Patient outcome of emergency laparotomy improved with increasing "number of surgeons on-call" in a university hospital: Audit loop

Perioperative mortality rate and its predictors after emergency laparatomy at Debre Markos comprehensive specialized hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: 2023: retrospective follow-up study

BACKGROUND

Emergency laparatomy is abdominal surgery associated with a high rate of mortality. There are few reports on rates and predictors of postoperative mortality, whereas disease related or time specific studies are limited. Understanding the rate and predictors of mortality in the first 30 days (perioperative period) is important for evidence based decision and counseling of patients. This study aimed to estimate the perioperative mortality rate and its predictors after emergency laparatomy at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023.

METHODS

This was a Hospital-based retrospective follow-up study conducted at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia among patients who had undergone emergency laparatomy between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2022. Sample of 418 emergency laparatomy patients selected with simple random sampling technique were studied. The data were extracted from March 15, 2023 to April 1, 2023 using a data extraction tool, cleaned, and entered into Epi-Data software version 3.1 before being exported to STATA software version 14.1 for analysis. Predictor variables with P value < 0.05 in multivariable Cox regression were reported.

RESULTS

Data of 386 study participants (92.3% complete charts) were analyzed. The median survival time was 18 days [IQR: (14, 29)]. The overall perioperative mortality rate in the cohort during the 2978 person-days of observations was 25.5 per 1000 person-days of follow-up [95% CI: (20.4, 30.9))]. Preoperative need for vasopressor [AHR: 1.8 (95% CI: (1.11, 2.98))], admission to intensive care unit [AHR: 2.0 (95% CI: (1.23, 3.49))], longer than three days of symptoms [AHR: 2.2 (95% CI: (1.15, 4.02))] and preoperative sepsis [AHR: 1.8 (95% CI: (1.05, 3.17))] were identified statistically significant predictors of perioperative mortality after emergency laparatomy.

CONCLUSIONS

The perioperative mortality rate is high. Preoperative need for vasopressors, admission to intensive care unit, longer than three days of symptoms and preoperative sepsis were predictors of increased perioperative mortality rate.

Poor outcomes in patients with sepsis undergoing emergency laparotomy and laparoscopy are attenuated by faster time to care measures

AIM

Emergency laparotomy and laparoscopy (EmLap) are amongst the commonest surgical procedures, with high prevalence of sepsis and hence poorer outcomes. However, whether time taken to receive care influences outcomes in patients requiring antibiotics for suspected infection remains largely unexplored. The aim of this work was to determine whether (1) time to care contributes to outcome differences between patients with and without suspected infection and (2) its impact on outcomes only amongst those with suspected infection.

METHOD

Clinical information was retrospectively obtained from the 2017-2018 Emergency Laparotomy and Laparoscopic Scottish Audit (ELLSA). Time to care referred to six temporal variables describing radiological investigation, anaesthetic triage and surgical management. Outcome measures [mortality, readmission, hospital death, postoperative destination and length of stay (LoS)] were compared using adjusted and unadjusted regression analyses to determine whether the outcome differences could be explained by faster or slower time to care.

RESULTS

Amongst 2243 EmLap patients [median age 65 years (interquartile range 51-75 years), 51.1% female], 892 (39.77%) received antibiotics for suspected infection. Although patients with suspected infection had faster time to care (all p ≤ 0.001) and worse outcomes compared with those who did not, outcome differences were not statistically significant when accounted for time (all p > 0.050). Amongst those who received antibiotics, faster time to care was also associated with decreased risk of postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) stay and shorter LoS (all p < 0.050).

CONCLUSION

Worse outcomes associated with infection in EmLap patients were attenuated by faster time to care, which additionally reduced the LoS and ICU stay risk amongst those with suspected infection.

Surgical Apgar score as a predictor of outcomes in patients following laparotomy at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative complications and mortality following laparotomy have remained high worldwide. Early postoperative risk stratification is essential to improve outcomes and clinical care. The surgical Apgar score (SAS) is a simple and objective bedside prediction tool that can guide a surgeon's postoperative decision making. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of SAS in predicting outcomes in patients undergoing laparotomy at Mulago hospital.

