Figure 15: Long-Term Markov Model.

Patients surviving a postoperative complication in the short-term model entered the long-term model in their respective postevent health states. The long-term model for all treatments included stroke, myocardial infarction, and acute kidney injury as complications. Patients surviving other acute complications or experiencing no complications in the short-term model entered the long-term model “alive without complications.” It was assumed that patients in the long-term model continued in the single postevent health state until they died.