Postoperative complications in emergency laparotomies at bahawal victoria hospital,Bahawalpur

Aim: to evaluate the postoperative complications in emergency laparotomies at bahawal victoria hospital,bahawalpur. methods: this comparative cross-sectional study was carried out at the department of surgery,bahawal victoria hospital,bahawalpur from january 2008 to december 2008. three hundred and twenty patients undergoing laparotomy were included in this study. they were followed up meticulously and the postoperative complications/sequel was recorded. results: post-operative complications were seen in 287(89.7%) patients out of 320 patients. post-operative fever was 73(22.8%),wound infection 71(22.2%) and vomiting 45(14%),wound dehiscence 17(5.3%),incisional hernia 9(2.8%),pneumonia/anastomotic disruption 10(3.1%). the septicaemia was seen in 18(5.6%) and mortality in 24(7.5%). conclusion: the postoperative complications are more common in emergency laparotomies. postoperative fever,wound infection,nausea and vomiting are the mostly encountered complications.