Multiparametric evaluation of risk factors associated to seroma formation in abdominal wall surgery

Incisional hernia is one of the main topics in the general surgery since there is not a unanimous consensus concerning to the best surgical methodology to adopt. It seems that prosthetic surgery is the best technique, even if responsible for the development of periprosthetic seroma. The aim of this study is to assess whether the preoperative abnormalities of the bio-humoral parameters may be considered as risk factors for seroma.

From July 2016 to July 2017 at the "Policlinico Paolo Giaccone", Palermo, Department of Emergency Surgery, 56 patients included in this study, underwent laparotomic mesh repair. The inclusion criteria were: age > 18 years, incisional hernia W2R0 according to the Chevrel classification and a monoperator technique. The main variables were: sex, age, BMI, smoke, ASA score, and co-morbidities. Among the main serum-blood variables: natraemia, kalaemia, chloraemia, calcaemia, PCR, level of glucose, creatinine, albumin and proteins in the blood. The data were analyzed using SPSS software.

Univariate analysis highlighted hypo- and hyper-natraemia, hyper-kalaemia, hypo-chloraemia, high levels of PCR, hyper-glycemia, low level of serum-blood albumin and proteins, as statistically significant variables. Multivariate analysis revealed a p<0.05 for PCR, hypo-albuminemia and total serum-blood-protein level.

Alterations of pre-operative bio-humoral parameters could be associated to a greater risk of seroma development. A better understanding of such alterations may lead to more efficient risk stratification methods. This could be essential to better address the medical resources, reducing the post-operative complications and the outpatient controls as well as the risk associated to seroma.