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Preventable Complications and Deaths after Emergency Nontrauma Surgery
The American Surgeon
|October 1, 2018
Summary
Preventable complications occurred in 2.1% of emergency nontrauma surgery patients. Delays in diagnosis and technical errors were key causes, highlighting targets for quality improvement in acute care surgery.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Quality Improvement
- Patient Safety in Surgery
- Acute Care Surgery
Background:
- Preventable complications pose a significant challenge in emergency surgery.
- Identifying the causes of these complications is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency and causes of preventable complications in emergency nontrauma surgery.
- To assess the impact of these complications on patient management and outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of patients admitted for emergency general surgical conditions (excluding trauma) from January 2010 to June 2012.
- Analysis of complications, causes, treatments, and mortality rates.
Main Results:
- 194 of 9078 patients (2.1%) experienced 261 complications; 110 (42.1%) were preventable.
- Common causes included delayed diagnosis/management (41%), technical/iatrogenic factors (25%), and infections (16%).
- Preventable complications altered management in 80% of cases, with two of three mortalities being preventable.
Conclusions:
- A substantial proportion of complications in emergency nontrauma surgery are preventable.
- Focusing on reducing diagnostic delays and technical errors can improve surgical quality and patient safety.
- These findings support targeted quality improvement initiatives in the evolving field of acute care surgery.
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