Following peripheral arterial reconstruction in 1,022 patients over 10 years, the mortality rate was 2.7%, with causes of death usually identifiable without autopsy data.
Observational (n=1,022)
Does a mortality registration system help evaluate the quality of care and identify causes of death in patients after peripheral bypass surgery?
A mortality registration system can effectively identify causes of death and shortcomings in medical care after peripheral bypass surgery, often without the need for autopsy data.
The objective of this study was to determine the role of a mortality registration in the quality control of patients who died after peripheral bypass surgery. We developed a mortality registration to classify causes of death, to evaluate shortcomings in treatment, and to determine the extent of agreement between pre- and postmortem findings. In a 10-year period, 28 of the 1,022 patients (2.7%) who underwent peripheral arterial reconstruction died. Fifty-three percent of the patients died owing to postoperative complications, most frequently a myocardial infarction. A shortcoming in the medical treatment was observed in only one patient. Forty-three percent of the relatives gave permission for an autopsy. In only two cases, the autopsy report revealed a myocardial infarction that had remained unnoticed during the clinical course. In this selected group of patients undergoing a peripheral bypass operation, the causes of death and the shortcomings in medical care could usually be identified without the help of autopsy data.
Klinkert et al. (Tue,) conducted a observational in Peripheral arterial disease requiring bypass surgery (n=1,022). Peripheral arterial reconstruction was evaluated on Mortality. Following peripheral arterial reconstruction in 1,022 patients over 10 years, the mortality rate was 2.7%, with causes of death usually identifiable without autopsy data.