Prevalence and factors associated with re-laparotomy among patients operated in Debre-Markos Referral Hospital, North West Ethiopia: Retrospective cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Re-laparotomy is one of the causes of morbidity and mortality among patients with abdominal surgery; unless efforts are made to prevent it in advance by identifying its potential risk factors. Objective The study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with re-laparotomy. Methods A Retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 390 charts at Debre-Markos referral hospital from three hundred and ninety charts (390) from January 1, 2015, to January 30, 2017. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. The associated factors for re-laparotomy were identified using multivariable logistic regression. P-values Results A total of 422 charts, 116 (29.7%) and 274(70.3%) of which belonged to males and females, respectively, were retrieved. Both groups of patients were in the age range of 7-27 years. Of those 390 (92%) charts found complete, 48 (12.3%) were identified with re-laparotomy. The majority of 274 (70.3%) of the participants of the study were male. Initial operations which took over 60 hours (AOR=3.30(95%CI [1.40-7.41, p=0.05]), diabetes mellitus, AOR=4.79 (95%CI [1.55-14.80, p=0.007]) and elective surgeries AOR=0.17 (95%CI [0.05-0.56, p= 0.004]). Patients with the duration of operating on initial surgery >60 hrs, elective surgery, were associated with re-laparotomy at Debre-Markos referral hospital. Conclusion The overall prevalence of re-laparotomy found to be high. Examining and identifying high-risk patients and accordingly taking all appropriate care should be done to decrease the risk of re-laparotomy. Shortening the preoperative hospital stay and duration operation further decrease the prevalence of re-laparotomy.