Senior surgeons.

• Author: Peters, Charles
• Position: Tilting at Windmills - Brief article

In another medical article, Carla K. Johnson of Associated Press points out that we require "airline pilots to step down at age 60, but there is no mandatory retirement age for surgeons, who like pilots hold life in their hands."

Johnson cites a study published in the September Annals of Surgery to justify her concern. It found, she reports, "that for three complicated surgeries, including heart bypass, doctors older than 60 had higher patient death rates."

This, the study found, was especially true if the doctors didn't operate frequently. So, if your doctor's a senior citizen, be sure to find out how many surgeries he does each year.

And a caution for hospitals: The...