The human touch.

Abstract Surgery is the interaction between two human beings—the surgeon and the patient. Our acts as surgeons are based on science and we employ sophisticated technology, but the human aspects of the relationship still pertain. We should continue to emphasize the importance of communicating clearly with our patients both before and after an operative procedure, and we should recognize that each human being is a unique individual and requires, at least in some minor degree, a therapeutic plan designed especially for him or her.