title: Peri-operative deaths associated with ear, nose, throat, head and neck surgeries: a ten-year prospective survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Apart from severe psychological effect on members of the health team involved, peri-operative deathcan also have far reaching effects on the surgeon, hospital and the community. Peri-operative death has also been categorized as being avoidable and non-avoidable.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was therefore carried out to identify the factors that led to peri-operative deaths in our practice, with the aim of proferring preventive strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  All cases of peri-operative deaths associated with ear, nose, throat, head and neck(ENTH&N) surgeries in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH),Benin city, between January, 2001 and January, 2011 were prospectively surveyed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 6 peri-operative deaths out of a total of 1,138 recorded ear, nose, throat, head and neck surgeries in the UBTH during the study period. This gives a peri-operative mortality rate of 0.53% for ENTH & N surgeries. Most of the peri-operative deaths were associated with advanced head and neck cancers, tracheostomies and emergency procedures. Inexperience on the part of resident anaesthetists and surgeons, non-availability of critically needed blood and poor training of health personnel on post-tracheostomy patient management, were the main factors identified in the causation of the peri-operative deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Close supervision of residents by consultants, proper hospital funding and the requisite training of all health personnel are the recommendation to prevent these tragedies.
authors.affiliation: Ear, Nose, Throat, Head & Neck Surgery Department, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 1111, Benin City, Nigeria. brotherpaulchima@yahoo.com
authors.forename: P R O C
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Adobamen
authors.forename: Nkemakolam U
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Okata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004423:Ear / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000601:surgery*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009666:Nose / Q000601:surgery; D059035:Perioperative Period / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies