title: Readmission following open ventral hernia repair: incidence, indications, and predictors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, indications, and predictive factors of hospital readmission after open ventral hernia repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of all open ventral hernia repairs at a single institution from 2000 to 2010 was performed to assess readmissions between 1 to 30, 1 to 90, and 91 to 365 days. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of 30-day readmission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 888 patients, 75 (8%) were readmitted between 1 and 30 days, 97 (11%) between 1 and 90 days, and 78 (9%) between 91 and 365 days. Unplanned readmissions related to the surgery constituted the majority of 1-day to 30-day and 1-day to 90-day readmissions (82% and 74%, respectively) but not between 91 and 365 days (32%). Prior superficial or deep surgical-site infection (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.32 to 4.32) and duration of surgery (odds ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.05 to 1.73) were associated with 30-day readmission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efforts to reduce readmissions should be directed at modifiable risk factors for surgical-site infection and other surgical complications, particularly among those with prior skin infections and longer durations of surgery.
authors.affiliation: Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Mylan T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Linda T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Stephanie C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: Jessica A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Davila
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Suliburk
authors.forename: Mimi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.forename: Lillian S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Mike K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000639:trends; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000639:trends*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Readmission; Retrospective; Ventral hernia