC surgery is a complex procedure. It usually requires eight to 10 hours in the operating room.

What is the riskiest surgery?

A craniectomy is a type of brain surgery and one of the riskiest surgeries. This medical procedure involves the removal of part of your skull to relieve any pressure on your brain. Although modern technology means it is a more common procedure, it is still very risky.

What surgery takes the longest?

An emergency exploratory laparotomy was the longest procedure among all analysed, with anesthesia duration of 980 minutes, that is, 4.2 times the mean, and the operation took 880 minutes – 5.7-fold the mean.

What is the least painful surgery?

In general, minimally invasive surgery is linked to less pain, a shorter hospital stay and fewer complications. Laparoscopy is surgery done through one or more small cuts, called incisions, using small tubes and tiny cameras and surgical tools.

What surgery has the highest complication rate?

These are the five surgeries in which complications are most likely to occur, listed with the percentage of procedures that result in complications:
  • Enteric fistula repair - 36.9%
  • Pancreatic surgery - 35.4%
  • Proctectomy - 30.3%
  • Small bowel surgery - 29.4%
  • Esophagectomy - 28.9%

What surgery has the fastest recovery?

8 Surgeries You Can Have and Go Home the Same Day
  • 1) Heart Valve Replacement. Heart surgery used to require opening the chest. ...
  • 2) Total Joint Replacement. ...
  • 3) Spine Surgery. ...
  • 4) Prostate Cancer Surgery. ...
  • 5) Gastrointestinal Surgery. ...
  • 6) Breast Cancer Surgery. ...
  • 7) Sleep Apnea Surgery. ...
  • 8) Hysterectomy.