Perioperative mortality and its predictors among patients undergoing emergency laparotomy at selected southern Ethiopian governmental hospitals, 2022: a multicenter prospective cohort study

Background: Globally, emergency laparotomy is a frequently performed type of surgery with high morbidity and mortality rates, even in the best healthcare systems. There is limited knowledge regarding the outcome of emergency laparotomy performed in Ethiopia. Objective: To assess perioperative mortality and its predictors among patients undergoing emergency laparotomy at selected southern Ethiopian governmental hospitals. Methods: A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted, and data were collected at selected hospitals after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: The rate of postoperative complications after emergency laparotomy surgery was 39.3%, with an in-hospital mortality rate of 8.4% and a length of hospital stay of 9±6.5 days. The predictors of postoperative mortality were the age of the patient greater than 65 [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=8.46, 95% CI=1.3–57.1], presence of intraoperative complications (AOR=7.26, 95% CI=1.3–41.3), and postoperative ICU admission (AOR=8.5, 95% CI=1.5–49.6). Conclusion: Our study revealed a significant level of postoperative complications and in-hospital mortality. The identified predictors should be sorted and applied to the preoperative optimization, risk assessment, and standardization of effective postoperative care following emergency laparotomy.