title: Prevalence of intra-abdominal surgery: what is an individual's lifetime risk?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The lifetime risk of intra-abdominal surgery is unknown. The objectives of this study were to derive this information from our local population, and to consider the role of incidental surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over an 8-year period, 2648 autopsy and clinical records from a public and private hospital were reviewed for evidence of intra-abdominal surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  2262 (85%) cases were from the public hospital and 386 (15%) from the private hospital. The adjusted intra-abdominal surgical rate was 43.8% in those over the age of 60. With the exception of the age group 21-40, there were no statistical significant differences in operative rates between hospitals. The intra-abdominal surgical rate over the age of 60 was used as an estimate of the lifetime risk of intra-abdominal surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lifetime risk of intra-abdominal surgery can be used to assess the utilization of healthcare among ethnic groups and in considering the role of incidental surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Joseph.Nunoo-Mensah@kch.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Joseph William
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Nunoo-Mensah
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Linday S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wasserberg
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Beart
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000706:statistics & numerical data