Comparison of Surgical Site Infection in Complicated Appendicitis: Primary Versus Delayed Closure

Waryam Panhwar, Ghansham, Zeeshan Hyder, Sana Ejaz

Abstract

Objective

To compare the rate of surgical wound infection following primary closure (PC) versus delayed primary closure (DPC) in cases of complicated appendicitis (CA) in adult patients.

Study design

Experimental study.

Place & Duration of study

Department of General Surgery Ward 26, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi, from January 2016 to June 2016.

Methodology

Sixty patients of acute complicated appendicitis between age 15 to 39 year of age were included in this study. These patients were randomly allocated into Group A (primary closure group) and Group B (delayed primary closure group) after informed and written consent. Postoperatively patients were followed till 3rd postoperative day and after discharge in outpatient department on weekly basis. Final outcome, the wound infection, was measured at the end of one month.

Results

The mean age of the study subjects was 27.35±6.85 year. No significant difference was observed between group A and B (43.3% and 23.3% - p=0.10) in terms of wound infection.

Conclusion

There was no difference in outcome in terms of wound infection following primary closure and delayed primary closure in patients who underwent appendectomy for complicated appendicitis.

Key words

Appendectomy, Appendicitis, Primary surgical wound closure, Delayed primary wound closure.