Cardiac Surgery in Germany during 2001: A Report by the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery

This is the annual summary of cardiac surgery performed in 76 + 4 units of Germany during 2001.

In 1978, the Society decided to set up a cardiac surgical register for the Federal Republic of Germany. For this purpose, our annual questionnaire dealt with a number of details including the hospital mortality rates for the more conventional cardiac procedures performed. The aims of the register were twofold:

To demonstrate development in and emphasis of cardiac surgery throughout Germany over the years; To enable cardiac surgeons to compare the work of their unit with that of others by providing a nationwide standard.

For the year 2001, all 76 + 4 units replied to the detailed questionnaire. All units replied with hospital mortality rates with one exception. Thus, the committee now presents the 24^th annual summary of cardiac surgery, representing the total case load in Germany [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. Mean hospital mortality rates for the frequently performed cardiac procedures are described for all 76 + 4 units. The detailed results of one clinic with a case load of more than 1,200 open-heart procedures without pediatric and transplant surgery are estimated with the results of the last year and the average figures as a basis. A number of rare procedures are not listed, especially in the congenital lesions category. No differentiation was made relating to the preoperative clinical state of the patients. The committee believes the results presented in the following tables are self-explanatory and important enough to make continuation of this effort worthwhile.

Register 2001:

Table [1] demonstrates the development of open-heart surgery in this country over the past 23 years. The distribution of all cardiac surgical procedures performed in 2001 is shown in Tables [2] - [4].

Tables [R1] - [R8c] represent a breakdown of the results of surgery according to categories of operations performed. Note that all figures with the exception of those in Table [1] represent the current situation in Germany and are therefore not strictly comparable with those of previous years, especially before Reunification in 1990.

References

• 1 Rodewald G, Polonius M-J. Cardiac Surgery in the Federal Republic of Germany during 1978 and 1979. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1980 28 373-377 1980. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1982 30/I 52-54 1981. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1982 30 127-130 1982. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1983 31 188-190 1983. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1984 32 395-397
• 2 Rodewald G, Kalmár P. Cardiac Surgery in the Federal Republic of Germany during. 1984. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1985 33 397-399 1985. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1986 34 406-408 1986. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1987 35 259-261 1987. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1988 36 180-182
• 3 Kalmár P. Cardiac Surgery in the Federal Republic of Germany during.  , 1984. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon. 1989;  37 193-195
• 4 Kalmár P, Irrgang E. Cardiac Surgery in the Federal Republic of Germany during. 1989. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1990 38 198-200 1990. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1991 39 167-169
• 5 Kalmár P, Irrgang E. Cardiac Surgery in Germany during. 1991. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1992 40 163-165 1992. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1993 41 202-204 1993. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1994 42 194-196 1994. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1995 43 181-183 1995. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1996 44 161-164 1996. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1997 45 134-137 1997. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1998 46 307-310 1998. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 1999 47 260-263 1999. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 2000 48 XXVII-XXX 2000. Thorac cardiovasc Surgeon 2001 49 XXXIII-XXXVIII