Probability of adverse events that have not yet occurred: a statistical reminder.
The probability of adverse and undesirable events during and after operations that have not yet occurred in a finite number of patients (n) can be estimated with Hanley's simple formula, which gives the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval of the probability of such an event: upper limit of 95% confidence interval = maximum risk = 3/n (for n > 30). Doctors and surgeons should keep this simple rule in mind when complication rates of zero are reported in the literature and when they have not (yet) experienced a disastrous complication in a procedure.
Eypasch
E
E
II Department of Surgery, University of Cologne, Kliniken der Stadt Köln, Germany.
Lefering
R
R
Kum
C K
CK
Troidl
H
H
D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D011336:Probability; D012306:Risk