title: Recording of postoperative complications: quantity and quality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a simple working procedure for recording postoperative complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Teaching hospital, Denmark.
  
  
  METHODS
  218 of 312 patients who were operated on from March to July 1996.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follow up 30 days after operation by looking up the local register of complications, review of medical records and by structured telephone interview with the patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  Morbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients were recorded in the local register, showing a complication rate of 21% (n = 49). However the medical record and the telephone interview showed complication rates of 68 (31%) and 76 (33%), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to improve the quantity of the recording by a simplified working procedure, while the quality is still a challenge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Copenhagen County Hospital in Herlev, Denmark.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maina
authors.forename: Mads
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carstensen
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tønnesen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D017749:Total Quality Management