Abstract
Background: Due to the increasing population and life expectancy, the number of patients undergoing emergency surgery is expected to increase. However, different surgical diagnoses that require emergency surgery cause various complications and morbidity. This study examines outcomes in patients undergoing emergency surgery, including in-hospital mortality and morbidity predictors.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of patients who underwent emergency surgery in a tertiary healthcare institution between 2014 and 2019 and were indicated for post-surgical intensive care unit (ICU). Demographic data, comorbidities, surgical indications and perioperative risk assessment data of the patients were collected. Outcomes included length of stay in ICU, need for inotrope agents, discharge status, and in-hospital mortality and morbidity. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality.
Results: The mean age of 886 patient admissions was 52.3 years. The mortality rate (38.1%) of patients aged 65 and over who underwent emergency surgery was statistically significantly higher than other patients (p < 0.001). The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical condition classification mean was 3E. The mortality rate was found to be higher in patients with high ASA, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) III scores and preoperative leukocyte and neutrophil values (p <0.001).
Conclusions: Apart from APACHE II and SAPS III classifications and preoperative laboratory parameters such as leukocytes and lymphocytes, the ASA score can also predict mortality in the critically ill population requiring emergency surgery, and can be used to guide patient and family counseling.