The Paradox of Becoming Better at Surgery
Why a surgeon's numbers get worse as the surgeon gets better: case mix, Simpson's paradox, the Knicks' last shots, and a standard that never settles.
Lee C. Zhao, MD
Complex and redo surgery of the ureter, urethra, and lower urinary tract, and gender-affirming surgery, explained for patients and for the physicians who refer them.
Why a surgeon's numbers get worse as the surgeon gets better: case mix, Simpson's paradox, the Knicks' last shots, and a standard that never settles.
A single complication cannot grade a surgeon. Deming's red beads, M&M, and why surgical quality lives in the distribution, not in one bad outcome.
Mastery means knowing which details carry the operation. A lesson from the bedside, where a missed step nearly put a patient on the floor.
Interactive anatomy, condition atlases, fellowship maps, and a case-based simulator. Most models are schematic.
Explore female and male anatomy from diaphragm to pelvis. Follow urology lessons and remove organs to uncover quiz targets. Visual demo; not for clinical use.
Explore bladder contraction, outlet relaxation, and urine flow in an interactive 3D teaching atlas. Generic anatomy; schematic mechanics.
Explore one constructed short bulbar scar in Patient or Trainee mode. Cutaway views and five overlays: disease, DVIU/dilation, drug-coated balloon, excision and anastomosis, and dorsal or ventral buccal graft. Visual demo; not for clinical use.
Explore pelvic anatomy, two peritoneal flaps, and the skin-to-peritoneum reconstruction in 3D. Visual demo; not for clinical use.
Explore the retroperitoneum, pelvis, and perineum through surgical approaches and guided tours.