Postoperative Complications and Outcome After Emergency Laparotomy: A Retrospective Study

Identifying those at risk: predicting patient factors associated with worse EGS outcomes

Background

Comorbidity has a detrimental impact on Emergency General Surgery (EGS) outcomes. In lesser-developed countries with inconsistent documentation of comorbid conditions, undiagnosed and progressively worsening comorbidities can worsen EGS outcomes. We aimed to discern the comorbidity index as a predictor of complications and inpatient mortality in EGS using a large South Asian sample population.

Materials and methods

Data of adult patients with AAST-defined EGS diagnoses at primary index admission from 2010 to 2019 were retrieved. Patients were categorized into predefined EGS groups using ICD-9 CM codes. Primary exposure was comorbidity using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). The primary outcome was inpatient mortality, and the secondary outcome was complication status. Multiple logistic and Cox regression with Weibull distribution was performed.

Results

Analysis of 32 280 patients showed a mean age of 40.06±16.87 years. Overall comorbidity, inpatient mortality, and complication rates were 44.6%, 2.42% and 36.37%, respectively. Patients with moderate CCI had the highest complications (AOR 6.61, 95% CI 5.91, 7.37), and severe comorbidity had the highest hazards (AOR 3.79, 95% CI 2.89, 4.98). Male gender, increasing age, emergent admission status, and lack of insurance were associated with moderate and severe CCI, resulting in prolonged length of stay (5.72 and 5.83 days), reduced survival time (20.04 and 21.95 days), and higher mortality rates (10.52% and 9.48%).

Conclusions

We identified predictive patient-level factors associated with higher CCI and worse EGS outcomes. Our findings can help stratify population subsets at risk of worse outcomes, provide valuable insight into disease progression, and aid decision-making in EGS patients.

Level of Evidence

III.

Incidence and predictors of perioperative mortality in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery highlights perioperative mortality rate (POMR) as a key indicator of a nation's surgical system effectiveness. While POMR is often measured in high-income countries, it is less studied in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to assess the POMR and its predictors in Ethiopia.

METHODS

We conducted a thorough literature search across PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies from Ethiopia between 2019 and 2023 reporting POMR for various surgical procedures. Data were extracted in duplicate from eligible studies. We used random-effects meta-analysis to pool estimates of POMR and its predictors.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis revealed a POMR of 5.36%. Identified predictors of perioperative mortality in Ethiopia included older age, comorbidities, ICU admission, and an ASA physical status classification of III or higher and emergency surgeries.

CONCLUSION

Ethiopia's perioperative mortality rate is significantly high. Improving surgical care quality and safety, along with expanding access to surgical services, is crucial for bettering surgical outcomes in the country.

Safety and efficacy of prophylactic onlay resorbable synthetic mesh with a comprehensive wound bundle at laparotomy closure in high-risk emergency abdominal surgery: an observational study

BACKGROUND

There has been a slow uptake of wound bundles and prophylactic mesh augmentation (PMA) strategies despite evidence supporting their role in reducing burst abdomens and incisional hernias (IH). This study evaluates outcomes of resorbable synthetic prophylactic mesh augmentation in reducing these rates and assesses the complication profile in emergency abdominal surgery.

METHODS

A retrospective ethically approved observational study of all patients who underwent emergency open abdominal surgery using supplemental prophylactic onlay TIGR® Mesh at Letterkenny University Hospital between September 2017 and April 2024 was undertaken to assess safety, complication profiles and outcomes. Comprehensive wound bundles and subcutaneous space closure were used.

RESULTS

Of the 49 patients included, the mean age was 64 years (± 16.4, 31-86), 33/49 (67%) were female, and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 27 (± 7.4,17.3-45). 20% of patients had previous abdominal surgery. 19/49 (38%) patients experienced postoperative complications, of these 8 (42%) were Clavien-Dindo Grade I-II, and 11 (58%) were Grade III-IV. There were 7 in-hospital post-operative deaths (Grade V). 8 patients had open abdomens. Thirteen surgical site occurrences (SSO) were identified in 9 (18%) patients. There were no burst abdomens. Four of the superficial SSIs responded to antibiotics while one required opening and wound NPWT. Three patients (6%) developed an incisional hernia, which was detected at a mean follow-up of 353 days.

