TABLE 3.

The general population’s estimations of postoperative complication rates and maximum risk tolerance to achieve top quality-of-life priorities

	Estimates of Actual Ratesa		Maximum Risk Toleranceb
Postoperative Complication	Over- or Underestimated	P	Willing to Tolerate?c	P
Minor complications
Changes in taste	Underestimated	<0.001**	No	<0.001**
Vertigo	Underestimated	<0.001**	No	<0.001**
Major complications
Serious infection requiring hospitalization	Overestimated	<0.001**	Yes	=0.053
Meningitis	Underestimated	=0.002**	No	<0.001**
Reoperation	Overestimated	<0.001**	No	=0.001**
Facial paralysis	Underestimated	<0.001**	No	<0.001**
Cerebrospinal fluid leak	Underestimated	<0.001**	No	<0.001**

Estimates of postoperative complications and maximum risk tolerance were compared to standard rates in the literature (5% for minor complications and 1% for major complications). Statistical significance determined as p < 0.05.

^aEstimates of actual postoperative complication rates were compared to a standard 5% rate for minor complications and a 1% rate of major complications.

^bMaximum risk tolerance: tolerance to achieve top quality-of-life priority.

^cWillingness to tolerate: maximum risk tolerance for postoperative complications were compared to a standard 5% rate for minor complications and a 1% rate of major complications.

^**Statistically significant.