Follow up of patients after open heart surgery
Abstract
Objective: To determine the patient drop out to postoperative follow up for heart patients at
the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Design setting and participants: The study analysed the postoperative attendance of heart
patients to the surgical outpatient clinic at the KNH. Data on clinic attendance was collected
over a one-year period from patient files and from clinic attendance.
Results: A total offour hundred and seventy five open heart operations have been performed
at the Kenyatta National Hospital over the last twenty-five years. The patients' mean age is
18.0 years. Clinic follow up rate over this period is 85% at one year, 62% at five years, 32%
at ten years and 13% at fifteen years. A number of patients who had since fallen out to clinic
follow up were traced during the study period, when included into the analysis the revised
figures are 85%, 70%, 40% and 24% respectively. The difference is statistically significant
(p = 0.019). There was no significant statistical difference in the follow up between males and
females (p = 0.278), however between patients operated for congenital heart diseases
compared to valve patients, the difference was significant (p = 0.(07), valve patients having
a better follow up. The five-year follow up for isolated mitral, aortic and double valve
replacements were 94%, 74% and 78% respectively.
Conclusion: Despite deceptively good follow up figures, our figures are in fact poor when age
is considered. Financial combined with logistical problems are the most likely causes of poor
follow up.
Publisher
School of medicine
Collections
- Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) [10387]