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Anaesthetic mortality in cats: A worldwide analysis and risk assessment.

Authors :
Redondo JI
Martínez-Taboada F
Viscasillas J
Doménech L
Marti-Scharfhausen R
Hernández-Magaña EZ
Otero PE
Source :
The Veterinary record [Vet Rec] 2024 Jul 06; Vol. 195 (1), pp. e4147. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jul 03.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Background: Patient safety is essential in small animal anaesthesia. This study aimed to assess anaesthesia-related deaths in cats worldwide, identify risk and protective factors and provide insights for clinical practice.<br />Methods: A prospective multicentre cohort study of 14,962 cats from 198 veterinary centres across different countries was conducted. Data on anaesthesia-related deaths, from premedication up to 48 hours postextubation, were collected. Logistic regression was used to analyse patient demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, procedure type and anaesthetic drugs.<br />Results: The anaesthesia-related mortality was 0.63%, with 74.5% of deaths occurring postoperatively. Cats with cachexia, a higher ASA status or who underwent abdominal, orthopaedic/neurosurgical or thoracic procedures exhibited elevated mortality. Mechanical ventilation use was associated with increased mortality. Mortality odds were reduced by the use of alpha <subscript>2</subscript> -agonist sedatives, pure opioids in premedication and locoregional techniques.<br />Limitations: Limitations include non-randomised sampling, potential biases, unquantified response rates, subjective death cause classification and limited variable analysis.<br />Conclusions: Anaesthetic mortality in cats is significant, predominantly postoperative. Risk factors include cachexia, higher ASA status, specific procedures and mechanical ventilation. Protective factors include alpha <subscript>2</subscript> -agonist sedatives, pure opioids and locoregional techniques. These findings can help improve anaesthesia safety and outcomes. However, further research is required to improve protocols, enhance data quality and minimise risks.<br /> (© 2024 The Authors. Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2042-7670
Volume :
195
Issue :
1
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
The Veterinary record
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
38959210
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.4147