Comparative study of postoperative complications in elective versus emergency laparotomy at JSS hospital

Abstract

Background: Laparotomy is a commonly performed procedure in any surgical unit. The incidence of postoperative complications are higher after laparotomy particularly in emergency. In surgical language, “the word laparotomy explains exploration of the abdomen and proceed further according to the cause identified”. Postoperative complications directly affect the outcome of the disease.Aims & Objectives:• To document the postoperative complications of laparotomy and its comparison between elective versus emergency laparotomy done at JSS hospital.• To study the incidence of morbidity and mortality encountered after emergency and elective laparotomy.Methodology: This is a prospective studies conducted at Department of General Surgery of JSS Hospital mysore, Karnataka during period of December 2017 to June 2019. All patients who underwent laparotomy (elective or emergency) were included in this study. Demographic data about patients were noted in performa, all the complications were compared according to nature of laparotomy and patients were followed for 30 days postoperatively.Result: A total of 100 patients were undertaken, 50 patients in each group who underwent emergency and elective laparotomy respectively. Postoperative complications following emergency laparotomy included postoperative pain (72%), fever (50%), and postoperative nausea and vomiting (46%) followed by surgical site infection (38%), wound dehiscence (10%), respiratory tract infection (28%), cardiac complications (10%), renal complications (16%), gastrointestinal complications (16%), septicaemia (14%) and mortality (10%). Postoperative complications in elective were minimum as compared to emergency laparotomy i.e postoperative fever (40%), postoperative nausea and vomiting (34%), surgical site infection (18%), respiratory complications (14%).Conclusion: In comparison to elective laparotomy postoperative complications are more common in emergency laparotomy