Longer length of stay was also a significant predictor of mortality, with patients staying a week or longer five times more likely to have died by the end of follow-up than the reference group of those staying 4-6 days. "Interestingly, we also found that patients who stayed 3 days or less were 73% more likely to have died." This probably represented patients who had serious perioperative complications, she suggested.
Having either surgery at a Center of Excellence reduced the risk of mortality by 25%, she added.
Dr. Weiss had no financial disclosures.