Mortality Following Bariatric Surgery Compared to Other Common Operations in Finland During a 5-Year Period (2009-2013). A Nationwide Registry Study

PURPOSE

A concern regarding the safety of bariatric surgery may explain the fact that only a minor fraction of morbidly obese patients has access to it. This is a population-based, nationwide study reporting 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality rates following bariatric surgery in comparison with mortality rates after other common operations in Finland.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients undergoing surgery between January 2009 and December 2013 were included. Data on surgical procedures were obtained from the national hospital discharge registry, and cause of death was obtained from Statistics Finland.

RESULTS

Inclusion criteria were met by 156,536 patients. Of these, 3918 underwent surgery for morbid obesity. Three patients (0.08%) died within 30 days following bariatric surgery. The 30-day mortality rate was lower only following prostatectomy. Compared with bariatric surgery, the hazard ratios (HR) for 1-year postoperative mortality were significantly higher for elective cholecystectomy (HR 2.38, 95% CI 1.39-4.08, p = 0.002), hysterectomy (HR 2.87, 95% CI 1.68-4.92, p < 0.001), knee arthroplasty (HR 2.23, 95% CI 1.31-3.81, p = 0.003), hip arthroplasty (HR 11.7, 95% CI 6.90-19.8, p < 0.001), colorectal resections (HR 27.5, 95% CI 16.2-46, p < 0.001), gastric resection (HR 53.0, 95% CI 30.2-93.2, p < 0.001), gastrectomy (HR 74.7, 95% CI 43.0-130, p < 0.001), and coronary artery bypass grafting (HR 30.7, 95% CI 17.4-54.3, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Mortality rates following bariatric surgery are low and similar or lower than mortality rates following all other common elective surgeries.

Perioperative Mortality Rates in Australian Public Hospitals: The Influence of Age, Gender and Urgency

INTRODUCTION

A decline in surgical deaths has been observed in Australia since the introduction of the Australian and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality (ANZASM). The current study was conducted to determine whether the perioperative mortality rate (POMR) has also declined.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective review of the POMR for surgical procedures in Australian public hospitals between July 2009 and June 2013, using data obtained from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Operative procedures contained in the Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups were selected and the POMR was modelled using urgency of admission, age and gender as explanatory covariates.

RESULTS

The POMR in Australian public hospitals reduced by 15.4 % over the 4-year period. The emergency admissions POMR dropped from 1.40 to 1.12 %, and the elective admissions POMR from 0.09 to 0.08 %. The binary logistic regression model used to predict patient mortality showed emergency admissions to have a higher POMR than elective, being more evident at older ages. For emergency admissions, the difference in POMR between females and males increased with age, from about 55 years onwards, with females being lower. For elective surgeries, the difference between males and females was of little practical importance across ages.

CONCLUSIONS

The reduction in the POMR in Australia confirms the reduction in surgical deaths reported to ANZASM. Continuing to monitor POMR will be important to ensure the safest surgery in Australia. Further investigations into case-mix will allow better risk adjustment and comparison between regions and time-periods, to facilitate continuous quality improvement.

Management of Pharyngeal Fistulas After Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery: A Treatment Algorithm for Severe Complications

STUDY DESIGN

This study is a retrospective database query to identify all anterior spinal approaches.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives were to assess all patients with pharyngocutaneous fistulas (PCFs) after anterior cervical spine surgery.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Patients with the diagnosis of PCFs were treated at the University of Heidelberg Spine Medical Center, Spinal Cord Injury Unit and Department of Otolaryngology (Germany), between 2005 and 2011.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study on 5 patients with PCF after anterior cervical spine surgery between 2005 and 2011 and analyzed their therapy management and outcome on the basis of the radiologic data and patient charts.

