High-Risk Surgical Population in the UK
Author Information
Author(s): Rupert M Pearse, David A Harrison, Philip James, David Watson, Charles Hinds, Andrew Rhodes, R Michael Grounds, E David Bennett
Primary Institution: William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK
Hypothesis
What proportion of general surgical patients are at high risk of postoperative death?
Conclusion
A large high-risk surgical population accounts for 12.5% of surgical procedures but for more than 80% of deaths.
Supporting Evidence
- The high-risk surgical population identified accounted for 83.8% of deaths but only 12.5% of procedures.
- Among ICU admissions, 40.8% of deaths occurred after initial discharge from the ICU.
- The highest mortality rate was 39% in patients admitted to the ICU following initial postoperative care on a standard ward.
Takeaway
There are many patients who are at high risk of dying after surgery, and they make up a small part of all surgeries but a big part of the deaths.
Methodology
Data on inpatient general surgical procedures and ICU admissions were extracted from two healthcare databases for 94 NHS hospitals over a period of approximately 5 years.
Potential Biases
Potential underestimation of mortality rates due to limitations in coding and data collection methods.
Limitations
The study relies on data from large healthcare databases, which may not capture all relevant mortality data accurately.
Participant Demographics
Median age of patients was 56 years, with 43% male in the general surgical population.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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