Children's hospital defends itself against allegations

so Far, the children's hospital was extremely covered, if it cases, to the publication of Numbers of complications and death in the heart surgery went. Such Numbers of "day had required-indicator" in December of 2018 – a few weeks after the release of Michael Hübler, head of the heart surgery. On a follow up at the end of March, and with regard to the freedom of information act, the Kispi showed itself ready to Pay. "But this will take a few weeks", was the General Secretary Urs Rüegg says.

But then everything suddenly went very quickly. Because the Newspapers of CH Media were yesterday, appeared with the headline "Increased risk of death at the children's hospital", the Kispi forced in haste, a media conference to convene. The aim of the Press conference it was "not valid, false statements" in the article to refute, as it is formulated children's hospital-CEO Markus Malagoli right from the start.

Malagoli brought a large Entourage: the medical Director, Michael Grotzer, the surgical Director Martin Meuli, the Co-Director of the cardiology Oliver Kretschmar and two other top executives. A specialist of heart surgery, which currently is all about on the Kispi was lacking. Since the release of Michael Hübler a lot of heart surgical Know-how is missing at the children's hospital. Once a week, René Prêtre, the predecessor of Michael Hübler comes from Lausanne to Zurich, in order to operate the "complex" cases.

"No preselection"

What was the press conference? The Newspapers of CH Media reported in the Kispi denounced article about a study of the deaths in children with a rare congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. In this malformation, the left half of the Heart is not fully developed. In the study, the Kispi reported on 57 operated on children in the period from 2001 to 2014, with 22 of them died, so about 39 percent. As a comparison, the newspaper quoted two studies by the children's heart center Giessen, Germany, and Utrecht, which showed both a significantly lower death rate, respectively, under 20 percent.

The Kispi fought back, especially against this comparison. "We do not make any preselection of the patients between mild and severe cases," said Martin Meuli. To reject, in contrast to other centres, no operations. Such comparisons are not permitted. Only That the Numbers at the Kispi in this rare Operation – are, on average, in Zurich per year, only five patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome in surgery – are relatively high (or at least in the period were), "licks, no goat," as Martin Meuli formulated as compared to the "Tages-Anzeiger".

a second Kispi-study on the subject showed with 27 percent, a significantly higher mortality in the left-heart-patients than in other large pediatric cardiac centers. "The larger centres have good Numbers," says Meuli, "may also be in the pure truth better Numbers." They wanted to play at the children's hospital, although, wherever possible, at the Best, says Meuli, but: "In the left-heart-Hypoplasten we are not in the Champions League."

presented the little operations

Then the Kispi rates own, more recent Figures as to the mortality, therefore, those Numbers had calls for the "Tages-Anzeiger" months ago. Oliver Kretschmar showed that the mortality, on the main heart surgeries averaged, is only slightly above the international benchmark. In 2016, died at the Kispi, therefore, to 2.9 per cent of the operated children, internationally, it was 2.6 percent. In 2017, the values were 3.4 percent (Kispi), and 2.9 percent (comparison). For 2018, there are only Numbers from the Kispi, last year, 4.5 per cent of the operated children died. The Kispi-Figures, respectively, are slightly above the Benchmark, probably has to do with the low numbers at the Kispi to how the experts present giving. In the section to be operated on at the Kispi per year, fewer than 250 children, necessary for a high quality but 300 to 600 operations per year would be recommend, as well as international guidelines.

What was not discussed at the media conference: The high mortality rates in the left heart-Hypoplasten come from the years 2001 to 2014 – from the time when the renowned pediatric cardiac surgeon René Prêtre at the Kispi had the lead. The current major dispute at the Zurich children's hospital, however, it goes to the free position by Michael Hübler and dismissal of the assistant physician, A. S., the resists, and for more than six weeks on hunger strike.

(Tages-Anzeiger)

Created: 14.05.2019, 23:01 Uhr