Table 2

Major admitting diagnoses in surgical patients (n = 101)


Intensive care unit stay



< 48 hours
≥ 48 hours
Diagnosis
(n = 66)
(n = 35)

Post-operative monitoring
56
19
     Gastrointestinal
36
13
     Ear, nose and throat
9
1
     Orthopedic
3
1
     Thoracic
1
1
     Vascular
1
1
     Other
6
2
Respiratory failure
2
3
Sepsis
2
3
Post-partum complications
2
0
Cardiovascular
1
2
     (congestive heart failure, cardiac arrest)


Gastrointestinal complications*
1
5
Other
2
3

* Gastrointestinal complications include common bile duct repair, small bowel obstruction, perforated viscus and peritonitis.

Chahine-Malus et al. Critical Care 2001 5:271   doi:10.1186/cc1045