title: Long-term outcome of acellular dermal matrix when used for large traumatic open abdomen.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to prospectively examine the use of Human Acellular Dermal Matrix (HADM) in trauma patients with large open abdominal wounds and assess the long-term outcome. Previous studies have not examined the long-term outcomes in trauma patients with abdominal wall reconstructions.
  
  
  METHODS
  An institutional review board approved prospective case series of consecutive patients admitted to a level I university trauma center, who were unable to have their abdomen closed primarily after trauma laparotomy. These patients had HADM placed to attain closure of the abdomen with skin advancement flaps to cover the HADM when possible. Our primary outcome measure was hernia formation and our secondary outcomes were laxity, fistulae, and infections associated with HADM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten patients were enrolled during a 1-year period. Mean time to HADM placement was 17.2 days +/- 3.6 days. Mean initial defect size was 425.1 cm2 +/- 75.9 cm2 with the largest 770 cm2. Thirty day follow-up showed no recurrence in 100% patients. Six patients remained for long-term follow-up. Follow-up at 60 days demonstrated significant laxity or recurrent hernia or both in 67% of patients, and this increased to 100% by the end of 1 year follow-up. There were no bowel fistulae in these patients closed with HADM but 20% with infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HADM is an alternative available to reconstruct the unclosable open abdomen with no fistulae formation, however, it is associated with a high rate of laxity in large abdominal wounds.
authors.affiliation: Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. mdemoya@partners.org
authors.forename: Marc A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Moya
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dunham
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inaba
authors.forename: Hany
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bahouth
authors.forename: Hasan B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.forename: Babar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sultan
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Namias
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003094:Collagen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D013536:Suture Techniques
chemical_list: C440568:Alloderm; D003094:Collagen