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Peri-operative deaths associated with ear, nose, throat, head and neck surgeries: a ten-year prospective survey.

BACKGROUND
Apart from severe psychological effect on members of the health team involved, peri-operative deathcan also have far reaching effects on the surgeon, hospital and the community. Peri-operative death has also been categorized as being avoidable and non-avoidable.


OBJECTIVE
This study was therefore carried out to identify the factors that led to peri-operative deaths in our practice, with the aim of proferring preventive strategies.


METHODS
All cases of peri-operative deaths associated with ear, nose, throat, head and neck(ENTH&N) surgeries in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH),Benin city, between January, 2001 and January, 2011 were prospectively surveyed.


RESULTS
There were 6 peri-operative deaths out of a total of 1,138 recorded ear, nose, throat, head and neck surgeries in the UBTH during the study period. This gives a peri-operative mortality rate of 0.53% for ENTH & N surgeries. Most of the peri-operative deaths were associated with advanced head and neck cancers, tracheostomies and emergency procedures. Inexperience on the part of resident anaesthetists and surgeons, non-availability of critically needed blood and poor training of health personnel on post-tracheostomy patient management, were the main factors identified in the causation of the peri-operative deaths.


CONCLUSION
Close supervision of residents by consultants, proper hospital funding and the requisite training of all health personnel are the recommendation to prevent these tragedies.