Patient characteristics and perioperative care stratified by condition (generic variables only)
| Variable | All, n=1407, n (%) | Gastroschisis, n=111, n (%) | ARM, n=188, n (%) | Intussusception, n=225, n (%) | Appendicitis, n=250, n (%) | Inguinal hernia, n=633, n (%) |
| Sex: male | 1025 (72.9) | 47 (42.3) | 103 (54.8) | 148 (65.8) | 161 (64.4) | 566 (89.4) |
| Gestational age at birth* | 38, 37–40 | 37, 35–38 | 38, 37–39 | 39, 38–40 | 39, 38–40 | 38, 37–40 |
| Weight (kg) on arrival* | 10.0, 5.0–20.0 | 2.3, 2.0–2.7 | 3.3, 2.7–6.5 | 7.4, 6.4–8.6 | 30.0, 23.0–38.0 | 12.5, 7.9–18.0 |
| Age*† | 14, 4–72 (months) | 1, 1–2 (days) | 5, 2–92 (days) | 7, 5–10 (months) | 10, 8–12 (years) | 25, 8–59 (months) |
| Condition onset to presentation (days)* | 7, 2–127 | 1, 1–2 | 5, 2–92 | 3, 2–5 | 3, 2–5 | 120, 30–700 |
| Patient’s home to hospital distance (km)* | 20, 10–55 | 59, 18–182 | 47, 23–150 | 20, 10–45 | 17, 9–44 | 15, 8–35 |
| Mode of transport to hospital: | ||||||
| Ambulance or other health service transport | 208 (14.9) | 52 (47.3) | 31 (16.5) | 20 (9.0) | 58 (23.7) | 47 (7.5) |
| Patient’s own transportation | 1168 (84.0) | 50 (45.5) | 153 (81.8) | 203 (91.0) | 187 (76.3) | 575 (91.9) |
| Born in study hospital | 15 (1.1) | 8 (7.3) | 3 (1.6) | NA | NA | 4 (0.6) |
| ASA score:‡ | ||||||
| I-normal or II-mild systemic disease | 1138 (82.9) | 36 (36.4) | 132 (76.3) | 142 (64.8) | 215 (86.0) | 613 (97.0) |
| III-severe systemic disease | 151(11.9) | 20 (20.2) | 27 (15.6) | 56 (25.6) | 34 (13.6) | 14 (2.2) |
| IV/V-life threatening | 84 (6.1) | 43 (43.4) | 14 (8.1) | 21 (9.6) | 1 (0.4) | 5 (0.8) |
| NA, no surgical intervention | 33 | 11 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Surgical safety checklist used:‡ | ||||||
| No | 631 (46.5) | 60 (65.9) | 77 (45.3) | 125 (59.0) | 111 (44.4) | 258 (40.8) |
| Yes | 725 (53.5) | 31 (34.1) | 93 (54.7) | 87 (41.0) | 139 (55.6) | 375 (59.2) |
| NA, no surgical intervention | 51 | 20 | 18 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Anaesthetic:‡ | ||||||
| General anaesthetic | 1101 (82.2) | 36 (42.4) | 152 (93.8) | 172 (81.5) | 239 (96.0) | 502 (79.3) |
| No GA (local, regional, ketamine or none) | 239 (17.8) | 49 (57.7) | 10 (6.2) | 39 (18.5) | 10 (4.0) | 131 (20.7) |
| NA, no intervention | 66 | 26 | 26 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Anaesthetist:‡ | ||||||
| Anaesthetic doctor§ | 923 (70.5) | 28 (35.9) | 114 (70.4) | 134 (70.9) | 175 (70.3) | 472 (74.7) |
| Anaesthetic nurse | 294 (22.4) | 9 (11.5) | 42 (25.9) | 44 (23.3) | 64 (25.7) | 135 (21.4) |
| Medical officer, surgeon or other | 93 (7.1) | 41 (52.6) | 6 (3.7) | 11 (5.8) | 10 (4.0) | 25 (4.0) |
| NA, no anaesthetic given | 96 | 33 | 26 | 36 | 1 | 0 |
| Blood transfusion: | ||||||
| No, not required | 1188 (84.6) | 78 (70.3) | 146 (78.9) | 134 (59.6) | 219 (87.6) | 611 (96.5) |
| No, required but not available | 21 (1.5) | 8 (7.2) | 3 (1.6) | 2 (0.9) | 2 (0.8) | 6 (0.9) |
| Yes | 195 (13.9) | 25 (22.5) | 36 (19.5) | 89 (39.6) | 29 (11.6) | 16 (2.5) |
Percentages have been rounded and may not total 100. Missing data: gestational age at birth n=199, weight n=21, age n=10, condition onset to presentation n=5, distance from home n=47, mode of transport n=16, ASA score n=1, anaesthetic n=1, anaesthetist n=1, blood transfusion n=3.
*Median, IQR.
†Age at presentation for patients with gastroschisis, ARM, intussusception and appendicitis. Age at the time of operation for patients with an inguinal hernia.
‡At primary intervention.
§Consultant or trainee.
ARM, anorectal malformation; ASA, American Society of Anesthesiologists; GA, general anaesthetic; NA, not applicable.