Is the waiting list a safe place for outpatients awaiting coronary bypass surgery?
This study was undertaken to identify the safety of outpatients awaiting coronary bypass surgery. An audit of the outcome of 92 such outpatients at one Regional centre was undertaken by a retrospective review of medical records. Outcome measures were: time on the waiting list, anti-ischaemic medications, readmission for unstable angina, myocardial infarction and death. Almost half of the patients underwent surgery within three months, and three-quarters waited less than six months. No outpatient death occurred. However, 4 of the 7 adverse events occurred within this period. Despite advanced disease, the safety of outpatients awaiting coronary surgery within such a short time frame appeared to be acceptable, the only adverse events being non-fatal and occurring unpredictably.
Lim
R
R
St Bartholomew's Hospital, London.
Kreidieh
I
I
Dymond
D
D
Spurrell
R
R
Nathan
A
A
Edmondson
S J
SJ
Rees
G M
GM
Banim
S O
SO
D000328:Adult; D002300:Cardiac Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom; D014850:Waiting Lists