Development of a Risk Model for Abdominal Wound Dehiscence

Objectives: To identify independent risk factors for abdominal wound dehiscence and develop a risk model to recognize high risk patients. Methods: The samples studied were patients who underwent midline laparotomy in the department of surgery, SMHS Hospital Srinagar from March 2009 to April 2015. For each case of abdominal wound dehiscence, three controls were selected from a group of patients who had undergone open abdominal surgery as close as possible in time. Preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative variables and in-hospital mortality were studied for all patients. Cases were compared with controls using the chi-square test or the Mann-Whitney U-test for categorical or continuous data, respectively. Subsequently, multivariate stepwise logistic regression with backwards elimination test used to identify main independent risk factors of abdominal wound dehiscence. The resulting regression coefficients for the major risk factors were used as weights for these variables to calculate a risk score for abdominal wound dehiscence. Results: 140 cases of abdominal wound dehiscence were reported and compared with 420 selected controls. All variables that were significant in univariate analyses were entered in a multivariate stepwise logistic regression to determine which variables were significant independent risk factors. Major independent risk factors were male gender, chronic pulmonary disease, corticosteroid use, smoking, obesity, anemia, jaundice, ascites, and sepsis, type of surgery, postoperative coughing, and wound infection. Based on these findings, a risk model was developed. Conclusions: The model can give an estimate of the risk of abdominal wound dehiscence for individual patients. High-risk patients may be planned preventive wound closing with reinforcements as mesh.

Effect of retension sutures on abdominal pressure after abdominal surgery

To evaluate the effect of retention sutures on abdominal pressure and postoperative prognosis in abdominal surgery patients. Methods： This prospective cohort study included patients who were admitted to Daping Hospital from May 15, 2014 to October 11, 2014. A total of 57 patients were enrolled, including 18 patients in the ＂U＂ type retention suture group, 17 patients in the intermittent retention suture group, and 22 patients in non-retention suture group. The demographic data, clinical data and risk factors for abdominal wound dehiscence were recorded. The bladder pressure （IVP） was monitored preoperatively, intraoperatively, and four days postoperatively. Additionally, the incidence of abdominal wound dehiscence and infection 14 days after the operation was recorded. Results： During the operation, the IVP decreased and then increased; it was at its lowest I h after the start of the operation （5.3 mmHg _＋ 3.2 mmHg） and peaked after tension-reducing （8.8 mmHg _＋ 4.0 mmHg）. The IVP values in the ＂U＂ type retention suture group and intermittent retention suture group were higher than in the non-retention suture group 4 days after operation （p 〈 0.005）. The Visual Analogue Scale （VAS） pain scores were 3.9 ~ 2.2, 3.8 ~ 2.0, and 3.0 _＋ 1,0 in the retention suture group, intermittent retention suture group and non-retention suture group, respectively. The VAS pain scores in the ＂U＂ type tension-reducing group and intermittent tension-reducing group were higher than in the non-tension-reducing group （p 〈 0,005）. Conclusion： Although retention sutures may reduce the incidence of postoperative wound dehiscence in abdominal surgery patients, they can increase the IVP and postoperative pain.