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Published on: September 22, 2023
Readmission following open ventral hernia repair: incidence, indications, and predictors
Mylan T Nguyen1, Linda T Li, Stephanie C Hicks
1Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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.
