title: Hospital costs of surgical complications.
abstract: Fifteen patients who had a general or gynecologic abdominal operation were operated on a second time for a complication of the first operation. There were three deaths. Extra costs attributable to the complications amounted to +211,503, of which one third was uncollectible. One half of the extra hospital days for surviving patients were spent in the intensive care unit.
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000038:Abscess / Q000209:etiology; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007350:Insurance, Hospitalization; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D006278:Medicare; D009657:North Carolina; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000191:economics*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States