Adverse events with outpatient anesthesia in Massachusetts

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Adverse events with outpatient anesthesia in Massachusetts
Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Volume 61, Issue 7, July 2003, Pages 793-800

Edward M. DÌEramo DMD*, Steven J. Bookless DDS‹ and Joanne B. Howard·
* Associate Clinical Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tufts School of Dental Medicine; Associate Clinical Professor of Dental Care Management, Boston University, Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, Boston, MA, USA
‹ Clinical Instructor, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tufts School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
· Executive Secretary, Massachusetts Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Norwell, MA, USA

Available online 21 June 2003.

Abstract
Purpose: This retrospective study documented the frequency of various complications associated with outpatient anesthesia.

Patients and Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to the 157 active members of the Massachusetts Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (MSOMS) and all members responded. Morbidity data were obtained for the calendar year 1999. Mortality data included 1999 and the preceding 4 years. This continues our long-term survey of ambulatory oral surgical office deaths in Massachusetts since 1984. The data include anesthesia-related complications and all office deaths for the patients treated by these oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

Results: The most common complication in our survey continues to be syncope, which occurred in 1 in 160 patients receiving local anesthesia. The incidences of other specific anesthetic problems are given. Two treatment-related deaths occurred among approximately 1,706,100 patients treated during the 5-year period of 1995 through 1999, for a mortality rate of 1/853,050.

Conclusions: The results of this retrospective practitioner survey documented the specific incidence of untoward anesthetic events with outpatient anesthesia and found a mortality rate consistent with the 6 similar mortality studies since 1980. These 7 retrospective reviews found 34/28,399,193 outpatient deaths for an overall dental anesthesia mortality rate of 1/835,000.

Corresponding author. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr DÌEramo: 69 Malden St, , Revere, MA 02151 , USA

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