ORTHOPEDIC AUDIT - ONE YEARS EXPERIENCE IN A DISTRICT GENERAL-HOSPITAL

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 66  (6) , 428-431
Abstract
In 1982 a prospective audit of complications and mortality and a quarterly retrospective analysis of work done were undertaken on the orthopedic unit of Southmead hospital, Bristol [England, UK]. Since no account has been presented of an orthopaedic audit it was felt that a discussion of the method, results and whether the aims had been achieved and at what cost would be of interest to other surgeons, and to orthopedic surgeons in particular. Two orthopedic surgeons treated 1811 inpatients during the year; 73.7% of the patients undergoing surgery at Southmead hospital were emergencies. Mortality, excluding fractures of the neck of femur, was 0.22% and total mortality 1.8%; 16.7% of patients had a recorded complication of which the largest group was technical failure (2.7%) followed by wound infection (2.4%).