Abstract

Operative mortality is an important and objective measure of outcome. Monitoring of outcome is an increasingly important part of the governance of surgical activity. Both the purchasers of health care and individual patients value information concerning mortality and morbidity rates of surgical procedures. Data was collected prospectively on a proforma prepared for the study from the patients undergoing emergency laparotomy. All such patients would have their physiological score recorded on admission. An operative severity score was calculated based on findings recorded by the operating surgeon on the proforma. There were 75 (50%) patients with complications observed during hospital stay. The major ones being chest infections (41 patients, 27.33%), wound infections (37 patients, 24.66%), post operative fever (42 patients, 28.00%) wound dehiscence (31 patients, 20.66%), septicemia (14 patients, 9.33%) and anastomotic leak producing faecal fistula in (14 patients, 9.33%).

Description