CONCLUSION

A comprehensive, evidence-based wound bundle using onlay PMA with a synthetic resorbable mesh, achieves efficacious, safe abdominal wall closure in high-risk, emergency laparotomy patients, including those who require delayed abdominal wall closure.

Risk Factors and Predictive Accuracy of the Rotterdam Risk Index for Wound Dehiscence Following Abdominal Surgery

Background Wound dehiscence (WD) is a major postoperative complication following abdominal surgeries, particularly exploratory laparotomy. Identifying preoperative risk factors and using predictive tools, such as the Rotterdam Risk Index (RRI), are crucial for early intervention and improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors associated with WD and assess the predictive accuracy of the RRI in a cohort of patients undergoing abdominal surgeries. Methods This retrospective observational study included 151 patients who underwent exploratory laparotomy at a tertiary care hospital. Demographic details, comorbidities, surgical factors, and postoperative complications were recorded. The RRI was calculated preoperatively for each patient. WD was diagnosed based on clinical signs and confirmed through physical examination. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software to determine the associations between various risk factors and the occurrence of WD. Results The study identified several factors significantly associated with WD, including male gender, emergency surgery, low serum albumin levels (<3.5 g/dL), anemia (hemoglobin <10 g/dL), and wound contamination. Male patients had a higher risk of WD, with odds of 1.9 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-3.3, p = 0.021). Emergency surgery was associated with a higher incidence of WD (odds ratio (OR): 4.1, 95% CI: 1.5-10.4, p = 0.017). The RRI showed high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (90.2%) for predicting WD preoperatively, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.986. Postoperatively, 22 patients with WD were treated with resuturing, while two required reoperation due to anastomotic leaks. Conclusion The RRI demonstrated excellent predictive accuracy for identifying patients at high risk of WD before surgery. Early identification of risk factors, such as low serum albumin, anemia, and emergency surgeries, enables personalized perioperative management strategies, including nutritional optimization and careful intraoperative monitoring, which can significantly reduce the risk of WD. These findings emphasize the clinical utility of the RRI in guiding surgical decision-making and improving patient outcomes.

Open or Closed? Management of Skin Incisions After Emergency General Surgery Laparotomies

INTRODUCTION

We sought to determine if there was a relationship between skin management and surgical site infections (SSIs) among patients undergoing a laparotomy for emergency general surgery (EGS). We hypothesize that skin closure technique is not associated with SSI.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of adult patients (>18 y) who underwent an exploratory laparotomy for EGS conditions within 6 h of surgical consultation from 2015 to 2019. Patients whose fascia was not closed during the index operation were excluded. Patients were divided into groups: open skin (OS) and closed skin (CS). OS included negative pressure wound therapy or wet-to-dry gauze; CS included closure with staples or sutures. Our primary outcome was the rate of SSI.

RESULTS

The cohort comprised 388 patients: 42.3% OS (n = 164) and 57.7% CS (n = 224). The OS group had greater rates of systemic inflammatory response syndrome [SIRS] (54.9% versus 27.7%, P < 0.0001), hollow viscus perforation [HVP] (71.3% versus 20.5%, P < 0.0001), and peritoneal drains (51.2% versus 17.9%, P < 0.0001). Rates of OS management increased as wound class severity increased (0% [I] versus 12.2% [II] versus 15.9% [III] versus 72% [IV], P < 0.0001). The SSI rate for the cohort was 3.6% (n = 14); there was no difference in SSI rates (2.7% versus 4.9%, P = 0.3) between the CS or OS groups. Median length of stay was longer for the OS group (10 d versus 6.5 d, P < 0.0001). Independent predictors of OS management were SIRS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-2.93, P = 0.04), HVP (aOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.09-3.8, P = 0.03), and class III/IV wounds (aOR 8.65, 95% CI 4.43-16.89, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

OS management occurs more often in patients with SIRS, HVP, and dirty wounds after EGS laparotomies. However, we found no difference in SSI between groups, suggesting that skin closure can be considered in contaminated or dirty wounds.

