asked the Minister for Health the number of deaths under general anaesthetic which have taken place in this country in each of the past five years.
Written Answers. - Deaths Under General Anaesthetic.
147.
The system of registration of death does not provide a specific category for deaths which occur while a patient is under general anaesthetic. The following are the numbers of deaths from causes related to surgical operations and procedures and to general anaesthetics which are registered for the years 1979-81:
|
Cause |
Number |
||
|
1979 |
1980 |
1981 |
|
|
Surgical operation and other surgical procedures as the cause of abnormal reaction of patient, or of later complication, without mention of misadventure at the time procedure. |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
Certain central nervous system depressants causing adverse effects in therapeutic use. |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
Total |
3 |
5 |
2 |
1981 is the latest year for which figures are available. As the system of WHO classifications used for registering causes of death was changed in 1979 comparable figures are not available for earlier years.