Dicing with death

SIR – I would suggest that the better mortality rates of the patients of female surgeons (report, October

11) are related to the fact that female surgeons are more risk-averse.

Male surgeons are prepared to perform life-saving procedures on conditions with higher post-surgical mortalities.

This means that some patients not operated on by female surgeons die, yet they could have been saved by a male surgeon who would have operated despite the high surgical risk. Dr Richard Primavesi

London W12

SIR – I agree that one of the reasons people are more likely to survive if operated on by a woman is that they have better communication skills.

My experience suggests that their male colleagues simply cut and run. Bruce Denness

Whitwell, Isle of Wight