title: Validation of the VASCUNET registry - pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  VASCUNET is an international registry of vascular surgical (open and endovascular) procedures since 1997. The aim of this paper is to describe a pilot validation performed at three hospitals in Hungary in September 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three core indications were checked: abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid artery disease and limb ischemia with infrainguinal treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  2439 registered procedures had been reported with between 94 and 109 per cent agreement with hospital administrative numbers. In a random sample of 29 patients the VASCUNET data were compared with the patient records regarding risk factors, procedures performed and in hospital results. Only few discrepancies were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The conclusions are that validation is feasible, that this pilot project in Hungary showed good agreement between registry and local patient records. For a registry to be accepted and used both for practical and scientific purposes regular validation by senior surgeons should be undertaken and the vascular surgical community must have a budget for such a process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bergqvist
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Björck
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lees
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Menyhei
mesh_terms: D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D007511:Ischemia / Q000601:surgery*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards; D012042:Registries / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards
keywords: Vascular registry; aortic aneurysm; carotid surgery; lower limb bypass; validation