Original ResearchPre-operative predictors of poor outcomes in patients undergoing surgical lower extremity revascularisation - Retrospective cohort study

- Surgical lower extremity revascularisation can lead to poor post-operative patient outcomes.
- Residence, severity of ischaemia and atherosclerotic disease burden are independent predictors of poor outcome.
- The current results reinforce the need to recognise these pre-operative predictors of poor outcome.
- This allows case selection and the identification of high risk patients requiring intensive perioperative optimisation.

BackgroundSurgical lower extremity revascularisation (LER) can lead to poor outcomes that include delayed hospital discharge, in-hospital mortality, major amputations and readmissions. The aim of this study was to identify pre-operative predictors associated with these poor clinical outcomes.Materials and methodsAll patients (n = 635; mean age 69; male 67.4%) who underwent surgical LER over a 5 year period in a single tertiary vascular institution were identified. Patients considered to have suffered a poor outcome (Group A) included all in-hospital mortality and major amputations, delayed discharges with a length of stay (LOS) over one standard deviation above the mean or any readmission under any specialty within 12 months. Group A included 247 patients (38.9%) and the good outcome group included the remaining 388 patients (61.1%) from which a sample of 99 patients were selected as controls (Group B).ResultsMean LOS for the entire study group was 14.4 ± 17.5 days, 12 month readmission rate was 29.1% and in-hospital mortality and major amputation rate was 2.7% and 1.4%, respectively. Pre-admission residence other than own home (OR 9.0; 95% CI 1.2-70.1; P = 0.036), atherosclerotic disease burden (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.3-3.8; P = 0.003) and tissue loss (OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.6-5.3; P < 0.001) were identified as independent, statistically significant pre-operative predictors of poor outcome. Following discharge, group B patients had a significantly higher rate of amputation free survival and graft infection free survival (P < 0.001) compared to group A.ConclusionRecognition of pre-operative predictors of poor outcome should inform case selection and identify high risk patients requiring intensive perioperative optimisation and post discharge follow up.