Plastic Surgery Mortality: An 11-Year, Single-Institution Experience

Background Systematic reporting of mortality data is lacking in many surgical fields including plastic surgery. Current plastic surgery literature is largely limited to adverse events associated with specific procedures. Without mortality data, it is unclear how the recent growth of patient safety initiatives can rationally impact outcomes. Methods We evaluated 11 years of patient outcome data collected prospectively and updated monthly by our department. Paper records were entered into a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant digital database capable of prospectively maintaining future data. Data were reviewed for 5 surgical services in 4 different hospitals that comprise our department's activity. Results Between 2000 and 2011, a total of 60,834 cases were performed. In this time, a total of 829 (1.4%) negative outcome reports were identified. Of these, a total of 25 (0.04%) cases had an outcome of death (24) or brain death (1). Deaths were either directly or indirectly associated with cardiopulmonary causes, multisystem organ failure, sepsis, massive bleeding, CVA, saddle embolism, or unknown causes. Conclusions This study is the largest reported series of cases performed by a single academic plastic surgery service to report overall mortality data.