Surgical errors are more likely to occur in the afternoon, a study has found.
Doctors and surgeons being more tired and less able to concentrate is thought to play a major factor.
A number of factors including this were found to affect patient care.
Few of the adverse events caused serious or permanent damage to patients, researchers found.
Most were related to problems with pain management and postoperative nausea and vomiting.
Other problems included prolonged sedation, wound infection, dangerous changes in blood pressure and operating room equipment problems.
The study, done in the US looked at over 90,000 operations.
A representative of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland said that the findings highlighted the dangers of implementing round-the-clock operating.
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