Relationship between patients’ reports of complications and symptoms, disability and quality of life after surgery

Background: Patient reported post-operative complications are increasingly being used to compare the performance of surgical providers. Our objectives were to explore the construct validity of patient reported complications and determine their influence on patients’ reports of the benefits of surgery (health gain). Method: Observational study of patients in England who underwent hip replacement (68 391), knee replacement (77 705), inguinal hernia repair (48 199) or varicose vein surgery (16 535) during 2009–11. Health gain was assessed with Oxford Hip Score, Oxford Knee Score, Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnair…