Risk factors, complications associated with mortality after outpatient surgery

Editor's Note

This study by researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, examines preoperative risk factors, operative variables, and postoperative complications associated with 30-day mortality after outpatient surgery.

A total of 2,822,789 patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database were included in the analysis.

The most significant preoperative predictors of mortality included the patient having:

• disseminated cancer
• decreased functional health status
• increased American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) Physical Status classification
• increased age
• ascites.

The most significant postoperative complications associated with increased risk of mortality included:

• cardiac
• pulmonary
• stroke
• renal.

The researchers concluded that patients over 89 years with disseminated cancer, decreased functional health status, or increased ASA class should generally be considered for inpatient surgery.