The impact of adhesions on hospital readmissions over ten years after 8849 open gynaecological operations: an assessment from the Surgical and Clinical Adhesions Research Study

Objective To investigate the epidemiology of, and the clinical burden related to, adhesions following gynaecological surgery. Population The Scottish National Health Service Medical Record Linkage Database was used to define a cohort of 8849 women undergoing open gynaecological surgery in 1986. Methods All readmissions for potential adhesion related disease in the subsequent 10 years were reviewed. Main outcome measures Readmissions and the degree of adhesion involvement gave an indication of clinical burden and workload. The rate of readmission following the initial surgery determined the relative risk of disease related to adhesions. Results Two hundred and forty-five (4.5%) of 5433 readmissions following open gynaecological surgery were directly related to adhesions. 34.5% of patients were readmitted, on average 1.9 times, for a problem potentially related to adhesions or for further intra-abdominal surgery that could be complicated by adhesions. Readmissions related to adhesions continued throughout the 10 year period of the study. The overall rate of readmission was 64.0/100 initial operations. For readmissions directly related to adhesions, the rate was 2.9/100 initial operations. Operations on the ovary had the highest rate directly related to adhesions (7.5/100 initial operations), with an overall rate of readmission of 106.4/100 initial operations. Conclusions Despite the conservative approach taken in this study, the clinical burden, workload and relative risk of readmissions related to adhesions following open gynaecological surgery was considerable. Post-operative adhesions have important consequences for patients, surgeons and the healthcare system. These results emphasise the need for more effective strategies to prevent adhesions.