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How common are adhesion-related complications and incisional hernias after abdominal surgery? To find out, researchers analyzed a database that included 7500 U.S. Medicare patients (mean age, 77) who recently had undergone laparotomy.
Five-year hospitalization risks for bowel obstruction thought to be adhesion-related were as follows:
25% after major open abdominal surgery
18% after minor open abdominal surgery
14% after abdominal wall hernia surgery
11% after laparoscopic surgery
11% after retroperitoneal or pelvic surgery
In comparison, the 5-year rate of hospitalization for adhesion-related bowel obstruction was 8% among a control group of 78,000 similarly aged Medicare patients who had not undergone abdominal surgery within 2 years; these pres…