INTESTINAL INFARCTIONS - REAPPRAISAL OF P ROGNOSTIC FACTORS OF POSTOPERATIVE MORTALITY

The aim of this study, based on a series of 67 patients, was to assess the prognostic factors of postoperative mortality of intestinal infar ctions (small and large bowel). Known risk factors were studied (age, sex, shock, Concomitant disease, use of arteriography and vasodilators ), together with less studied factors, such as recent vascular or card iac surgery less than 4 months before the infarction and length of bow el infarction. Postoperative mortality was defined as any death occurr ing within 45 days after surgery. The risk factors were assessed by un ivariate and multivariate analysis with logistic regression. The posto perative mortality was 63%. Age, shock, other medical diseases, recent cardiovascular surgery, and length of bowel infarction were significa nt predictive factors of postoperative mortality on univariate analysi s. Shock, age greater than 70 years and recent cardiovascular surgery were three independent risk factors selected on multivariate analysis with equivalent weights.