METHOD

A prospective observational study was conducted among eligible adult patients undergoing laparotomy at Mulago hospital and followed up for 4 months. We collected data on the patient's preoperative and intraoperative characteristics. Using the data generated, SAS was calculated, and patients were classified into 3 groups namely: low (8-10), medium (5-7), and high (0-4). Primary outcomes were in-hospital major complications and mortality. Data was presented as proportions or mean (standard deviation) or median (interquartile range) as appropriate. We used inferential statistics to determine the association between the SAS and the primary outcomes while the SAS discriminatory ability was determined from the receiver-operating curve (ROC) analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 151 participants recruited, 103 (68.2%) were male and the mean age was 40.6 ± 15. Overall postoperative in-hospital major complications and mortality rates were 24.2% and 10.6%, respectively. The participants with a high SAS category had an18.4 times risk (95% CI, 1.9-177, p = 0.012) of developing major complications, while those in medium SAS category had 3.9 times risk (95% CI, 1.01-15.26, p = 0.048) of dying. SAS had a fair discriminatory ability for in-hospital major complications and mortality with the area under the curve of 0.75 and 0.77, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of SAS ≤ 6 for major complications were 60.5% and 81.14% respectively, and for death 54.8% and 81.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

SAS of ≤ 6 is associated with an increased risk of major complications and/or mortality. SAS has a high specificity with an overall fair discriminatory ability of predicting the risk of developing in-hospital major complications and/or death following laparotomy.

High-Risk Emergency Laparotomy in Australia: Comparing NELA, P-POSSUM, and ACS-NSQIP Calculators

BACKGROUND

The National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) highlights the importance of identifying high-risk patients due to the potential for significant morbidity and mortality. The NELA risk prediction calculator (NRPC) was developed from data in England and Wales and is one of several calculators available. We seek to determine the utility of NRPC in the Australian population and compare it with Portsmouth Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enumeration of mortality and Morbidity (P-POSSUM) and American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) calculators.

METHODS

A retrospective review of all emergency laparotomies undertaken at four Australian centers was performed between January 2016 and December 2017. Data extracted from patient records were used to calculate NRPC, ACS-NSQIP, and P-POSSUM scores for 30-day mortality risk. The sensitivity of NRPC was assessed using the NELA high-risk cohort score of ≥10% and this was compared with the other two calculators.

RESULTS

There were 562 (M = 261, mean age = 66 [±17] y) patient charts reviewed in the study period. 59 patients died within 30 d (10.5%). NRPC was able to identify 52 (sensitivity = 88.1%) of these as being within the high-risk group. Using the NELA high-risk cutoff, NRPC identified 52 deaths of 205 (25.4%) high-risk patients, P-POSSUM identified 46 of 245 (18.8%), and ACS-NSQIP identified 46 of 201 (22.9%). Using the McNemar test, no significant difference was noted between NRPC and P-POSSUM (P = 0.07) or NRPC and ACS-NSQIP (P = 0.18).

CONCLUSIONS

In the Australian context, the NRPC is a highly sensitive and useful tool for predicting 30-day mortality in high-risk emergency laparotomy patients and is comparable with P-POSSUM and ACS-NSQIP calculators.

Comparative analysis of APACHE-II and P-POSSUM scoring systems in predicting postoperative mortality in patients undergoing emergency laparotomy

BACKGROUND

Laparotomy remains one of the commonest emergency surgical procedures. Early prognostic evaluation would aid in selecting the high-risk patients for an aggressive treatment. Awareness about risks could potentially contribute to the quality of perioperative care and optimum utilization of resources. Portsmouth modification of Physiological and operative severity for the enumeration of mortality and morbidity (P-POSSUM) and the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE-II) have been the most widely used scoring systems for emergency laparotomies. It is always better to have a single scoring system to predict outcomes and audit healthcare organizations.

AIM

To compare the ability of APACHE-II and P-POSSUM to predict postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing emergency laparotomy.

