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Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries

Pearse, Rupert M and Wijeysundera, Duminda (2016) In British Journal of Anaesthesia 117(5). p.601-609
Abstract
Background
As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care.
Methods
We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication
(failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries.
Results
A total of 474 hospitals in 19... (More)
Background
As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care.
Methods
We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication
(failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries.
Results
A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2–7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries.
Conclusions
Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. (Less)
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author collaboration
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
British Journal of Anaesthesia
volume
117
issue
5
pages
601 - 609
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84994560518
ISSN
1471-6771
DOI
10.1093/bja/aew316
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
b58341fe-6e13-475a-b311-55658bd736a2
date added to LUP
2021-02-08 02:11:55
date last changed
2022-04-27 00:06:35
@article{b58341fe-6e13-475a-b311-55658bd736a2,
  abstract     = {{Background<br/>As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care.<br/>Methods<br/>We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication <br/>(failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries.<br/>Results<br/>A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2–7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries.<br/>Conclusions<br/>Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care.}},
  author       = {{Pearse, Rupert M and Wijeysundera, Duminda}},
  issn         = {{1471-6771}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{601--609}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{British Journal of Anaesthesia}},
  title        = {{Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bja/aew316}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/bja/aew316}},
  volume       = {{117}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}