The Need for a Step-up in Postoperative Medical Care is Predictable in Orthopedic Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The goal of elective orthopedic surgery is to return patients to their expected level of activity without an increased incidence of postoperative complications. The first step is identifying patient and/or surgical characteristics responsible for these complications.

Questions/purposes

This study sought to identify predictors of a step-up in medical care after non-ambulatory elective orthopedic surgery.

Methods

At a single specialty orthopedic hospital, we identified all in-hospital postoperative patients who were transferred to a higher level of medical care ((PACU) post-anesthesia care unit). The characteristics of both transferred and non-transferred patients were compared. A model was built which incorporated predictors of return to a higher level of ca

SUBMITTER: Urban MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4733692 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature