Key result
Among patients with operative mortality after cardiac surgery, only 30% had palliative care involvement, with a median time from first involvement to death of 6 days.
Why the study?
The study was conducted to examine palliative care involvement in patients with operative mortality after cardiac surgery and to better understand this high-risk population and factors influencing referral.
What is the rate and timing of palliative care involvement in patients who experience operative mortality after cardiac surgery?
Observational (n=93)
Yes
What is the rate and timing of palliative care involvement in patients who experience operative mortality after cardiac surgery?
Palliative care is underutilized and consulted late in patients who die after cardiac surgery, highlighting a need for earlier recognition of mortality risk even in elective cases.
Palliative care involvement appears limited in cardiac surgery mortality; Level 4 data leaves open optimal referral strategies and outcomes impact.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine palliative care involvement in patients with operative mortality after cardiac surgery, to gain a better understanding of this high-risk population and factors influencing referral. METHODS: This is a retrospective review using data submitted to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database. RESULTS: The total study population included 93 patients with operative mortality, only 30% of whom had palliative care involvement. The median time from first palliative care involvement to death was 6 days. Nearly 40% of patients had a status labeled as elective at the time of surgery. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that patient mortality risk for elective surgery is being underestimated, or the indications for palliative care consultation in high-risk patients is going unrecognized. Such knowledge may facilitate earlier palliative care involvement, with the goal of improved quality of life for cardiac patients.
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Leeds et al. (2020) conducted an observational in Operative mortality after cardiac surgery (n=93). Palliative care involvement was evaluated on Palliative care involvement rate. Among patients with operative mortality after cardiac surgery, only 30% had palliative care involvement, with a median time from first involvement to death of 6 days.
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