Surgical Complications Database: Surgical Database Designed by Surgeons for Surgeons

The recording of morbidity and mortality amongst surgical in-patients in departments of Surgery is universal. Yet, the collection of accurate data for review, discussion and research is frequently retrospective and may even be at the last minute in preparation for departmental Morbidity and Mortality meetings. The surgical team at Ziv Medical Center has designed a database for the real time recording of complications which utilizes the Clavien-Dindo classification and grading system. This enables surgical outcome to be compared with national and international data and for data to be easily retrieved. The database was designed and constructed from first principles by a surgical resident, charged with the responsibility for recording patient data in preparation for weekly departmental Morbidity and Mortality meetings. It is easy to use, has all-on-one page form, has a series of short drop down menus, and is comprehensive in terms of co-morbidity, procedure and complications. Its simplicity has been its success and complications may be recorded in a matter of seconds during or just after ward rounds. Data may be analyzed within the database as well as exported in to Excel. Further applications for the database are being planned as a means for recording data used for research in all aspects of departmental surgical practice (rather than complications only) such as Trauma, cancer resections and procedures for benign disease. The program also has great potential in the daily evaluation of Critically Ill patients.

Author(s): Fedidat R*

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