title: Patients subject to surgery due to acute abdominal disorders during the period between 2001-2004.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical spectrum of emergency surgery for acute abdominal disorders and their outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group comprised 1426 patients, aged between 10 and 92 years subject to emergency surgery, due to an acute abdomen during the period 2001-2004. Analysis comprised age, sex, concomitant diseases, ASA scale classification, postoperative diagnosis, type of surgery, complications, mortality and duration of hospitalization. Patients were divided into two age groups: <60 and ≥60 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Appendicitis was the most common diagnosis (52.9%) in patients under 60 years, while cholecystitis (32.5%) and ileus (30.9%) in patients over 60 years. Complications were observed in 14.8% patients, the most common being related with wound healing (5.6%). The mortality rate amounted to 5.7%. Mortality was most often associated with bowel obstruction (29.2%), surgery for acute bowel ischemia (25.5%), and bowel perforation (20.7%). The mean duration of hospitalization was 7.9 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1. In comparison to elective surgery, emergency abdominal operations, particularly in elderly patients are related with a higher mortality rate. 2. In elderly patients, the high mortality rate and substantial number of complications is associated with the advanced primary disease and severe coexisting comorbidities, which significantly reduce the overall health condition.
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Paduszyńska
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Celnik
authors: Lech
authors: L
authors: Pomorski
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004630:Emergencies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult