Sham surgery
Sham Surgery
Sham surgery (pronunciation: /ʃæm ˈsɜːrdʒəri/), also known as placebo surgery, is a procedure that mimics real surgery but omits the step thought to be therapeutically necessary. The term "sham" originates from the 17th century and is derived from the English word "sham", meaning something that is not what it purports to be.
Purpose
Sham surgery is used primarily in clinical trials to control for the placebo effect. It allows researchers to separate the effects of the surgical procedure from the psychological effects of believing one has undergone surgery.
Procedure
In a typical sham surgery, patients are randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which receives the actual surgery, or the control group, which receives the sham surgery. Both groups are subjected to the same preoperative and postoperative care, and the only difference is the actual surgical intervention.
Ethical Considerations
The use of sham surgery in clinical trials raises significant ethical issues, including the risk of harm to patients who do not receive any therapeutic benefit from the procedure. However, proponents argue that it is necessary to establish the efficacy of surgical procedures.
Related Terms
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Sham surgery
- Wikipedia's article - Sham surgery
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