Data source
The Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) systematically collects and monitors data related to cardiac surgical procedures in Australia and New Zealand through the ANZSCTS Database. It currently has 41 participating government-funded and private hospitals, of which until recently all were in Australia; the remaining 31 cardiac surgical institutions do not contribute [10]. These sites collectively perform approximately 14,000 cardiac operations per year [10]. A Data Definition Manual is available via the ANZSCTS Database website [11].