title: [Risk assessment before elective visceral surgery interventions].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Since 1988 all our patients undergoing elective general surgery entered a prospective study, with the aim of identifying risk factors, responsible for a fatal postoperative outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1988-1992 a total of 3250 patients (mean age 52.0 years [SD +/- 16.8]), 1750 male and 1500 female have been registered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  General complications occurred in 10.4% of patients and local complications have been registered in 10.8% of cases. 29 patients (0,89%) died within 30 days following the operative procedure. The operation per se, the ASA-classification, a history of respiratory disease and an operation for a malignant disease could be identified as risk factors for general postoperative complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study design allows us to determine risk factors in elective general surgery. These risk factors can easy be used in clinical practice to evaluate the operative risk of a planned operative procedure.
authors.affiliation: Departement Chirurgie, Universitätsspital, Zürich.
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Klotz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horvàth
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Candinas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Largiadèr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013557:Switzerland; D014781:Viscera / Q000601:surgery*