PATIENT SAFETY
Adverse Events in the Operating Room: Definitions, Prevalence, and Characteristics
Published on
October 1, 2019
World Journal of Surgery
Overview
This study systematically reviewed the current evidence on the prevalence and characteristics of intraoperative adverse events (iAE) detected through various methods. The researchers searched medical databases for articles published up to June 2016 that measured and reported iAE. They found that the 47 included studies used 16 different terms and 22 unique definitions to describe 74 types of iAE. The frequency of reported iAE varied based on the detection method, with higher numbers reported when direct observation in the operating room was used compared to chart reviews or incident reports. The researchers concluded that direct observation in the operating room has the most potential to identify and characterize iAE in detail, as opposed to other detection methods that may underreport these events.
Results
Of the 47 included studies, 30 were cross-sectional, 14 were case-series, and 3 were cohort studies. The studies used 16 different terms and 22 unique definitions to describe 74 types of iAE. Frequencies of iAE appeared to vary depending on the detection methods, with higher numbers reported when direct observation in the OR was used to detect iAE. Twenty studies assessed severity of iAE, which were mostly based on whether they resulted in postoperative outcomes.
