Table 1.
Characteristics of patients undergoing laparotomy with and without use of a wound edge protection device (WEPD). Figures are numbers (percentage) of patients unless specified otherwise
| Characteristic | WEPD (n=376) | Control (n=373) |
|---|---|---|
| Median (IQR) age (years) | 66.4 (54.8-74.7) | 64.2 (55.5-72.8) |
| Men | 200 (53.2) | 193 (51.7) |
| Median (IQR) BMI | 26.5 (23.1-30.0) | 26.0 (23.1-29.1) |
| Median (IQR) serum albumin concentration | 41.0 (34.0-44.0) | 40.0 (35.0-44.0) |
| Diabetes | 62 (16.5) | 51 (13.7) |
| Current smoker | 64(17.0) | 57 (15.3) |
| Known ongoing malignancy at any site | 241 (64.1) | 241 (64.6) |
| Median (IQR) baseline EQ-5D* | 0.81 (0.69-1) | 0.85 (0.73-1) |
| Urgency of operation: | ||
| Elective | 181 (48.1) | 183 (49.1) |
| Expedited | 117(31.1) | 117(31.4) |
| Urgent | 75 (20.0) | 71 (19.0) |
| Immediate | 3 (0.8) | 2 (0.5) |
| ASA grade: | ||
| 1 | 36 (9.6) | 49 (13.1) |
| 2 | 203 (54.0) | 186 (49.9) |
| 3 | 113 (30.1) | 95 (25.5) |
| 4 | 4 (1.1) | 7 (1.9) |
| 5 | 0 (0.00) | 1 (0.3) |
| Unknown | 20 (5.3) | 35 (9.4) |
IQR=interquartile range, BMI=body mass index, EQ-5D=EuroQol health related quality of life score, ASA=American Society of Anaesthesiologists.
*Measured in 359 in WEPD group and 351 in control group.