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The Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality: a review of areas of concern related to anaesthesia over 10 years
Author(s) -
McFarlane H. J.,
Van Der Horst N.,
Kerr L.,
McPhillips G.,
Burton H.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2009.06125.x
Subject(s) - medicine , audit , emergency medicine , general surgery , medical emergency , management , economics
Summary The Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality is a voluntary, peer reviewed, critical event analysis of patients who die under the care of consultant surgeons in acute hospitals in Scotland. The anaesthetic contribution to surgical mortality over a 10‐year period from 1996 was reviewed. The total number of deaths was 44 230 or 1.5% of all admissions. Forty thousand, eight hundred and ninety‐six deaths (92%) were audited. Deaths after elective surgery declined over 10 years. Over 80% of deaths followed emergency admission. The number of deaths where an anaesthetist was present was 16 981 or 0.6% of all admissions. Anaesthetic areas of concern were identified in 8% of deaths. Of these, 43% were related to pre‐operative assessment. Anaesthesia also played a part in a further 18% of deaths where decision making was shared with the surgical team. Of these, 41% were related to access to critical care. A further 24% related to communication failures, principally when the operation should not have been done or was unnecessary.