The Paradox of High Success

Abstract

Our goal in studying principles of surgical technique is to achieve the highest possible rate of success. Yet the closer we come to this goal, the more difficult it becomes to perceive the result of our efforts. The reason for this is what I call the “paradox of high success” — the curious fact that, as success rates improve, it becomes increasingly difficult to substantiate further improvements, because they become

• increasingly less apparent

• and increasingly difficult to prove