Publication:

A tertiary care centre experience of modified early warning score (MEWS) in post-operative patients

Background The aim of the study is to analyse and implement the modified early warning score (MEWS) in assessment of need of early intervention and surgical intensive care unit (SICU) admission in patients undergoing elective and emergency major surgical procedures.

Methods This prospective study was done in Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It included 150 patients who underwent major emergency and elective surgical procedures under regional or general anaesthesia with monitoring of physiological parameters in the P.O period.

Results The predictability of MEWS system was analyzed with the following results: MEWS 1=77 patients were alive (51.3%) of the study population. MEWS 8=3 patients were alive (2.1%) and 7 patients died (100%) of the study population. This indicates that the greater MEWS the mortality of the patient rises, and the lesser MEWS score the chances of mortality in the P.O period is very minimal. In our study, we have derived that MEWS score of 7 or 8 implicates the need for SICU admission and it indicates an increased mortality of the patient in the P.O period.

Conclusions The Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) is an effective tool in identifying the early deterioration of the patients undergoing major surgical procedures and assessing the need for admission in SICU for further interventions.