COMPLICATION DATA-COLLECTION - A PROSPECTIVE, STANDARDIZED, CODED SYSTEM FOR OTOLARYNGOLOGY OR OTHER BRANCHES OF SURGERY

This system for interdepartmental collection of data on surgical compl ications should, though designed for otolaryngology, be applicable to any surgical specialty. The system under which data are collected pros pectively on a coded proforma has been shown to document considerably higher complication rates than retrospective, uncoded data collection and, as consultants are unlikely to report non-existent complications, we assume that the higher rates are more valid. The system also provi des a list of factors which must be standardised before data on compli cation rates from different units can usefully be pooled or comparison s made between them.