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Postoperative complications (specific)

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It has been estimated that about 234 million major surgical procedures are performed worldwide each year. (1) Any surgical procedure has the potential to lead to complications, and the average mortality associated with inpatient surgery fluctuates from 0.5% to 7%.(2) Approximately 2 to 3 out of 10 patients develop complications after an elective surgical procedure. (3)

The attached pages highlight some common specific post-operative complications.

Reference

  1. Weiser TG et al. An estimation of the global volume of surgery: a modelling strategy based on available data. Lancet. 2008 Jul 12;372(9633):139-144
  2. International Surgical Outcomes Study group. Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries. Br J Anaesth. 2016 Oct 31;117(5):601-609.
  3. Ghaferi AA, Birkmeyer JD, Dimick JB. Variation in hospital mortality associated with inpatient surgery. N Engl J Med. 2009 Oct 01;361(14):1368-75.

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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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