Analysis of risk factors for surgical site infection and other postoperative complications in patients following loop ileostomy reversal

Abstract

<b>Introduction:</b> Loop ileostomy reversal (LIR) procedure is associated still with relatively high risk of complications. Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most common complication in this group of patients. As a result of SSI, it leads to prolonged hospital stay, delay the adjuvant therapy and increase the hospital costs.</br> <br><b>Aim of the study:</b> The aim of the study was to analyze the risk factors for SSI in patients following loop ileostomy reversal procedure.</br> <br><b>Material and methods:</b> A single-centre retrospective analysis was conducted in a tertiary reference center. Finally, sixty five patients following loop ileostomy reversal procedure performed between 2018 and 2022 were enrolled into the study. Data were collected retrospectively based on the available medical charts. The study group comprised of 23 women (35%) and 42 men (65%) with the mean age 48.914.5 years and the mean body mass index 24.34.9 kg/m2. The most common indication for index surgery was ulcerative colitis (33%) and colorectal cancer (29%). Preferably, handsewn anastomosis was performed (n=42; 64.6%).</br> <br><b>Results:</b> The most important parameter evaluated in the above study was the diagnosis of surgical site infection, which was important, among others, in during hospitalization after surgery, the need for antibiotic therapy or CRP values. 9 patients (13.8%) were diagnosed with SSI during their hospital stay (more than 86% without SSI). In the group with SSI it was over 13 days compared to almost 6 days in the group without SSI (p=0.00009). The time of the procedure had a statistically significant correlation with antibiotic therapy introduction (p=0.01). The type of intestinal anastomosis had a significant impact on the operative time (p=0.0011) and the time of hospital stay after surgery (p=0.04).</br> <br><b>Conclusions:</b> Most of the analyzed clinical factors were directly related to the impact on the duration of postoperative hospitalization. The duration of hospitalization is an independent and undeniable factor of increasing the risk of other postoperative complications and significantly increases the cost of hospitalization. Another factor that has a large clinical impact on postoperative treatment is the presence of comorbidities, which made patients more likely to develop SSI, CRP increase or the need for antibiotic therapy. An important factor was the level of CRP, the elevated value of which may be a predictor of many negative aspects in postoperative treatment.</br>