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Orthopaedic audit: one year's experience in a district general hospital
Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
|November 1, 1984
Summary
An orthopaedic audit in 1982 found low complication rates, with 16.7% of patients experiencing issues. Technical failures and wound infections were the most common complications, highlighting areas for improvement in surgical care.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Healthcare Management
- Patient Safety
Background:
- The importance of systematic auditing in orthopaedic surgery is increasingly recognized.
- Previous comprehensive accounts of orthopaedic audits are limited, necessitating the presentation of such data.
- Southmead Hospital, Bristol, initiated a prospective audit in 1982 to evaluate surgical outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the methodology, results, and cost-effectiveness of an orthopaedic audit.
- To assess the achievement of audit aims and provide insights for other surgical units.
- To specifically inform orthopaedic surgeons about complication and mortality rates.
Main Methods:
- A prospective audit of complications and mortality was conducted throughout 1982.
- Quarterly retrospective analyses of surgical work were performed.
- Data were collected on all inpatients treated by two orthopaedic surgeons.
Main Results:
- A total of 1811 inpatients were treated, with 73.7% undergoing emergency surgery.
- Excluding femur fractures, mortality was 0.22%; overall mortality was 1.8%.
- Recorded complications affected 16.7% of patients, with technical failure (2.7%) and wound infection (2.4%) being most frequent.
Conclusions:
- The audit successfully provided a detailed analysis of orthopaedic surgical outcomes.
- The findings offer valuable benchmarks for complication and mortality rates in orthopaedic surgery.
- The study underscores the utility of regular audits for enhancing patient care and surgical practice.