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Hundreds of Surgery Patients Die From Bugs Report Reveals Causes of Death As Total Fatalities Drop to All-Time Low

Posted on: Friday, 2 December 2005, 15:00 CST

By JOHN MCCANN

HUNDREDS of patients who died after hospital surgery had acquired infections, according to new figures published today.

A report into surgical mortality showed 387 patients died with infections after surgery in Scots hospitals last year.

The figure accounts for almost a quarter of all patients who died after an operation.

But the Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality also revealed that the number of people dying during or after surgery fell to an alltime low.

The annual report found just in excess of 4000 people died after going to hospital for surgery.

Health Minister Andy Kerr said he was concerned by the number of people who died from infections.

Professor Peter Stonebridge, a consultant vascular surgeon, said the majority were infection-free when admitted to hospital.

He said: "Approximately threequarters of these infections were acquired in hospital, while the rest had an infection when admitted to hospital.

"MRSA was involved in a quarter of hospital-acquired infections among these patients."

Mr Kerr said: "I am pleased the number of deaths in surgical care is at an all-time low."

But he warned: "As we develop more techniques, tackle more conditions, and treat patients for whom there would have been no hope in the past, mortality rates are bound to be higher in some years and lower in others."

Mr Kerr said he was committed to tackling hospital infections and added: "The increase in deaths where infection contributed is concerning.

"However, I welcome the audit team's work on analysing further information on healthcare associated infection and look forward to seeing the results."

The report looks at all cases where a patient dies under the care of a surgeon, even if they have not had an operation.

And today its publishers, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow hailed the latest details as proof operations in Scotland are safer than ever.

Last year 4091 people died under surgical care, a drop of 387.

The number who died after being admitted for a routine operation fell to 251, almost half the number seen two years ago.

One of the biggest recent drops was in the number of people admitted as emergencies who later died, reduced by more than 27-per cent to 2255.

Professor Graham Teasdale, chairman of the audit board, said: "The SASM continues to lead the world in assessing the quality of surgical care, ensuring lessons learned from experience contribute to even safer arrangements in the future.

"Surgical care in Scotland remains a very safe process and, as the report shows, has got safer over the past decade."

But he warned patients who are terminally ill still don't get the care they need.

Professor Teasdale said: "Some groups of such patients receive better care than others.

"This important matter should be addressed if all patients are to receive the best and most appropriate care possible."

The latest report is the first to record the number of people whose surgeon felt a hospital - acquired infection had contributed to their death.

Source: Evening Times; Glasgow (UK)

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