Early reoperation rates after arterial surgery

Between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 1991, 2426 patients underwent arterial surgery. Three hundred and seventy one reoperations were performed on 258 patients within 30 days of the initial procedure. One hundred and ninety three (52%) of the operations were attempted revascularisations, 95 (26%) were amputations and 58 (16%) were to control bleeding. One hundred and sixty nine (66%) of first operations were successful, but 76 patients required a further 113 reoperations. The mortality of reoperation was 16%, while the mortality of patients not requiring reoperation was 9% (p < 0.01). The mean hospital stay in days was higher in patients requiring reoperation (p < 0.05). Where appropriate, patients should be informed of the significant incidence of reoperation and reoperative mortality after vascular surgery. The increased hospital stay in reoperated patients has financial implications.