The impact of delays on the outcomes of emergency abdominal surgeries in Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

Emergency abdominal surgery is the most appropriate intervention for patients who suffer traumatic abdominal injuries, acute surgically-related disease processes, or surgical complications. The greater burden of difficulty in accessing surgical care falls on those living in low and middle income countries (LMICs). The situation is often associated with undue delays for surgical intervention for emergency admission. A descriptive cross-sectional and quantitative research design was used to sample 109 participants using a convenience sampling technique with well-defined inclusion criteria. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire, using an electronic data-collecting tool and extracted onto STATA 13 for analysis. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out, taking into consideration odd ratios where statistical significance was derived with p<0.05. Sixty-eight (62.4%) of the participants were males and 41 (37.6%) females. A delay of more than 24 hours from the onset of symptoms was found in 58.7%. Delays in the decision to go to the hospital (pre-hospital delay) and waiting time in the theatre bay (in-hospital delay) were significantly associated with long stay in hospital.