Facility of Origin Predicts Mortality After Colonic Perforation

Colonic perforation often requires emergent intervention and carries high morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to determine whether nonclinical factors, such as transition of care from outpatient facilities to inpatient settings, are associated with increased risk of mortality in patients who underwent emergent surgical intervention for colonic perforation.

Using the 2006-2015 ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we identified adult patients who underwent emergent partial colectomy with primary anastomosis ± protecting ostomy or partial colectomy with ostomy with intraoperative finding of wound class III or IV for a diagnosis of perforated viscus. The outcome of interest was 30-day postoperative mortality. Univariate and multivariate analyses using logistic regression were performed.

4705 patients met criteria, of which 841 (17.9%) died. Univariate analysis showed that patients who died after emergent surgery for perforated viscus were more likely to present from a chronic care facility (13.4% vs. 4.4%, P < .0001) and had longer time from admission to undergoing surgery (mean 4.1 vs. 2.0 days, P < .0001. Logistic regression demonstrated that septic shock vs. none (OR 3.60, P < .0001), sepsis vs. none (OR 1.57, P = .00045), transfer from chronic care facility vs. home (OR 1.87, P < .0001), and increased time from admission vs. operation (OR 1.01, P = .0055) were independently associated with increased risk of death.

Transfer from a chronic care facility was independently associated with increased mortality in patients undergoing emergent surgery for perforated viscus.