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. 2012 Dec;36(12):2571-6.
doi: 10.1007/s00264-012-1696-1. Epub 2012 Nov 6.

Can the Surgical Apgar Score predict morbidity and mortality in general orthopaedic surgery?

Julio Urrutia  1 , Macarena Valdes, Tomas Zamora, Valentina Canessa, Jorge Briceno
Affiliations

Can the Surgical Apgar Score predict morbidity and mortality in general orthopaedic surgery?

Julio Urrutia et al. Int Orthop. 2012 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: The Surgical Apgar Score (SAS) is a simple tally based on intra-operative heart rate, blood pressure and blood loss; it predicts 30-day major postoperative complications and mortality in different surgical fields, but no validation has been performed in general orthopaedic surgery.

Methods: A prospective assessment of the SAS in 723 consecutive patients undergoing major and intermediate orthopaedic procedures was performed in an 18-month period. The SAS was calculated immediately after surgery, and the occurrence of major complications or death was registered within a 30-day follow-up.

Results: Thirty-seven patients had ≥1 complication (5.12 %). The complication rate did not augment as the score decreased (SAS 9-10 = 6.56 %; SAS 7-8 = 2.62 %; SAS 5-6 = 7.21 %; SAS ≤4 = 10.2 %), the relative risk did not augment as the score decreased and the likelihood ratio did not increase with decreasing SAS values, except in the subgroup of patients undergoing spine surgery. The C-statistic was 0.59 (95 % confidence interval 0.48-0.69), a weak discriminatory value. Using a threshold of 7 to define high-risk and low-risk patients, the SAS allowed risk stratification only for spine surgery.

Conclusions: The SAS does not predict 30-day major complications and death in patients undergoing general orthopaedic surgery, but it is useful in the subgroup of patients undergoing spine surgery.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of 30-day major complications and death between the SAS subgroups
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of 30-day major complications and death between the SAS subgroups for patients undergoing hip surgery, spine surgery, knee surgery and tumour resection plus long bone fracture treatment
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
ROC curve for the SAS as predictor of major complications and death. The area under the curve corresponds to the C-statistic, which was 0.59 Diagonal segments are produced by ties
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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