title: Long-term outcome study in patients with abdominal wound dehiscence: a comparative study on quality of life, body image, and incisional hernia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Long-term quality of life and body image of patients with abdominal wound dehiscence were assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven patients with abdominal wound dehiscence from a prospectively followed cohort of 967 patients (2007-2009) were reviewed. Patients completed the Short Form 36 quality of life questionnaire and Body Image Questionnaire and participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. For each patient, four controls were matched by age and gender. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, comorbidity, and follow-up length.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 37 patients with abdominal wound dehiscence, 23 were alive after a mean follow-up of 40 months (range 33-49 months). Nineteen patients developed incisional hernias (83 %). Patients with abdominal wound dehiscence reported significantly lower scores for physical and mental component summaries (p = 0.038, p = 0.013), general health (p = 0.003), mental health (p = 0.011), social functioning (p = 0.002), and change (p = 0.034). No differences were found for physical functioning (p = 0.072), role physical (p = 0.361), bodily pain (p = 0.133), vitality (p = 0.150), and role emotional (p = 0.138). Patients with abdominal wound dehiscence reported lower body image scores (median 16.5 vs. 18, p = 0.087), cosmetic scores (median 13 vs. 16, p = 0.047), and total body image scores (median 30 vs. 34, p = 0.042).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At long-term follow-up, patients with abdominal wound dehiscence demonstrated a high incidence of incisional hernia, low body image, and low quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, 's Gravendijkwal 230, 3015, CE, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. g.vanramshorst@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Gabrielle H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: van Ramshorst
authors.forename: Hasan H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Eker
authors.forename: Jan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: van der Voet
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeekel
authors.forename: Johan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lange
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D046449:Hernia, Abdominal / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D058992:Social Participation; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors