Do doctors secretly experience happiness when a fellow surgeon encounters a complication, perhaps as confirmation they’re not alone in their fallibility?
You guessed right: I did spend an evening with the eloquent Shashi Tharoor. He graced the 5th International Conference on Complications in Neurosurgery as chief guest. Tharoor, in his characteristically erudite style, regaled us with a gem: “The scariest neurosurgeon from the patient’s point of view is one who manages to nick himself while shaving.” The room erupted in laughter, a sound rarely heard echoing through the hallowed halls of surgical conferences.
It’s a meeting we host every two years in India where neurosurgeons from across the world come together to deliberate their failures rather than talk about their triumphs. They travel to share their experiences on what went wrong, rather than what worked. Instead of addressing the latest advances, we discuss disasters. It’s the only meeting where, as a surgeon, you don’t feel too bad about yourself. “According to The New England Journal of Medicine, a staggering 88% of physicians in America are likely to be sued by the age of 45, and a jaw-dropping 99% of them by the age of 65,” Tharoor went on to enlighten his audience with this sobering statistic, adding that neurosurgery topped the list, and that he was surprised that a set of the most skilled hands and meticulous planning doesn’t always lead to a perfect outcome.
Intrigued by this culture of commiseration, I posed a question to a friend: “As a surgeon, what would your reaction be if another surgeon you knew had a complication with a patient?” “You want me to be honest?” he replied. “Of course,” I retorted, knowing no other way. He told me a story of how he was called to see someone in his building who had an abscess in the spine, for which he recommended a particular procedure. The family took several further opinions from him, didn’t even offer to pay, and eventually scheduled surgery elsewhere without even notifying him. They returned to him after the patient developed a serious complication from the operation, where the procedure was not in keeping with what he’d initially recommended. “Now, am I supposed to feel bad for such a patient?” he rhetorically asked. “I was happy – because I don’t like that other surgeon!” he admitted with a devilish smile.
That’s when the word ‘schadenfreude’ came to mind. It had nothing to do with Shashi Tharoor. It’s a German word that means delighting in another person’s misfortune; (schaden, damage + freude, joy). Sitting in a room filled to the brim with 300 surgeons, I couldn’t help but ponder: Do doctors, in the quiet recesses of their minds, ever experience a twinge of… happiness (dare I say) when a fellow surgeon encounters a complication? Is there a secret, unspoken relief in knowing that they are not alone in their fallibility? Of course, propriety dictates that one should never openly admit to such a sentiment. After all, medicine is hailed as the noblest of professions, and revelling in another surgeon’s misfortune, especially when it comes at the expense of a patient’s well-being, is generally frowned upon.
I must confess that when I was younger and brimming with youthful arrogance, if I advised patients against spine surgery, and they, in their infinite wisdom, went ahead and had it done elsewhere only to return to me with a laundry list of complaints, I experienced a certain… surgical schadenfreude.
“How dare they not heed my sage advice?” I would ask myself smugly, convinced that my word was the ultimate medical decree. But age, as they say, brings wisdom (and less hair). Now that I’m older and (hopefully) wiser, I look at patients with newfound empathy and grace, born from the humbling experience of having navigated my own fair share of complications. Often, patients labour under the misconception that doctors are somehow immune to the consequences of their mistakes. Nothing could be further from the truth. The weight of responsibility in our profession is a heavy burden to bear.
“There is no love of life without despair of life,” wrote Albert Camus, the French philosopher and author. The metamorphosis of despair into love is what we call meaning. And as doctors, we are constantly aiming to make people’s lives more meaningful by picking up fragmented pieces of shattered hopes and dreams and trying to put the puzzle together. So today, nothing gives me more joy than a patient cured, even if it is at the hands of another surgeon. Surgical schadenfreude has been replaced by surgical freudenfreude – the bliss you feel when someone else succeeds, even if it doesn’t directly involve you. Despite its hardships and vicissitudes, the joy of healing and helping is comparable to none.
On a lighter note, I have an adorable friend who abhors the fact that I’m good at what I do and that my entire being is ensconced by how much I love my work. She loves to see me agonize and self-doubt over patients and is filled with glee when I’m having a long, hard day fraught with multiple operations where I don’t have time even to grab a meal. It baffled me till date but now, strangely, I find a sense of perverse amusement in knowing that someone is happy to see me in a state of utter chaos. It’s probably a unique textbook case of reverse schadenfreude.
27 thoughts on “The surgical schadenfreude”
Now we will need not only English but other dictionsties as well to read you. Very difficult topic beutifully illustrated. Putting self in discussion is difficult but done well
Well written piece as usual.also learnt a new word .schadenfreude.😁
It’s to your credit to deal with this topic in such an honest and candid manner. Your research into a topic is incredible. And you’ve taught us a new word…thanks!! A pinch of humour adds the cherry on top. Great going Dr mazda.
Brilliantly penned. Your reflection captures an uncomfortable truth we rarely voice: the flicker of relief that our own fallibility is shared. In our own mortality & morbiditiy meetings, I’ve sensed that “surgical schadenfreude” is less malice than a maladaptive coping strategy, an anxious reassurance that our personal nightmare is, in fact, part of the collective risk curve. Yet, as you note, that reflex dissolves once we have truly inhabited the consequences of our own complications.
What I find most valuable about forums like ICCN is that they transmute that reflex into something constructive: psychological safety to disclose, rigorous analysis to improve, and ultimately a culture where another surgeon’s misstep becomes everyone’s lesson. Perhaps the next evolution is to formalize this ethos, shared registries of adverse events and peer‑protected debriefs; so we can convert private Schadenfreude into public quality data, and, as you eloquently put it, into “surgical freudenfreude.”
Thank you for reminding us that the real metric is not complication‑free practice, but complication‑informed progress.
Brilliantly penned. Your reflection captures an uncomfortable truth we rarely voice: the flicker of relief that our own fallibility is shared. In our own mortality & morbiditiy meetings, I’ve sensed that “surgical schadenfreude” is less malice than a maladaptive coping strategy, an anxious reassurance that our personal nightmare is, in fact, part of the collective risk curve. Yet, as you note, that reflex dissolves once we have truly inhabited the consequences of our own complications.
What I find most valuable about forums like ICCN is that they transmute that reflex into something constructive: psychological safety to disclose, rigorous analysis to improve, and ultimately a culture where another surgeon’s misstep becomes everyone’s lesson. Perhaps the next evolution is to formalize this ethos, shared registries of adverse events and peer‑protected debriefs; so we can convert private Schadenfreude into public quality data, and, as you eloquently put it, into “surgical freudenfreude.”
Thank you for reminding us that the real metric is not complication‑free practice, but complication‑informed progress.
Superb
Another gem Mazda!
Of course lessons learned is an industry standard and I am glad that surgeons do it in such a massive scale.
One just has to read your articles to see how much humility and compassion our favourite neurosurgeon puts into it.
Another interesting subject I look forward to discussing with you. Would that fall under freudenfreude??
You are great Dr. Mazda. 👍
Very well written about society ‘s most respected people ‘s negative innermost feelings. Usually no one talks about such evil traits in their character. But thanks to u for touching everything and every emotion under the sun.
Neurosurgery still is a surgical science where most of you think along similar lines. Some may be a bit conservative abd some a bit adventurous. But spare a thought about my speciality, Plastic Surgery; every surgeon has a different plan and is prepared to vouch for it. What is even worse is they all are correct, all the plans are workable. Only personal experience and available circumstances differ and so do the plans! I often come across patients who are thoroughly confused, and what is worse is, they think we are a confused lot!
It’s a very frank admission of reality in surgical realms which all surgeons experience but is rarely spoken or discussed in open forums albeit , the fact remains that with multitude of surgeries happening in all fields the complications have also increased
A holistic approach from senior surgeons and other team can alleviate a lot of pain which an operating surgeon may be going through at times
You tread on a path where rarely surgeons want to tread
Well written dr turel !!!
Neurosurgery still is a surgical science where most of you think along similar lines. Some may be a bit conservative and some a bit adventurous. But spare a thought about my speciality, Plastic Surgery; every surgeon has a different plan and is prepared to vouch for it. What is even worse is they all are correct, all the plans are workable. Only personal experience and available circumstances differ and so do the plans! I often come across patients who are thoroughly confused, and what is worse is, they think we are a confused lot!
Very well constructed and articulated writeup..Deeply impressed by the clarity of thought and self observation, and ofcourse the truthfulness of the entire concept makes it so relatable to most of us , if not all..Physicians also harbour similar emotions and as they mature and grow older in their own practices, tend to develop the positive side to it..The
2 new wonderful German words are also a very valuable additional takeaway from this .👏👏👏👌👌👍
Always love reading your articles, Mr Mazda Tharoor. Only you could wrap surgical humility, linguistic flair, and borderline sadism into one beautifully stitched article.
Remind me never to ignore your advice… or borrow your razor 🪒
A very interesting and informative read! This site consistently
shares high-quality and useful articles.
Honest, candid with a sense of humour 😄
Great one Mazda
YOU ARE GREAT ALSO GOOD IN WHAT YOU DO. BUT YOU CONFUSE ME.
My dear brother and friend, the esteemed Dr. Mazda,
I would like to express my deepest appreciation for your wonderful article. Your explanation of the topic was extremely clear and professional, and it greatly enriched my understanding.
Regarding the point you raised about doctors’ feelings towards their colleagues’ complications, it touched upon a complex human aspect. From my perspective, and as you rightly pointed out, the primary focus of doctors is on the safety of patients, and professional solidarity plays a significant role in overcoming such challenges. Your article has opened avenues for thinking about these ethical and human aspects within the medical profession.
Thank you very much for this valuable and thought-provoking article.
Excellent article Dr. Mazda. I have read many of your previous articles and am amazed that a surgeon writes so well, with so much insight.
I am a surgeon myself, in cardiothoracic surgery. Much older than you and have done a lot of general surgery, before specialising.
Regards and keep writing, you do it well.
Excellent Dr Mazda, Every active surgeon has his failures in achieving desired results but only few dare to speak out.To be happy on colleague’s failure is also very human though no one admits. Very candid depiction of human psychology reminds one’s own past failures and pleasures. This is another side of your multifaceted personality.Keep it up.
Dear Dr Mazda, thanks for baring your surgical soul with such elegant words. If inclined, would you sometime also dwell upon the place prayers occupy in a surgeon’s life?
Enjoyed yur article
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for.
Would you offer guest writers to write content to suit your needs?
I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on a number of the subjects you write with regards
to here. Again, awesome site!
HOW I RECOVERED MY LOST CRYPTOS FROM FAKE BROKER ONLINE.
I had lost over $152,000 by someone I met online on a fake investment project. After the loss, I had a long research on how to recover the lost funds. I came across a lot of Testimonies about, GEO COORDINATES HACKER. I contacted them providing the necessary information and it took the experts about 27hours to locate and help recover my stolen money. To anyone looking for a Recovery firm to Recover your lost Crypto. You can contact GEO COORDINATES HACKER. I hope this helps as many out there who are victims and have lost to these fake online investment scammers. You can contact GEO COORDINATES HACKER. By using
Email; (geovcoordinateshacker@gmail.com
Website; https://geovcoordinateshac.wixsite.com/geo-coordinates-hack
I can’t express my gratitude enough to Dr Zuma for making me a living testimony. i have battled with HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS 2 for about 6years now, and i have done all i can to make sure i am cured but nothing worked out, but miraculously my friend invited me to see a video on his Blog and as i visited i decided to see few of the comment below, and i found some people talking about Dr Zuma, and i decided to contact this great herbal healer to also help me, so i wrote to him, and he replied me back and assure me that i will get a cure for my HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS 2. After preparing my medicine he sent it to me and when I started using it for 3weeks i was completely cured, I am a living testimony and assure anyone with the same illness that you can also be cured if you also contact this great man on his Email. spiritualherbalisthealing@gmail.com
In the volatile world of cryptocurrency, where billions are lost annually to scams, hacks, phishing attacks, rug pulls, and wallet compromises, the demand for legitimate recovery services has never been higher. As of 02/ 22/ 2026, victims often face a dual challenge: recovering stolen or inaccessible funds while avoiding secondary scams that prey on desperation with false promises and upfront fees. Amid this landscape, TREK Tech Corp—commonly referred to as CCS—has established itself as a credible, professional firm specializing in blockchain forensics, crypto asset tracing, fraud investigation, and realistic recovery support.
TREK Tech Corp operates with a foundation built on 14 years of experience in digital investigations, long predating the widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies. This extensive background in forensics gives CCS a significant edge over many newer entrants in the crypto recovery space. The firm focuses on helping individuals, families, and institutions trace lost or stolen digital assets using advanced, transparent methods rather than speculative or guaranteed outcomes. Their official website is https:/ /www. trektechcorp DOT net, and direct inquiries can be sent to trektechcorp1 @ gmail. com.
What sets TREK Tech Corp apart as a legitimate provider is its commitment to ethical standards and evidence-based processes. Unlike fraudulent recovery operations that demand large upfront payments without case evaluation or promise 100% success (a clear red flag in the industry), CCS conducts honest feasibility assessments from the outset. They never require clients to share private keys, seed phrases, or sensitive wallet credentials during initial consultations. Fees are typically aligned with outcomes, and the firm maintains strict confidentiality with robust data protection protocols.
The core of TREK Tech Corp’ service is multi-layer blockchain attribution—a proprietary technique that tracks funds through complex laundering paths. Scammers frequently use mixers, cross-chain bridges, decentralized exchanges, privacy protocols, flash-loan obfuscation, and automated smart-contract tumbling to break direct traceability. Basic block explorers lose visibility after one or two hops, but CCS reconstructs these movements by analyzing on-chain behavioral patterns: timing correlations, amount similarities, address clustering via co-spending heuristics, change address reuse, and interactions with known services.
A typical engagement begins with a secure intake process. Victims submit transaction hashes (TXIDs), wallet addresses, scam communications, screenshots, and timelines. TREK Tech Corp then performs comprehensive on-chain and off-chain analysis, building detailed transaction graphs and identifying probable endpoints—most commonly centralized exchanges that enforce KYC/AML compliance. When funds reach such platforms, CCS prepares evidence-grade forensic reports that include visualized flow diagrams, confidence-scored address clusters, identified laundering techniques, and recommended intervention steps. These reports are frequently used to support asset freeze requests submitted to exchange compliance teams or filed with law enforcement agencies such as the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), local cybercrime units, or financial regulators.
TREK Tech Corp emphasizes speed: the sooner a theft is reported and analyzed, the higher the chance of intervention before funds are fully dispersed. In cases where rapid action was taken, partial recoveries—often 70–90% of stolen amounts—have been achieved through coordinated freezes and subsequent legal processes. While full recovery is never guaranteed due to blockchain’s immutable design and variables like scammer sophistication and jurisdictional limits, CCS provides clear, realistic expectations from day one.
Beyond recovery support, TREK Tech Corp prioritizes victim education and prevention. Clients receive tailored guidance on hardening security: using hardware wallets, enabling strong multi-factor authentication, securely backing up seed phrases in multiple encrypted locations, verifying addresses before every transfer, monitoring wallet activity proactively, and recognizing emerging threats such as AI-enhanced impersonation scams, clipboard hijacking, or malicious browser extensions. This preventive focus helps reduce the likelihood of future incidents and empowers users in an environment where threats evolve rapidly.
The firm’s legitimacy is further reinforced by its performance metrics and client feedback. As of early 2026, TREK Tech Corp has successfully handled over 426 documented projects and maintains a 4.28 out of 5 rating based on more than 2,467 verified reviews. Clients consistently highlight the team’s professionalism, technical precision, clear communication, regular updates, and genuine support during high-stress situations. In an industry rife with advance-fee fraud and misleading marketing, CCS stands out for refusing high-pressure tactics, avoiding unrealistic guarantees, and focusing on evidence-driven results.
For anyone who has suffered a crypto loss—whether through a sophisticated scam, forgotten credentials, hardware failure, or inheritance complications—TREK Tech Corp offers a professional, confidential pathway forward. Their website, https:/ /www. trektechcorp. net, provides in-depth information about services, the investigation process, anonymized case examples, and how to initiate contact. Direct email communication is available at trektechcorp1 @ gmail .com for a no-obligation initial consultation.
In conclusion, legitimate crypto recovery requires expertise, transparency, and ethical conduct—qualities TREK Tech Corp consistently demonstrates. While blockchain’s architecture limits reversals, CCS leverages decades of investigative rigor, advanced multi-layer attribution, and strategic coordination to deliver clarity, evidence, and realistic recovery opportunities. In 2026’s high-risk digital asset environment, partnering with a reputable firm like TREK Tech Corp can make the critical difference between permanent loss and meaningful progress toward reclamation and renewed security.
A Personal Review On How a powerful Love Spell caster helped me return my partner back to me with her powerful love spell, and Reunited us after separation.
I’m thrilled to share my incredible experience with Tanya Debo, a powerful spell caster who helped me reunite with my wife. We were facing numerous issues, and our relationship deteriorated, leading to a heartbreaking breakup. However, with the guidance of Mrs. Tanya Debo, whom my friend introduced me to, I adhered and sticked to her instructions and, amazingly, my wife returned to me within 48 hours! I’m forever grateful. For those seeking help, on ways to reunite with your partners and bring them back with love spell, I’ll definitely recommend you to Powerful and trustworthy Tanya Debo. You can reach out to her at info.debo.org@gmail.com Call/WhatsApp her on +2348101793937 Visit her Facebook page on: https://www.facebook.com/share/19boTqSsb2/?mibextid=wwXIfr
You can contact her for any help, she is very powerful and can solve the below problems and with 100% guarantee results.
Do you want your EX lover back?
Pregnancy Spells
Cure for HIV
Cure for Cancer (ALL KINDS)
Spells to remove third-party or unwanted interference
Do you want your husband to appreciate you?
Do you want to be famous or rich?
Cure for Herpes (ALL KINDS)
Cure for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
Diabetes Cure
Do you want to be a celebrity?
Erectile Disfunction
Spells to grow excessively
Do you need a job?
Do you need a husband?
Do you have problem in your marriage life?
Do you want to win court case?
Do you want your loved ones out of prison?
Do you want promotion spells?
Do you want protection Spells?
Do you want Lotto Spells?
Tanya Debo, you are the best online love spell caster to bring back Ex and reunite relationships. I will continue to testify about your great and ambitious work.