Characterization of Planned and Unplanned 30-Day Readmissions Following Vascular Surgical Procedures

Objective: Thirty-day readmission is increasingly used as a quality of care indicator. Patients undergoing vascular surgery have historically been at high risk for readmission. We analyzed hospital readmission details to identify patients at high risk for readmission in order to better understand these readmissions and improve resource utilization in this patient population.

Methods: A retrospective review and analysis of our medical center's admission and discharge data were conducted from October 2012 to March 2015. All patients who were discharged from the vascular surgery service and subsequently readmitted as an inpatient within 30 days were included.

Results: We identified 649 vascular surgery discharges with 135 (21%) readmissions. Common comorbidities were diabetes (56%), coronary artery disease (40%), congestive heart failure (CHF; 24%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (19%). Index vascular operations included open lower extremity procedures (39%), diagnostic angiograms (35%), endovascular lower extremity procedures (16%), dialysis access procedures (7%), carotid/cerebrovascular procedures (7%), amputations (6%), and abdominal aortic procedures (5%). Average index length of stay (LOS) was 7.48 days (±6.73 days). Reasons for readmissions were for medical causes (43%), surgical complications (35.5%), and planned procedures (21.5%). Reasons for medical readmissions most commonly included malaise or failure to thrive (28%), unrelated infection (24%), and hypoxia/CHF complications (21%). Common surgical causes for readmission were surgical site infections (69%), graft failure (19%), and bleeding complications (8%). Of the planned readmissions, procedures were at the same site (79%), a different site (14%), and planned podiatry procedures (7%). Readmission LOS was on average 7.43 days (±7.22 days).

Conclusion: Causes for readmission of vascular surgery patients are multifactorial. Infections, both related and unrelated to the surgical site, remain common reasons for readmission and represent an opportunity for improvement strategies. Improved understanding of readmissions following vascular surgery could help adjust policy benchmarks for targeted readmission rates and help reduce resource utilization.