title: Elective surgical outcomes of patients in Christchurch, New Zealand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Most studies assessing mortality after surgery have been undertaken in major public hospitals or are procedure specific. The aim of this study was to determine mortality after elective surgery at a total community level with inclusion of all patients undergoing elective surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective study of all patients that underwent elective surgery in Christchurch, New Zealand, within a calendar month. For each patient, we collected demographic data, American Society of Anaesthesiologists physical status classification (ASA), type of anaesthetic and surgical specialty. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality and the secondary outcome was 90-day mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four thousand seven hundred and fifteen patients were included in this study. Two thousand five hundred and seventy-eight (55%) were female and the median age was 56 years (range 0-99 years). Three thousand one hundred and forty-two (67%) patients had a general anaesthetic. By day 30, 11 (0.2%) patients had died and by day 90, 27 (0.6%) patients had died. Of the 27 deaths within 90 days after surgery, one was possibly anaesthesia-related (0.02%), while the majority were due to progression of disease (18).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows a lower mortality than what has previously been reported for elective surgical procedures when the denominator is the total community number of operations.
authors.affiliation: Anaesthetic Registrar, Department of Anaesthesia, Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Clinical Studies Research Nurse, Department of Surgery, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch.
authors.forename: Liane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Clinical Studies Research Nurse, Department of Surgery, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pascoe
authors.affiliation: Scientific Officer, Departments of Surgery and Gastroenterology, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dobbs
authors.affiliation: Specialist Anaesthetist, Department of Anaesthesia, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch.
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: HOD Department of Surgery, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frizelle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012424:Rural Population; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult