Long-term Trends in Head and Neck Surgery Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Surgical Outcomes Research
• Head and Neck Surgery
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Limited data exists on long-term trends in postoperative complications in head and neck surgery.
• Understanding these trends is crucial for improving patient care and surgical quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze long-term trends in postoperative complication and mortality rates in head and neck surgery.
• To identify risk factors associated with complications following these procedures.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (1995-2015).
• Inclusion of 44,161 patients undergoing head and neck procedures.
• Assessment of 30-day morbidity and mortality, with univariate and multivariate risk factor analyses.

Main Results:

• Overall complication rates decreased by over 45% (10.9% to 5.9%) from 1995-2000 to 2011-2015.
• 30-day postsurgical mortality decreased by nearly 70% (1.3% to 0.4%).
• Major procedures showed less improvement in complication rates compared to less invasive ones.

Conclusions:

• Significant improvements in postoperative morbidity and mortality have been achieved in head and neck surgery.
• Static complication rates in certain complex procedures may be due to the ability to treat sicker patients.
• Further research is needed to understand and address persistent high complication rates in specific procedures.