Risk of death after emergency repair of abdominal wall hernias. Still waiting for improvement.

PURPOSE: The precise importance of factors affecting morbidity and mortality in patients with complicated abdominal wall hernias undergoing emergency surgical repair has been not completely elucidated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective multicentric study of all patients (n = 402) with abdominal wall hernia who underwent urgent operations over 1-year period was conducted in ten hospitals. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate variables that affect morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Thirty-five percent of patients had inguinal hernia, 22% femoral hernia, 20% umbilical hernia, and 15% incisional hernia. Mesh repair was used in 92.5% of cases. Intestinal resection was required in 49 patients. Perioperative complications occurred in 130 patients, and 18 patients died (mortality rate 4.5%). Complications and mortality rate were significantly higher in the group of intestinal resection. Patients older than 70 years also showed more complications, required intestinal resection more frequently, and had a higher mortality rate than younger patients. In the logistic regression analysis, age over 70 years, intestinal resection, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) III/IV class emerged as independent predictors of a poor outcome. Based in our results, we propose a simple schema to calculate risk of death in these patients. CONCLUSION: Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, probabilities of death after complicated abdominal wall hernia surgery are increased in patients with: age over 70 years, high ASA class, and associated intestinal resection. Guidelines should be developed to improve prognosis in these patients.

Hernia estrangulada. ¿Todavía mortal en el siglo XXI? / Strangulated hernia. Still fatal in the XXI century?

Introducción. El conocimiento de los factores que predisponen a la aparición de complicaciones tras cirugía herniaria urgente es de gran importancia tanto para la priorización de la cirugía electiva como para seleccionar los casos que pueden ser susceptibles de seguimiento clínico. Objetivos. Analizar los factores que condicionan la morbilidad y la mortalidad de la resección intestinal asociada a la reparación herniaria urgente. Pacientes y método. Revisión retrospectiva de las historias clínicas de los pacientes intervenidos urgentemente por afección herniaria desde enero de 2000 hasta diciembre de 2005. Se compararon los resultados obtenidos en función de si fue o no necesaria una resección intestinal. Resultados. De un total de 2.367 pacientes intervenidos por hernias en ese período, en 362 (15,3%; media de edad, 69,5 años; 146 varones y 216 mujeres) fue de forma urgente. Precisaron resección intestinal 60 (16,6%). Presentaron complicaciones 108 (29,8%) y 17 (4,7%) fallecieron tras la intervención. El límite de 70 años discriminó una mortalidad significativamente mayor (el 7 frente al 2%, entre mayores y menores de 70 años, respectivamente; p = 0,01). El grupo de pacientes que precisó resección intestinal tenía una media de edad mayor (75,4 frente a 68,3 años; p = 0,002), más prevalencia de complicaciones totales (el 40,7 frente al 6,2%; p < 0,0001) y una mortalidad significativamente mayor (el 20 frente al 1,6%; p < 0,0001). El análisis de discriminación identificó la resección intestinal como variable independiente predictiva de mortalidad (l de Wilks = 0,89; p = 0,0001; valor predictivo del 85%). Conclusiones. La morbilidad y la mortalidad de la cirugía herniaria urgente que precisa resección intestinal son muy elevadas, especialmente en pacientes de edad avanzada y cuando se trata de hernias crurales (AU)

Introduction. Knowledge of the risk factors that may lead to complications after emergency hernia repair is of great importance, as much for the prioritisation of the elective surgery, as selecting those cases that require clinical follow up. Objectives. To analyse the factors conditioning the morbidity and mortality of bowel resection associated to emergency hernia repair. Patients and method. A retrospective review was carried out on the clinical histories of patients who had emergency operations for hernia problems from January 2000 to December of 2005. The clinical results obtained were compared based on whether or not a bowel resection was required. Results. A total of 2367 patients were operated for hernia in this period, 362 of them (15.3%); for a complicated hernia (mean age 69.5 years; 146 males/216 females); 60 patients needed bowel resection. Complications appeared in 108 patients (29.8%) and 17 (4.7%) died after operation. The limit of 70 years discriminated a significantly greater mortality (> 70: 7% vs < 70 2%; p = 0.01).The group of patients who needed bowel resection showed differences in statistical analysis both in age (75.4 vs 68.3 years; p = 0.002), prevalence of complications (40.7% vs 6.2%; p < 0.0001), and mortality (20% vs 1.6%; p < 0.0001). The discriminant analysis identified bowel resection as the only predictive independent variable of mortality (l Wilks = 0.89; p = 0.0001; predictive value, 85%). Conclusions. Morbidity and the mortality of urgent hernia surgery, when bowel resection was required, are elevated; especially in older patients, and in crural hernias (AU)

[Strangulated hernia. Still fatal in the XXI century?]. / Hernia estrangulada. Todavía mortal en el siglo XXI?

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge of the risk factors that may lead to complications after emergency hernia repair is of great importance, as much for the prioritisation of the elective surgery, as selecting those cases that require clinical follow up. OBJECTIVES: To analyse the factors conditioning the morbidity and mortality of bowel resection associated to emergency hernia repair. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A retrospective review was carried out on the clinical histories of patients who had emergency operations for hernia problems from January 2000 to December of 2005. The clinical results obtained were compared based on whether or not a bowel resection was required. RESULTS: A total of 2367 patients were operated for hernia in this period, 362 of them (15.3%); for a complicated hernia (mean age 69.5 years; 146 males/216 females); 60 patients needed bowel resection. Complications appeared in 108 patients (29.8%) and 17 (4.7%) died after operation. The limit of 70 years discriminated a significantly greater mortality (> 70: 7% vs < 70 2%; p = 0.01). The group of patients who needed bowel resection showed differences in statistical analysis both in age (75.4 vs 68.3 years; p = 0.002), prevalence of complications (40.7% vs 6.2%; p < 0.0001), and mortality (20% vs 1.6%; p < 0.0001). The discriminant analysis identified bowel resection as the only predictive independent variable of mortality (lambda Wilks = 0.89; p = 0.0001; predictive value, 85%). CONCLUSIONS: Morbidity and the mortality of urgent hernia surgery, when bowel resection was required, are elevated; especially in older patients, and in crural hernias.