DETERMINANTS OF WOUND DEHISCENCE IN ABDOMINAL SURGERIES

Background: Abdominal wound dehiscence is a serious postoperative complication that contributes significantly to patient morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, increased healthcare costs, and mortality. Identification of factors associated with abdominal wound dehiscence is essential for developing preventive strategies and improving surgical outcomes. Objective: To determine the determinants of wound dehiscence in abdominal surgeries. Methods: A hospital-based analytical case-control study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi. A total of 196 participants were included, comprising 65 cases with abdominal wound dehiscence and 131 controls without abdominal wound dehiscence. Data regarding demographic characteristics, clinical variables, and surgical factors were collected using a structured proforma. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26. Chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression analysis were applied to identify determinants of abdominal wound dehiscence. A p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among 196 participants, diabetes mellitus, smoking, anemia, hypoalbuminemia, surgical site infection, and emergency surgery demonstrated significant associations with abdominal wound dehiscence on univariate analysis. Multivariable logistic regression identified hypoalbuminemia (AOR=3.52, p=0.001), surgical site infection (AOR=4.13, p<0.001), emergency surgery (AOR=2.94, p=0.003), and anemia (AOR=2.41, p=0.015) as independent determinants of abdominal wound dehiscence. Conclusion: Hypoalbuminemia, surgical site infection, emergency surgery, and anemia were significant independent determinants of abdominal wound dehiscence. Optimization of nutritional status, prevention of postoperative infections, correction of anemia, and careful perioperative management of high-risk patients may help reduce the occurrence of this complication and improve postoperative outcomes.