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Demographics and characteristics of audited deaths
6.5.
Table 3: Characteristics of audited deaths over the audit period.
Number of audited deaths
2007-2015
n=6,179 %
Mean age (range)
74 years (<1 day to 104 years)
Age SD
19 years
Median age
79 years
Gender (male: female)
55%: 45%
Admission status (emergency: elective)
85%: 15%
ASA grade
ASA 1-2: 7%
ASA 3: 27%
ASA 4: 45%
ASA 5-6: 15%
Risk of death prior to surgery
Expected: 13%
Considerable: 50%
Moderate: 25%
Small: 9%
Minimal: 3%
Most common comorbid factors
Cardiovascular: 23%
Age: 19%
Respiratory: 13%
Renal: 10%
Neurological/psychiatric: 7%
Diabetes: 6%
Advanced malignancy: 5%
Obesity: 3%
Hepatic: 3%
Most common surgical diagnoses
Fracture of neck of femur: 19%
Carcinoma: 13%
Intracranial haemorrhage: 11%
Coronary artery disease: 7%
Intestinal obstruction: 6%
Abdominal aortic aneurysm: 5%
Number of operative procedures performed
≥3: 9%
2: 16%
1: 75%
Note: total n=6,179 and demographic data remained stable during the audit period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2015.
Data not available: admission status n=18 (0.3%); ASA grade n=355 (6%); risk of death n=40 (1%), comorbid factors n=576 (3%).
Comorbidities describe coexisting medical conditions or disease processes that are additional to the primary diagnosis.
ASA: American Society of Anesthesiologists. The ASA physical status is an international measure of patient risk used by anaesthetists.
(8)
SD; Standard deviation
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade characteristics:
1. A normal healthy patient
2. A patient with mild systemic disease
3. A patient with severe systemic disease
4. A patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life
5. A moribund patient who is not expected to survive without the operation
6. A declared brain-dead patient whose organs are being removed for donor purposes.
63%
Considerable & expected
risk of death
2007-2014
63%
Considerable & expected
risk of death
2014-2015