Destination after AAA repair >> Emergency AAA repair

Four hospitals usually admitted emergency AAA repair patients to HDU after surgery. All other hospitals admitted patients to either an ICU or a combined ICU/HDU. This is appropriate and would be expected for patients after surgery that is complex and carries a very high mortality.

No hospital specified the recovery area as the intended destination after emergency aortic aneurysm repair. Nevertheless the data from the anaesthetic questionnaire were that 6% of patients went to the recovery area after surgery. This may be further evidence of inadequate critical care resources.

Anaesthetic and critical care staff should ensure that all instances when patients cannot get access to critical care beds after aortic surgery are documented so that pressure can be placed on purchasers and Trust management to provide the facilities required for this major surgery.