J Acute Care Surg.  2019 Oct;9(2):39-44. 10.17479/jacs.2019.9.2.39.

Management of an Open Abdomen Considering Trauma and Abdominal Sepsis: A Single-Center Experience

• Choi YU
• Lee SH
• Lee JG

• KMID: 2464982
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.17479/jacs.2019.9.2.39

Abstract

PURPOSE
To describe the experience of patients over a 7-year period who have had open abdomen (OA) surgery, at a tertiary university hospital.
METHODS
The medical records of 59 patients, who were managed with OA after a laparotomy between March 2009 and December 2015, were reviewed retrospectively. The data collected included demographics, indication for OA, abdominal closure methods, abdominal closure rate, the intensive care unit stay duration, mechanical ventilation duration, hospital stay duration, and complications.
RESULTS
Forty-seven patients (37 males, 78.7%) with a mean age of 52.2 ± 16.7 years were reviewed in the study. The indications for OA were traumatic intra-abdominal bleeding in 23 patients (48.9%), non-traumatic bowel perforation in 10 (21.3%), non-traumatic bleeding in 7 (14.9%), and bowel infarction in 6 (12.8%). The abdominal wall was closed in 38 patients (80.9%). Primary closures and fascial closure using an artificial mesh were performed on 21 (44.7%) and 12 patients (25.5%), respectively. The median number of dressing changes was 0 (interquartile range 0 - 1). The median duration of the intensive care unit and hospital stays were 12.0 and 32.0 days, respectively. The median interval to abdominal closure was 4 days (interquartile range 2 - 10.3 days). Twenty-seven patients developed complications, including uncontrolled sepsis (21.3%), entero-atmospheric fistula (19.1%), ventral hernia (8.5%), bleeding (4.3%), and lateralization (4.3%). The mortality rate was 44.7% with sepsis being the main cause of death (61.9%).
CONCLUSION
Traumatic intra-abdominal bleeding was a common indication for OA. Primary closure was performed in most patients, and frequent complications resulted in poor patient outcomes.

Keyword

abdominal wound closure; hemoperitoneum; intra-abdominal hypertension; intra-abdominal infections

MeSH Terms

Abdomen*
Abdominal Wall
Abdominal Wound Closure Techniques
Bandages
Cause of Death
Demography
Fistula
Hemoperitoneum
Hemorrhage
Hernia, Ventral
Humans
Infarction
Intensive Care Units
Intra-Abdominal Hypertension
Intraabdominal Infections
Laparotomy
Length of Stay
Male
Medical Records
Mortality
Respiration, Artificial
Retrospective Studies
Sepsis*