Item 23
Aortic Aneurysm Audit 2012
Background:
The Vascular Society has introduced a Quality improvement programme to enhance the
care of patients undergoing elective surgery for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms. The main aim
is to reduce operative mortality to 3.5%.
Subsidiary aims are:
Referral to treatment time Target 30 days.
Multi Disciplinary Team meeting discussion of all cases with
Surgeons/Radiologists/Anaesthetists.
Improved patient information.
We have collected data on all patients being considered for AAA repair to audit referral to
treatment time and outcome.
2012xxxxx patients with AAA 5.5cms or greater considered for treatment.
38 patients considered for treatment: 25 male / 13 female.
19/38 (50%) identified from our own surveillance programme.
Treatment:
Surgery:
12
6 Open repairs
6 Endovascular Aortic Repairs
Decision not to operate: 12
High risk so continue
surveillance :
2
Died
1
Waiting for surgery
5
No decision yet
6
12 patients have had surgical treatment.
Median time from referral to surgery:
Open:
229.5days (range 118 – 440)
213days (range 118 – 261)
Endovascular Aortic Repair : 249.5days (range 136 – 440)
Item 23
Patients referred from April 2012 who have had surgery (5 patients)
Median 139 days (range 118-187)
Findings:
High turn down rate for surgery : 12/32 (37.5%)
Very long wait for surgery : 229.5days from referral to operation.
50% Endovascular Aortic Repair rate in 2012 ( ? lower than expected )
Good outcome with no operative deaths in 2012.
Improvements
AAA planning meeting established from August 2012.
New AAA patients given urgent OP appointments on referral/pick up from surveillance
programme.
Fit patients (green on AAA assessment): need CT scan only and no further investigations.
Planned re-audit 2013.