Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29578920›Full record

ArticleDiseases of the colon and rectum2018

Open Surgical Incisions After Colorectal Surgery Improve Quality Metrics, But Do Patients Benefit?

Matthew G Mullen, Robert B Hawkins, Lily E Johnston, Puja M Shah, Florence E Turrentine, Traci L Hedrick, Charles M Friel

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Diseases of the colon and rectum, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Matthew G MullenSection of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Robert B Hawkins
Lily E Johnston
Puja M Shah
Florence E Turrentine
Traci L Hedrick
Charles M Friel
University of Virginia · US

Funding

Cardiovascular Surgery Training ProgramT32HL007849 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CHARLOTTESVILLE · PI KRON, IRVING L., LAUBACH, VICTOR E · 1998 to 2025
$7.0M
Postdoctoral Training Grant for MDs in Surgical Oncology ResearchT32CA163177 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · PI Craig Lee Slingluff, Allan Tsung · 2011 to 2026
$4.6M
NCI NIH HHS T32 CA163177NHLBI NIH HHS T32 HL007849
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSurgical site infection is a frequent cause of morbidity after colorectal resection and is a quality measure for hospitals and surgeons. In an effort to reduce the risk of postoperative infections, many wounds are left open at the time of surgery for secondary or delayed primary wound closure.

objectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of delayed wound closure on the rate of surgical infections and resource use.

designThis retrospective propensity-matched study compared colorectal surgery patients with wounds left open with a cohort of patients with primary skin closure. SETTINGS: The American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program Participant Use file for 2014 was queried. PATIENTS: A total of 50,212 patients who underwent elective or emergent colectomy, proctectomy, and stoma creation were included.

main outcome measuresRates of postoperative infections and discharge to medical facilities were measured.

resultsSurgical wounds were left open in 2.9% of colorectal cases (n = 1466). Patients with skin left open were broadly higher risk, as evidenced by a significantly higher median estimated probability of 30-day mortality (3.40% vs 0.45%; p < 0.0001). After propensity matching (n = 1382 per group), there were no significant differences between baseline characteristics. Within the matched cohort, there were no differences in the rates of 30-day mortality, deep or organ space infection, or sepsis (all p > 0.05). Resource use was higher for patients with incisions left open, including longer length of stay (11 vs 10 d; p = 0.006) and higher rates of discharge to a facility (34% vs 27%; p < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by its retrospective design and a large data set with a bias toward academic institutions.

conclusionsIn a well-matched colorectal cohort, secondary or delayed wound closure eliminates superficial surgical infections, but there was no decrease in deep or organ space infections. In addition, attention should be given to the possibility for increased resource use associated with open surgical incisions. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A560.

Indexed as

Propensity ScoreQuality ImprovementAgedColectomyElective Surgical ProceduresFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedReoperationRetrospective StudiesSurgical Wound InfectionSurvival RateUnited States

Identifiers

PMID29578920
PMCPMC5889337
OpenAlexW2791981359

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.