Socio-economic factors and rural-urban differences in patients undergoing emergency laparotomy

Background

Emergency laparotomy (EL) is a common surgical procedure with high rates of mortality and complications. Socio-economic circumstances and regional differences have an influence on the utilization of care and outcomes in many diagnostic groups, but there are only a few studies focusing on their effect in EL population. The aim of this study was to examine the socio-economic and regional differences in the rate of EL within one tertiary care hospital district.

Methods

Retrospective single-center study of 573 patients who underwent EL in Oulu University Hospital between May 2015 and December 2017. The postal code area of each patient's home address was used to determine the socio-economic status and rurality of the location of residence.

Results

The age-adjusted rate of EL was higher in patients from low-income areas compared to patients from high-income areas [1.46 ((95% CI 1.27-1.64)) vs. 1.15 (95% CI, 0.96-1.34)]. The rate of EL was higher in rural areas compared to urban areas [1.29 (95% CI 1.17-1.41 vs. 1.42 (1.18-1.67)]. Peritonitis was more common in patients living in low-income areas. There were no differences in operation types or mortality between the groups.

Conclusions

The study findings suggest that there are socio-economic and regional differences in the need of EL. The patients living in low-income areas had a higher rate of EL and a higher rate of peritonitis. These differences cannot be explained by patient demographics or comorbidities alone.

Impact of clinical frailty on surgical and non-surgical complications after major emergency abdominal surgery

BACKGROUND

Major emergency abdominal surgery is associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Given the ageing and increasingly frail population, understanding the impact of frailty on complication patterns after surgery is crucial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between clinical frailty and organ-specific postoperative complications after major emergency abdominal surgery.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study including all patients undergoing major emergency abdominal surgery at Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Denmark, from 1 October 2020 to 1 August 2022, was performed. Clinical frailty scale scores were determined for all patients upon admission and patients were then analysed according to clinical frailty scale groups (scores of 1-3, 4-6, or 7-9). Postoperative complications were registered until discharge.

RESULTS

A total of 520 patients were identified. Patients with a low clinical frailty scale score (1-3) experienced fewer total complications (120 complications per 100 patients) compared with patients with clinical frailty scale scores of 4-6 (250 complications per 100 patients) and 7-9 (277 complications per 100 patients) (P < 0.001). A high clinical frailty scale score was associated with a high risk of pneumonia (P = 0.009), delirium (P < 0.001), atrial fibrillation (P = 0.020), and infectious complications in general (P < 0.001). Patients with severe frailty (clinical frailty scale score of 7-9) suffered from more surgical complications (P = 0.001) compared with the rest of the cohort. Severe frailty was associated with a high risk of 30-day mortality (33% for patients with a clinical frailty scale score of 7-9 versus 3.6% for patients with a clinical frailty scale score of 1-3, P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, an increasing degree of clinical frailty was found to be significantly associated with developing at least one complication.

CONCLUSION

Patients with frailty have a significantly increased risk of postoperative complications after major emergency abdominal surgery, especially atrial fibrillation, delirium, and pneumonia. Likewise, patients with frailty have an increased risk of mortality within 90 days. Thus, frailty is a significant predictor for adverse events after major emergency abdominal surgery and should be considered in all patients undergoing major emergency abdominal surgery.

Navigating Life Post-emergency Laparotomy: A Narrative Review on Quality-of-Life Outcomes

An emergency laparotomy is a life-saving surgical procedure performed to address acute abdominal conditions. While crucial for immediate survival, this procedure can have significant long-term implications for patients' quality of life. This comprehensive review examines the physical, psychological, and social outcomes following emergency laparotomy, highlighting the importance of addressing quality-of-life concerns in this patient population. Key findings reveal that patients may experience complications, psychological distress, and challenges in social functioning post-procedure. Age, gender, and access to support networks influence outcomes. Recommendations for clinical practice include routine assessment of quality of life, multidisciplinary care, and patient education. Further research is needed to understand predictors of poor outcomes and evaluate interventions to improve quality of life post-emergency laparotomy. Healthcare providers can enhance patient care and outcomes in this vulnerable population by addressing these issues.

Development and internal validation of a clinical prediction model for serious complications after emergency laparotomy

PURPOSE

Emergency laparotomy (EL) is a common operation with high risk for postoperative complications, thereby requiring accurate risk stratification to manage vulnerable patients optimally. We developed and internally validated a predictive model of serious complications after EL.

METHODS

Data for eleven carefully selected candidate predictors of 30-day postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade >  = 3) were extracted from the HELAS cohort of EL patients in 11 centres in Greece and Cyprus. Logistic regression with Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) was applied for model development. Discrimination and calibration measures were estimated and clinical utility was explored with decision curve analysis (DCA). Reproducibility and heterogeneity were examined with Bootstrap-based internal validation and Internal-External Cross-Validation. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program's (ACS-NSQIP) model was applied to the same cohort to establish a benchmark for the new model.

RESULTS

From data on 633 eligible patients (175 complication events), the SErious complications After Laparotomy (SEAL) model was developed with 6 predictors (preoperative albumin, blood urea nitrogen, American Society of Anaesthesiology score, sepsis or septic shock, dependent functional status, and ascites). SEAL had good discriminative ability (optimism-corrected c-statistic: 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79-0.81), calibration (optimism-corrected calibration slope: 1.01, 95% CI 0.99-1.03) and overall fit (scaled Brier score: 25.1%, 95% CI 24.1-26.1%). SEAL compared favourably with ACS-NSQIP in all metrics, including DCA across multiple risk thresholds.

CONCLUSION

SEAL is a simple and promising model for individualized risk predictions of serious complications after EL. Future external validations should appraise SEAL's transportability across diverse settings.

A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Clinical Equivalence of PD Synth and PDS Polydioxanone Sutures

Introduction Incisional hernia is a common complication of midline laparotomy that may develop even after several years of surgery. Abdominal fascia closure with ideal suture material reduces the incidence of incisional hernia. This study compared the clinical equivalence of PD Synth (Healthium Medtech Limited) and PDS (Ethicon, Johnson & Johnson) slowly absorbed polydioxanone suture with respect to the occurrence of incisional hernia, following elective/emergency midline laparotomy. Methods Eighty-eight subjects undergoing elective/emergency midline laparotomy were randomized to PD Synth (n=45) and PDS (n=43) groups of this prospective, multicenter, randomized (1:1), single-blind, two-arm, parallel-group study (December 2020-May 2023). Primary endpoint was incidence of incisional hernia, occurring within six and 12 months of surgery. Secondary endpoints included incidence of fascial dehiscence, surgical site infection (SSI), suture sinus, seroma, hematoma, scar tenderness, and re-suturing, and evaluation of operative data, hospital stay, intra-operative suture handling, pain, time to return to normal day-to-day activities and work, overall patient satisfaction score, and adverse events. Results One subject in both PD Synth and PDS groups (p>0.05) developed incisional hernia at umbilicus 12 months post-laparotomy. In PDS group, one subject each had incidences of SSI on day 2, day 7, and one month, two subjects developed seroma on day seven, and one subject had readmission on one month; two subjects in PD Synth group developed superficial SSI (one month). Findings of other secondary endpoints were comparable between the groups. Conclusion Primary and secondary outcomes manifested that PD Synth and PDS slowly absorbed polydioxanone sutures are clinically equivalent, and can be used for abdominal fascial closure following midline laparotomy.