Risk of death following surgery is highest on weekends, afternoons and in February, according to a research announcement from the European Society of Anaesthesiology. Researchers from the University Medicine Berlin, who presented the information at this year's Euroanaesthesia exposition, investigated the daily, weekend and seasonal variability of hospital mortality in patients after surgery among 218,758 patients who underwent procedures between 2006 and 2011 at two hospitals in Berlin. Afternoon surgeries were associated with a 21 percent increased risk of death compared to other times of the day, while weekend surgery was associated with a 22 percent increased risk of death compared to weekdays. February surgeries were associated with a 16 percent increased risk compared to other months. Researchers concluded more work is needed to determine the reasons behind the variations. Announcement