METHODS

All patients undergoing emergency laparotomy at the Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur between December 2013 and November 2014 were included in the study. In this observational study, P-POSSUM and APACHE-II scoring were done, and the outcome analysis evaluated with mortality being the primary outcome.

RESULTS

For P-POSSUM, at a cut off value of 63 to predict mortality using receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, the area under the curve was 0.989; and for APACHE-II, at the cut off value of 24, the area under the curve was 0.965.

CONCLUSION

Because the ability of APACHE-II to predict mortality was similar to P-POSSUM and APACHE-II does not need scoring for intra-operative findings and histopathology reports, APACHE-II can be used pre-operatively to assess the risk in patients undergoing emergency laparotomy. However, for audit purposes, either of the two scoring systems can be used.

Predictors of 30-Day In-Hospital Mortality in Patients Undergoing Urgent Abdominal Surgery Due to Acute Peritonitis Complicated with Sepsis

Background

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition with high morbidity and mortality rate. Identifying early prediction factors of critical situations in intra-abdominal sepsis patients can help reduce mortality rates. This prospective study was carried out to evaluate the association of technically available factors with 30-day in-hospital mortality.

Material/Methods

There were 67 intra-abdominal sepsis patients included in the study; patients were observed for 30 days postoperatively. The data was processed using SPSS24.0 statistical analysis package. All tests that had a significance level of 0.05 were selected.

Results

Septic shock in association with increase in age per year showed increase the odds of mortality and prognosed 30-days in hospital mortality correctly in 79% of cases. The observed OR was 12.24 (P<0.001). Multiple logistic regression model 2 for the 30-day mortality identified a combination of septic shock, age (≥70 years), time from peritonitis symptoms to surgery prognose mortality with accuracy of 82%. The most accurate model to prognose 30-day in-hospital mortality included the presents of septic shock, age, time from peritonitis symptoms to surgery, drop of MAP <65 mmHg) post-induction, the odds of mortality 8.86 (P=0.001). Severe hypotension post-induction was more frequent in patients who were not diagnosed with sepsis (P=0.035).

Conclusions

The present study revealed a simple indicator for the risk for death under diffuse peritonitis patients complicated with sepsis. Septic shock, increase in age per year, peritonitis symptoms lasting more than 30 hours, and severe hypotension post-induction had a negative prognostic value for mortality in patients with intra-abdominal sepsis, and might be a high risk for 30-day mortality.

Outcome assessment of emergency laparotomies and associated factors in low resource setting. A case series

BACKGROUND

Emergency laparotomy is a high risk procedure which is demonstrated by high morbidity and mortality. However, the problem is tremendous in resource limited settings and there is limited data on patient outcome. We aimed to assess postoperative patient outcome after emergency laparotomy and associated factors.

METHODS

An observational study was conducted in our hospital from March 11- June 30, 2015 using emergency laparotomy network tool. All consecutive surgical patients who underwent emergency laparotomy were included. Binary and multiple logistic regressions were employed using adjusted odds ratios and 95% CI, and P-value < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

RESULT

A total of 260 patients were included in the study. The majority of patients had late presentation (>6hrs) to the hospital after the onset of symptoms of the diseases and surgical intervention after hospital admission. The incidences of postoperative morbidity and mortality were 39.2% and 3.5% respectively. Factors associated with postoperative morbidity were preoperative co-morbidity (AOR = 0.383, CI = 0.156-0.939) and bowel resection (AOR = 0.232, CI = 0.091-0.591). Factors associated with postoperative mortality were anesthetists' preoperative opinion on postoperative patient outcome (AOR = 0.067, CI = 0.008-0.564), level of consciousness during recovery from anaesthesia (AOR = 0.114, CI = 0.021-10.628) and any re-intervention within 30 days after primary operation (AOR = 0.083, CI = 0.009-0.750).

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

The incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality after emergency laparotomy were high. We recommend preoperative optimization, early surgical intervention, and involvement of senior professionals during operation in these risky surgical patients. Also, we recommend the use of WHO or equivalent Surgical Safety Checklist and establishment of perioperative patient care bundle including surgical ICU and radiology investigation modalities such as CT scan.