Long term follow up for incisional hernia after severe secondary peritonitis-incidence and risk factors.
BACKGROUND
In patients with secondary peritonitis, infections of the abdominal cavity might render the abdominal wall susceptible to secondary complications such as incisional hernia (IH).


METHODS
One hundred ninety-eight patients treated for secondary peritonitis underwent midline laparotomy. Ninety-two surviving patients accessible to clinical follow-up were examined for the occurrence of IH, and risk factors at the time of surgery or during follow-up were determined.


RESULTS
During a median follow-up period of 6 years, 54.3% of the patients developed IHs. A high body mass index, coronary heart disease, intense blood loss, requirement for intraoperative or postoperative transfusions, and small bowel perforation as a source of peritonitis were associated with IH.


CONCLUSIONS
IH occurs quite frequently after surgery for secondary peritonitis. Preexisting risk factors for IH and intraoperative blood loss or requirement for blood transfusions were correlated with the development of IH. Interestingly, surgical technique was not correlated with the development of IH in this series.
Moussavian
Mohammed R
MR
Department of General, Visceral, Vascular and Pediatric Surgery, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Schuld
Jochen
J
Dauer
Daniel
D
Justinger
Christoph
C
Kollmar
Otto
O
Schilling
Martin K
MK
Richter
Sven
S
D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome