An audit of the effectiveness of postoperative radiographs--do they make a difference?

We examined the impact of postoperative radiographs after repair of facial fractures on immediate postoperative management. This was completed in two parts: first we did a retrospective study from January to July 2001, and secondly a prospective observational study for the remainder of 2001. All patients who had a general anaesthetic for the treatment of a facial fracture were included. The intervention was postoperative radiographs before discharge. The outcome measure was whether the patient had to return to theatre within a month. A total of 257 patients were included of whom 3 (1.2%) returned to theatre for correction of the initial procedure. In each case this was based on the postoperative clinical findings. No patient was returned to theatre solely on the evidence of an immediate postoperative radiograph. In line with official guidelines, we suggest that postoperative radiographs must not be used routinely, but only when they are required clinically. This minimises the risk to patients, and may lead to speedier discharge and appreciable savings.