RESULTS

Upon presentation, 4 patients were paraplegic. Two patients had PCF arising from 1 piriform sinus, 2 patients had PCF arising from the posterior pharyngeal wall and piriform sinus combined, and 1 patient had PCF arising only from the posterior pharyngeal wall. Two patients previously underwent unsuccessful surgical repair elsewhere and 1 patient underwent a prior radiation therapy. In 3 patients, speech and swallowing could be completely restored. Two patients died, both of whom were paraplegic. The patients were needed to undergo an average of 2 or 3 procedures for complete functional recovery of primary closure with various vascularized regional flaps and refining laser procedures supplemented with the negative pressure wound therapy wherever needed.

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of our experience, we are able to provide a treatment algorithm that indicates that chronic, as opposed to acute, fistulas require a primary surgical closure combined with a vascularized flap that should be accompanied by the immediate application of a negative pressure wound therapy. We also conclude that particularly in paraplegic patients suffering from this complication the risk for a fatal outcome is substantial.

In Hospital and 3-Month Mortality and Functional Recovery Rate in Patients Treated for Hip Fracture by a Multidisciplinary Team

Objectives

Medical comorbidities affect outcome in elderly patients with hip fracture. This study was designed to preliminarily evaluate the usefulness of a hip-fracture unit led by an internal medicine specialist.

Methods

In-hospital and 3-month outcomes in patients with hip fracture were prospectively evaluated in 121 consecutive patients assessed before and followed after surgery by a multidisciplinary team led by internal medicine specialist; 337 consecutive patients were recalled from ICD-9 discharge records and considered for comparison regarding in-hospital mortality.

Results

In the intervention period, patients treated within 48 hours were 54% vs. 26% in the historical cohort (P<0.0001). In-hospital mortality remained stable at about 2.3 per 1000 person-days. At 3 months, 10.3% of discharged patients had died, though less than 8% of patients developed postoperative complications (mainly pneumonia and respiratory failure). The presence of more than 2 major comorbidities and the loss of 3 or more BADL were independent predictors of death. 50/105 patients recovered previous functional capacity, but no independent predictor of functional recovery could be identified. Mean length of hospital stay significantly decreased in comparison to the historical cohort (13.6± 4.7 vs 17 ± 5 days, p = 0.0001). Combined end-point of mortality and length of hospitalization < 12 days was significantly lower in study period (27 vs 34%, p <0.0132).

Conclusions

Identification and stabilization of concomitant clinical problems by internal medicine specialists may safely decrease time to surgery in frail subjects with hip fracture. Moreover, integrated perioperative clinical management may shorten hospital stay with no apparent increase in in-hospital mortality and ultimately improve the outcome. These results are to be confirmed by a larger study presently ongoing at our institution.

Risk factor profiles for early and delayed mortality after hip fracture: Analyses of linked Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs databases

INTRODUCTION

One-year mortality after hip fracture may exceed 30% with a very large number of reported risk factors. Determinants of mortality beyond 1 year are rarely described. This study employs multiple data linkages to examine mortality rates, risk factor profiles and age-specific excess mortality at intervals from 30 days to 4 years.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of linked administrative datasets describing hospital episodes, residential aged care (RAC) admissions and date of death for 2552 Australian veterans and war widows hospitalised for hip fracture in 2008-09. Associations between time to death and patient age, sex, pre-fracture accommodation, fracture type, treatment options, selected comorbidities and complications were tested in Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

In a population with mean age of 86.6 years (range 54-100 years), overall death rate was 11% at 30 days, 34% at 1 year, 47% at 2 years and 67% after 4 years. For males hospitalised from RAC 1-year mortality was 72%, contrasting with 19% for females from the community. Risk of death within 1 year was increased by male sex, increasing age, pre-fracture RAC residency, transfer to intensive care and coexistent cancer, cardiac and renal failure, cerebrovascular disease and pressure ulcers. Patients selected for rehabilitation had lower mortality rates. Patterns of determinants for mortality changed over time. Above-expected age-specific mortality was sustained for 4 years except for males 90 years and older.

CONCLUSION

Pre-fracture RAC residence was the strongest determinant factor for mortality. Patients selected for rehabilitation had lower mortality rates. The profiles of explanatory variables for death altered with increasing time from the index fracture event.