DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2017.v05i10.008

Pages: 744-746

Emergency laparotomy (EL) is performed in the setting of acute surgical abdomen for both diagnosis as well as treatment. This study was intended to study the pattern of indication and surgery in cases of emergency laparotomy in our hospital. This retrospective analytic study was conducted at a tertiary care center during 6 calendar months period among 70 cases of acute abdomen requiring emergency laparotomy (EL). In this study, male: female ratio was 4:3 and mean age was 45.34 ± 17.02 (range 13-75) years. The most common co-morbid condition was hypertension (n=10, 14.3%) followed by tuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease associated with smoking behaviour (=4, 5.7% each). The mean time taken for surgery was 88.94 ± 41.54 (range 30-240) minutes and the frequency of bleeding ( other than standard bleeding during the surgical procedure) was 31.43% ( n=22/70). Wound infection occurred in 44/70 (62.86%) patients. Peptic perforation (16/70, 22.9%) was the most common indication of EL followed by appendicular peritonitis (10, 14.3%). The most common surgical procedure done was repair of peptic perforation (14/70, 20%). Appendisectomy was the next common procedure done in 10/70 (14.3%) cases.