Buy One – Get One Free!

The first issue in 2014 starts with an article, which has been eagerly awaited by many: the yearly statistics generated by the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG).[1] It is a comprehensive overview over all cardiac operations performed in Germany and usually published in the year following the reported one. In the everlasting strife to become perfect we are a bit late this time: the year reported is 2012.

These statistics do have their own history. They were published for the first time 35 years ago in 1979, reporting 1978 [[Fig. 1]]. Apparently, copy-editing was not quite up to the standards we do expect today. The text gives a total number of “8,3555 procedures.” Note the wrong position of the comma. What was meant (see table), was 8,355. This number of operations was achieved by 21 centres. So we have come a long way: procedures have increased more than 10-fold, centres almost quadrupled – and this was not an effect of the German reunification in 1989, although that helped (not only cardiac surgery). Another striking number given is the 25% of operations done for congenital heart disease, meaning that our patients have also changed considerably.

Fig. 1 Scan from Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1979; 27: 412.

The text mentions that the society had been collecting data since 1970, with the first report, although brief, published in 1979. This is pioneering work in quality assurance by the German cardiac surgeons.[2] [3] Many disciplines still don't have much of a clue of what is going on in their field nationwide.

The survey has always been voluntary, but with a 100% participation due to the guaranteed anonymization. Heads of departments do get their own numbers separately so they can compare, but all the rest remains anonymous. For many years the data were collected and evaluated by the group led by Georg Rodewald and Peter Kalmár and thus became known as the “Hamburg statistics,” a term still in colloquial use today. Residents and secretarial staff dread them because there is a very short deadline about three weeks into January by which date all data must be returned. The reason is that the overall picture is to be presented at the annual meeting of the society, traditionally held in February. Given the wealth of detail asked for today, this is a considerable accomplishment. By the time you are reading this, the 2013 survey will already be nearing completion. The society has promised to generate the manuscript shortly, so 2014 will be the first year with two annual reports: 2012 and 2013. The editor is curious as to the citation culture. The reports have been among the top ten most cited and most downloaded articles for years on end. We therefore encourage you to take generous advantage of this year's special offer.

• References

• 1 Beckmann A, Funkat AK, Lewandowski J , et al. Cardiac Surgery in Germany during 2012. A report on behalf of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2014; 62 (1) 5-17
• 2 Rodewald G. Ten years continuous survey of cardiac surgery in the Federal Republic of Germany—an appreciation. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1988; 36 (3) 131-132
• 3 Wilde E, Christof K, Struck E. Pilot study on quality assurance in cardiac surgery. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1988; 36 (3) 174-179