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Published on: January 12, 2019
Audit of attendance rates for an infra-inguinal graft surveillance programme--how complete is your graft
J McIntosh1, T J Crook, K R Poskitt
1Department of Surgery, Bristol Royal Infirmary, UK.
Insights
Attendance rates for infra-inguinal bypass graft surveillance programs are lower than expected. This study tracked patient attendance over five years, revealing a need for vascular units to assess their own surveillance program effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Graft surveillance is crucial after infra-inguinal bypass surgery.
- Actual patient attendance rates for these surveillance programs are not well-documented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the attendance rate for graft surveillance in a specific vascular unit.
- To analyze trends in attendance over a five-year period.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of patients undergoing infra-inguinal bypass graft procedures.
- Calculation of partial and complete surveillance attendance rates annually over five years.
Main Results:
- Partial surveillance attendance rose from 31% to 78% over five years.
- Complete surveillance attendance increased from 0% to 38% during the same period.
- Observed attendance rates were significantly lower than anticipated.
Conclusions:
- Vascular units should critically evaluate their graft surveillance program attendance.
- Low attendance rates may impact the effectiveness of post-surgical graft monitoring.
- Further investigation into factors influencing surveillance attendance is warranted.
Abstract:
Much has been written on the subject of graft surveillance following infra-inguinal bypass graft surgery, but surprisingly little information exists on actual attendance rates for such programmes. The aim of this study was to calculate the attendance rate for graft surveillance at the vascular unit in Cheltenham. All patients who entered the graft surveillance programme following an infra-inguinal graft procedure over a 5-year period were included in the study. Partial and complete surveillance attendance rates were calculated for each year in the study period. Both rates were seen to rise over the 5-year period, from 31% to 78% and 0 to 38%, respectively. These attendance rates were much lower than were expected. Vascular units relying on such graft surveillance programmes should evaluate their own 'surveillance rates'.
