The effects of provision of anesthesia on one-year mortality in patients with severe complications.

Background: General anesthesia in patients with comorbid conditions may affect their intermediate or long-term outcomes. In this study, we evaluated the effects of provision of anesthesia on mortality in critical patients with comorbid conditions by retrospectively investigating one-year mortality in patients with ASA physical status more than III who underwent minor surgery for relative indications and nonfatal reasons.

Methods: Data were collected during the period between January 2006 and December 2011. Eligible patients were those with ASA physical status more than III who underwent minor surgery under general anesthesia for relative indications and nonfatal reasons. Preoperative clinical information was collected from the patient's clinical charts. Comorbidity was quantified using the Charlson comorbidity index. All the patients were evaluated for in-hospital mortality and were followed-up for mortality at one-year.

Results: During the study period, 14, 979 patients underwent general anesthesia. Thirty six patients satisfied the eligibility for enrollment. Charlson comorbidity index of the patients ranged from one to five. No patients died during their hospital-stay; however, 4 patients were lost to follow up. Therefore, one-year mortality rates for each Charlson index category were 0%.

Conclusion: The postoperative one-year mortality in patients with ASA physical status more than III undergoing minor surgery under general anesthesia for relative indications and nonfatal reasons was expected to be considerably small regardless of the Charlson index category.