Laparoscopy for perforated duodenal ulcer: A morbidity score based on a cohort study of 384 patients

The Laparoscopic treatment of perforated ulcer is accompanied by a lesser morbidity and mortality compared with treatment by laparotomy. However, the morbidity of the laparoscopic approach is not nil (4%). It is influenced by pre and intraoperative factors. The aim of our work is to establish a morbidity score in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for acute peritonitis with perforated duodenal ulcer.

This is a retrospective study conducted in a General Surgery Department. We included 384 cases of perforated duodenal ulcer operated laparoscopically over a fourteen-year period ranging from January 2000 to December 2014. We conducted a multivariate logistical regression analysis by step-by-step-descending method. From these independent factors we established a score using the ROC curves. The threshold with the best sensitivity and specificity for predicting morbidity was investigated. In all statistical tests, the significance level was set at 0.05.

The overall morbidity rate of our patients was 3.38% (13 patients). Multivariate analysis has identified five independent morbidity risk factors: temperature higher than 37.6° C, renal failure, age> 45 years, a number of stitches of two or higher and operating time to 75 minutes or longer. Our morbidity score took into account these 5 factors by integrating the intrinsic value of each factor. The threshold of the score having the best torque sensitivity specificity to predict morbidity was 10.

A morbidity score for perforated duodenal ulcer surgery performed by laparoscopy may be useful to organize the post-operativecare of these patients usually young and active. A lower score than the threshold predictive of morbidity could allow a rapid rehabilitation of these patients and a one day hospitalization management.