Abstract
Background: Emergency laparotomy is a common procedure in our tertiary care hospitals but there is contradictory evidence regarding whether to put postoperative drains or not. Current study was planned to generate the evidence.
Aim: To compare the frequency of deep surgical site infection in patients undergoing emergency laparotomy with and without postoperative drains in a tertiary care hospital.
Methods: This randomised control trial study was carried out at Surgical Unit of Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar over a period of six months. Seven hundred and sixty two patients undergoing emergency laparotomy with age from 15-60 years, due to perforated appendix, tuberculosis, typhoid determined history, clinical examination and erect abdominal X ray were divided into two groups i.e., with and without post-operative drains. Rate of deep surgical site infection on 3rd & 7th day was measured as outcome.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 28.92+/-6.246 years with 330(43.3%) were female while rest 432(56.7%) were male. Deep surgical site infection on 3rd day was 7.2% in patients with postoperative drains while 8.1% in patients without post-operative drains. Similarly on day 7, deep surgical site infection was 6.3% in patients with post-operative drains as compared with 8.1% in patients without post-operative drains. Differences were statistically non-significant.
Conclusion: It is concluded that there is no difference in frequency of developing deep surgical site infection on 3rd day and 7th whether you use post-operative drains after emergency laparotomy or not. So we accept the null hypothesis and conclude the use of post-operative drains is not associated with deep surgical site infection on 3rd and 7th day.