BMC Surg. 2025 Aug 9;25(1):362. doi: 10.1186/s12893-025-03128-9.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Abdominal re-operation, or relaparotomy, refers to any repeat surgical intervention performed for intra-abdominal or wound complications during the same hospital admission or within 60 days of the initial operation. However, the regional level of relaparotomy remains unknown in East Africa. Hence, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the prevalence of relaparotomy and its associated factors in East Africa.
METHODS: Studies were accessed through an electronic web-based search strategy from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL by using a combination of search terms. The quality of each included article was assessed using criteria adapted from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI). All statistical analyses were done using STATA version 17 software for windows, and meta-analysis was carried out using a random-effects method. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed for reporting results.
RESULTS: The overall prevalence of relaparotomy was determined to be 17.36% (95% CI: 7.03-27.68; I² = 99.89%). Patients OR latency of > 60 h was 2.33 times more likely to undergo re-laparotomy compared with patients operated in < 60 h (AOR = 2.33 (95%CI [1.22-3.45)). Patients with anastomotic leak were 2 times more likely to undergo re-laparotomy compared to patients without leak (AOR = 2 (95%CI [1.35-2.64)). Older patients were 4.13 times more likely to undergo re-laparotomy compared to young patients (AOR = 4.13 (95%CI [-4.62-12.89)).
CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis provides valuable insights into the prevalence and associated factors of relaparotomy, highlighting key regional variations and patient characteristics. The study identified several factors influencing the prevalence of relaparotomy, including the duration of illness, low systolic blood pressure, anastomotic leaks, delayed surgical intervention, and age.
PMID:40783728 | DOI:10.1186/s12893-025-03128-9
