Defining Perioperative Mortality after Open and Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair in the US Medicare Population

Perioperative mortality is an important measure of quality for surgical procedures. Definitions of the “perioperative” period differ. Perioperative mortality may be defined as death during the initial hospitalization, ≤30 days of surgery, or all deaths ≤30 days plus any deaths >30 days that occur before hospital discharge. In addition, ongoing risks due to surgery may persist >30 days and beyond hospital discharge. The authors investigated the...