title: [Mortality from postoperative complications (failure to rescue) after cardiac surgery in a university hospital].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study analyses the rate of post-operative complications after cardiac surgery, the incidence of the failure to rescue (FR), and the relationship between complications and survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included a total of 2,750 adult patients operated of cardiac surgery between January 2003 and December 2009. An analysis was made of 9 post-operative complications. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to find independent variables associated with any of the selected complications. Survival was analysed with Kaplan-Meyer survival estimates. A risk-adjusted Cox proportional regression model was used to find out which complications were associated with mid-term survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hospital mortality rate was 1.4% (95% CI: 1.0%-1.9%). Postoperative complications rate was 38.5% (36.7%-40.4%), and FR 3.6% (2.5%-4.9%). Urgent surgery (OR = 2.03; 1.52-2.72), chronic renal failure (OR = 1.50, 95%.CI: 1.25-1.80), and age ≥70 years (OR = 1.42; 1.20-1.68) were the variables that showed the highest strength of association with the selected complications. Survival at 5 years in the group of patients without complications was 93%, and in the group of patients with complications it was 83% (P<.0001). Postoperative complications associated with mid-term survival were pneumonia (HR = 2.6, 95% CI; 1.27-5.50), acute myocardial infarction (HR = 1.9; 1.10-2.30), and acute renal failure (HR = 1.7; 1.30-2.26).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of complications after cardiac surgery is around 40%, and was associated with an increase in hospital mortality, although FR was very low (3.6%; 95% CI: 2.5-4.9).
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España. Electronic address: maria.riera@ssib.es.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riera
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amézaga
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.affiliation: Servei de Salut de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, CRES-UPF, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campillo-Artero
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía Cardiaca, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Sáez de Ibarra
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía Cardiaca, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bonnín
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Cardiac surgical procedures; Cirugía cardiaca; Complicaciones; Complications; Failure to rescue; Fallo en el rescate; Prognosis; Pronóstico; Supervivencia; Survival