Predictive Factors for Surgical Intervention in Patients over the Age of 80 with Adhensive Small-Bowel Obstruction

Adhensive small-bowel obstruction (SBO) remains a common cause of admission to surgical wards around the world. Given the growing elderly population, the number of elderly patients with adhensive SBO can be expected to increase substantially. Timely and appropriate treatment would improve morbidity and mortality rates in elderly patients with adhensive SBO. However, accurately determining which patients should undergo surgical treatment during the hospitalization remains difficult. The aim of this study was to identify predictive factors for surgical intervention in patients aged over 80 years presenting with SBO due to postoperative adhesions. A clinical and radiological data for the assessment of patients presenting with adhensive SBO were collected. A logistic regression model was applied to identify risk factors that would predict the need of surgical intervention. A total of 21 patients (13 males, 8 females) were treated during a 3.5-year period. The mean age was 85.5 ± 4.7 years, ranging from 80 to 97 years. There is no significant difference in age (group 1 87.6 ± 5.9 years vs. group 2 84.8 ± 4.3 years, p = 0.262) between two groups. Serious coexisting diseases were noted in 13 (61.9 %, 13/21) patients. Primary hypertension, cardiac diseases, and diabetes mellitus were common coexisting conditions. However, there is no significant difference in comorbidities (40 vs. 68.8 %, p = 0.325) between group 1 and group 2. Adhensive SBO was successfully treated with conservative treatment in 16 patients (76.2 %, 16/21, group 2), whereas conservative treatment failed in 5 patients (23.8 %, 5/21, group 1), who subsequently underwent laparotomy. Postoperative complication rate was 14.3 % (wound infection, 1/5) and mortality was 0 % (0/5) in group 1. One patient death was recorded in group 2 (1/16, 6.3 %). The overall mean hospital stay was 10.0 ± 5.9 days (range 3–27 days). Group 1 had a longer hospital stay than group 2. However, the difference did not reach the significant level (12.8 ± 8.2 vs. 9.1 ± 5.9 days, p = 0.274). On univariate analysis, the need for surgical intervention was significantly associated with granulocyte percentage (2.768, 0.961–7.975, p = 0.059), CT findings of free intraabdominal fluid (28.000, 1.988–394.405, p = 0.014), and level of albumin (0.265, 0.073–0.970, p = 0.045). On multivariate analysis, the predictive factor was free intraabdominal fluid (28.000, 1.988–394.405, p = 0.014). Conservative treatment remains a major consideration in patients over the age of 80. Although major cases of adhensive SBO are successfully treated with conservative methods, some fail to respond, and the independent risk factor for surgical indication is free intraabdominal fluid.