Staged treatment strategy in patients with acute abdomen

Aim. To reason the strategy of staged surgical treatment in patients with acute abdomen.

Methods. The study included 72 patients, of them 32 were included in the main group, in which the staged surgical treatment strategy was implemented. To assess the effect of such approach, control group including 40 patients who were treated using the early total care strategy, was formed retrospectively. The decision on the certain strategy use (early total care strategy or staged treatment strategy («aborted operation») was made in every included patient by operating surgeon during the operation.

Results. The modern method of surgical treatment («aborted operation» strategy) was introduced into the clinical practice for treating acute surgical abdominal diseases. A new method for patient’s condition severity assessment and operative risk prognosis based on the physical signs, as well as the scale of the indications for the «aborted operation» approach were developed. An original method for laparotomy wound closure was proposed. Device for laparostomy consists of two details - frame, which is stitched to the edges of surgical wound, and replaceable cap, which can be fixed to the frame. The device is made of soft elastic organic material, which is transparent and non-reactive. The key advantage of the device is the transparency of the cap material, allowing to review the condition of abdominal organs at any moment after the surgery without additional analgesia. The device act as a «viewport», allowing to clearly visualize the changes of abdominal organs, to diagnose the possible complications and to timely recognize the indications for programmed abdominal cavity debridement. The mortality in the control group was 100%, in the intervention group - 59%.

Conclusion. Staged treatment strategy may significantly reduce the postoperative mortality, being an alternative to standard tactical and technical approaches used in emergency abdominal surgery.