title: Analysis of deficiencies in care following cholecystectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Failure To Rescue was first defined in patients who died due to a complication following (open) cholecystectomy but research into the relevant factors has been scarce. This study was designed to determine a chronological sequence of deficiencies in care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult patients who died under the care of a surgeon following cholecystectomy in Queensland were identified from the Australian and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality (ANZASM) database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Not unexpectedly, this is a high-risk patient population: median age of the 48 patients was 74.5 years and the median number of comorbidities and American Society of Anesthesiologists class was 4. Death occurred on postoperative day 6. Most deaths occurred at the end of the week. Over 80% of deaths followed emergency cholecystectomy. In almost half the patients, there were no deficiencies in care. Most common deficiency was during postoperative management (i.e. Failure To Rescue), however, significant deficiencies also arose prior to surgical admission; choice and timing of intervention as well as intraoperative decision-making.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgeons who perform cholecystectomy need to be aware of the levels at which deficiencies arise given that many may be preventable.
authors.affiliation: Logan Hospital, Corner Armstrong and Loganlea Roads, Meadowbrook, Queensland 4131, Australia. Electronic address: arek_p@ecn.net.au.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wysocki
authors.affiliation: Queensland Audit of Surgical Mortality, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Queensland Audit of Surgical Mortality, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rey-Conde
authors.affiliation: Queensland Audit of Surgical Mortality, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: North
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D000067248:Failure to Rescue, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Audit; Cholecystectomy; Failure to rescue; Laparoscopy; Mortality