The importance of an organized follow-up for the evaluation of mortality after hospital discharge in cardiac surgery

OBJECTIVES: Does a structured follow-up, after cardiac surgery in an adult, provide additional information on the operation related mortality especially if mortality is used as an outcome parameter within the quality control? METHOD: Mortality data of 1132 patients undergoing cardiac surgery in 2003 and 2004 in the Academic Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands were registered by a structured follow-up one year after surgery. RESULTS: One year after surgery this follow-up is missing information for eight patients (0.7%). Six patients (0.5%) refused further follow-up. Of the 31 patients who died during the first postoperative year, 21 (68%) were registered thanks to this structured follow-up. In 29 patients it was possible to retrieve the cause of death. CONCLUSION: A structured follow-up one year after cardiac surgery has a high response and not only provides a better total picture of mortality, but also information on the cause of death. Both aspects are important if mortality is used as a parameter for quality control in cardiac surgery.