Assessment of postoperative morbidity in Spanish hospitals: Results from a national survey.

BACKGROUND: The methodology used for recording, evaluating and reporting postoperative complications (PC) is unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine how PC are recorded, evaluated, and reported in General and Digestive Surgery Services (GDSS) in Spain, and to assess their stance on morbidity audits. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional study design, an anonymous survey of 50 questions was sent to all the heads of GDSS at hospitals in Spain. RESULTS: The survey was answered by 67 out of 222 services (30.2%). These services have a reference population (RP) of 15 715 174 inhabitants, representing 33% of the Spanish population. Only 15 services reported being requested to supply data on morbidity by their hospital administrators. Eighteen GDSS, with a RP of 3 241 000 (20.6%) did not record PC. Among these, 7 were accredited for some area of training. Thirty-six GDSS (RP 8 753 174 (55.7%) did not provide details on all PC in patients' discharge reports. Twenty-four (37%) of the 65 GDSS that had started using a new surgical procedure/technique had not recorded PC in any way. Sixty-five GDSS were not concerned by the prospect of their results being audited, and 65 thought that a more comprehensive knowledge of PC would help them improve their results. Out of the 37 GDSS that reported publishing their results, 27 had consulted only one source of information: medical progress records in 11 cases, and discharge reports in 9. CONCLUSIONS: This study reflects serious deficiencies in the recording, evaluation and reporting of PC by GDSS in Spain.

Development and pilot study of an essential set of indicators for general surgery services. / Desarrollo y estudio piloto de un conjunto esencial de indicadores para los servicios de cirugía general.

INTRODUCTION: At present there is a lack of appropriate quality measures for benchmarking in general surgery units of Spanish National Health System. The aim of this study is to present the selection, development and pilot-testing of an initial set of surgical quality indicators for this purpose. METHODS: A modified Delphi was performed with experts from the Spanish Surgeons Association in order to prioritize previously selected indicators. Then, a pilot study was carried out in a public hospital encompassing qualitative analysis of feasibility for prioritized indicators and an additional qualitative and quantitative three-rater reliability assessment for medical record-based indicators. Observed inter-rater agreement, prevalence adjusted and bias adjusted kappa and non-adjusted kappa were performed, using a systematic random sample (n=30) for each of these indicators. RESULTS: Twelve out of 13 proposed indicators were feasible: 5 medical record-based indicators and 7 indicators based on administrative databases. From medical record-based indicators, 3 were reliable (observed agreement >95%, adjusted kappa index >0.6 or non-adjusted kappa index >0.6 for composites and its components) and 2 needed further refinement. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, medical record-based indicators could be used for comparison purposes, whilst further research must be done for validation and risk-adjustment of outcome indicators from administrative databases. Compliance results in the adequacy of informed consent, diagnosis-to-treatment delay in colorectal cancer, and antibiotic prophylaxis show room for improvement in the pilot-tested hospital.

[Mirizzi syndrome associated with complicated cholelitiasis in the elderly patient. Diagnosis and laparoscopic treatment]. / Síndrome de Mirizzi asociado a la Colelitiasis complicada del anciano: diagnóstico y tratamiento laparoscopio.

INTRODUCTION: The Mirizzi Syndrome (MS) is a rare variation of cholelitiasis, in which a calculus impacted in the Hartmann Pouch compresses the biliary pathway triggering an obstructive jaundice, frequently followed by inflammatory phenomenon and a number of complications. OBJECTIVE: To establish the frequency of the Mirizzi Syndrome in complicated cholelitiasis in the elderly patient and analyze the most suitable diagnosis and treatment options. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Cases of Mirizzi Syndromes in symptomatic inflammatory biliary lithiasis were selected in a five-year period among patients older than 70, who had undergone urgent operation. Epidemiology, private hospital, diagnosis, operating variables, morbility and hospitalization were analyzed. RESULTS: Twelve (12) patients with Mirizzi Syndrome were detected, with an average age of 77.2 in 197 cases of complicated cholelitiasis. A laparoscopic examination was made in 67% of the cases, with a conversion rate of 50%. The most frequent finding was the biliary extrinsic compression without Csendes-I fistula (58%). The postsurgical morbility was of 58%, including two deaths (17%) and the medium-term postoperative hospital stay was of 9.5 days. CONCLUSIONS: This research emphasizes the importance of the Mirizzi Syndrome (MS) in the symptomatic cholelitiasis in geriatric patients. This syndrome usually acts like a biliar surgical emergency and the early diagnosis of an elderly patient with jaundice is the key that enables immediate biliary decompression through a cholecystectomy. Management choices are in debate; however, due to its advantages in cases of elderly patients, a laparoscopic treatment is proposed, unless strictly contraindicated.