Evaluation of Risk Factors of Surgical Wound Dehiscence in Adults After Laparotomy

OBJECTIVES The percentage of patients with difficult and prolonged healing of the wound is still high, while the immediate complications such as wound dehiscence occurs in up to 3 % of all treated patients in abdominal surgery. The aim of study was to analyze the risk factors and comorbidities in the group patients undergoing laparotomy and associated with early postoperative wound dehiscence. METHODS The retrospective study included all patients treated surgically at Clinic of General and Abdominal surgery, Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo in the period from January 1, 2013 until January 1, 2016, with clinically verified surgical wound dehiscence. RESULTS The results showed statistically proportion of male patients (70%) compared to female (30%). The largest number of respondents were in age group 71-80. Surgical wound infection was evident in 61% of patients, malignant staining in 52%, hypoproteinemia was found in 50% of patients, anemia in 43%, peritonitis in 36% and diabetes in 14% of respondents. Of the total respondents with surgical wound dehiscence, 30 (68%) had comorbidities present. By analyzing the prevalence of comorbidity and risk factors recorded in relation to comorbidity, it was noted that hypertension is most often associated with hypoproteinemia (X2=4.399; p=0.036), wound infection (X2=4.112; p=0.043) and malignant diseases (X2=4.016; p=0.045). The frequency of the anemia, peritonitis and diabetes in the sample was not different in relation to the comorbidity conditions (p >0.05). CONCLUSIONS The risk factors occurrence of surgical wound dehiscence in our study were identified as hypoproteinemia, malignant disease, anemia and peritonitis. The highest incidence of dehiscence was in patients operated on in medical emergencies, and in patients with malignant disease.