title: An audit of surgical admissions to the intensive care unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (1997 - 2002).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the pattern of adult surgical admissions into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
  
  
  METHODS
  A six-year retrospective review of data of patients above 12 years old admitted to the ICU of LUTH was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  290 patients representing 82.6% of the total ICU admissions (351) during the study period were evaluated. 251 (86.6% ) were surgical and 39 (13.4% ) non-surgical. The overall mortality was 40.3% (Surgical - 37.8% , Medical 62.9% ). Emergency admissions accounted for 221 (76.2% ) while electives were 69(33.8% ). The Mean hospital stay (MHS) was 4.8 +/- 0.4 days (Surgical: Medical - 3.9 +/- 0.2:10.1 +/- 2.5). The highest admissions were as a result of trauma (32.1% ) and obstetric complications (9.7% ). Cardiorespiratory monitoring (57.2% ) and respiratory distress (34.1% ) were the main indications for admission. Emergency admission and artificial ventilation contributed significantly to the observed mortality (p < 0.0001)
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At LUTH, trauma and obstetric complications constituted the major causes for ICU adult surgical admissions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, P. M. B. 12003, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Merah
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Okeke
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Olatosi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D009549:Nigeria; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*