- We all take risks in everyday life
- The degree of risk taken depends on the perceived benefit
- Most decisions are made on previous experiences
- Risk assessment forms an integral part of patient care
- An assessment needs to be made of the risks vs. benefits for an
procedure performed
- These will then influence decisions made by the surgeon or the
patient
Risk assessment models
- Assessment of risk in surgery depends on many factors
- These involve knowledge of the:
- Patient
- Disease
- Comorbidities
- Proposed surgery
- Physiological status
Risk assessment tools
- Decision making is rarely simple and straight forward
- Risk assessment tool in common use include
- Goldman Cardiac Risk Index
- Parsonnet Score
- POSSUM
- Injury Severity Score
- Revised Trauma score
- APACHE I, II and III
Bibliography
Shahian D M, Blackstone E H, Edwards F H et al. Cardiac
surgery risk models. Ann Thorac Surg 2004; 78:
1868-1877. |