HERNIA SURGERY IN A DEFINED POPULATION - A PROSPECTIVE 3 YEAR AUDIT

Citation
E. Nilsson et al., HERNIA SURGERY IN A DEFINED POPULATION - A PROSPECTIVE 3 YEAR AUDIT, The European journal of surgery, 163(11), 1997, pp. 823-829
Citations number
37
Categorie Soggetti
Surgery
ISSN journal
11024151
Volume
163
Issue
11
Year of publication
1997
Pages
823 - 829
Database
ISI
SICI code
1102-4151(1997)163:11<823:HSIADP>2.0.ZU;2-N
Abstract
Objective: To establish a register of inguinal hernia surgery that all ows audit and analyses of data from several centres. Design: Prospecti ve recording of data on a common protocol. Setting: Eight Swedish hosp itals. Subjects: All groin hernia operations done for patients over 15 years old from January 1992 to December 1994. Main outcome measures: Methods of repair, postoperative complications including mortality, da y surgery rate, and reoperations for recurrence. Results: During the t hree years studied 4879 hernia operations were undertaken in 4474 pati ents. Postoperative mortality within 30 days of operation for emergenc y and elective hernia repairs was 3.5% and 0.07%, respectively. Of all herniorrhaphies 798 (16%) were done for recurrences, 142 of these aft er operations between 1992 and 1994. At 24 months 4% of all operations had been redone because of recurrences with highly significant variat ions among hospitals ranging from 1.5% to 6.7%. Postoperative complica tions within 30 days after operation, direct hernia, recurrent hernia, and the use of absorbable sutures were associated with an increased r isk of reoperation. Conclusions: A quality register recorded voluntari ly can identify significant interhospital differences in outcome as we ll as variables associated with an increased risk of reoperation, ther eby raising quality awareness and facilitating the process of improvem ent.