Traumatic rectal wound and consequences of diagnostic and management errors

Abstract

Background. “Hopkins Medicine” medical journal reports medical error as the third cause of patients’ death. Meanwhile, WHO determined that 23% of European citizens state that they have suffered from a medical error, while 18% say that they still have complications from them. Also, WHO established that one of 20 patients got a nosocomial infection during their hospital admission. Several studies highlighted a rate of 15% to 30% of rectal postoperative infection, retrospectively linked to delayed diagnosis, fecaloid infection, inefficient primary treatment and inadequate drainage. This affects the wound’s regeneration rate and leads to complications such as perirectal abscesses and fistulas, suture inconsistency, sepsis etc., which can result in prolonged hospital stay, hospital readmission, home nursing wound care needs, and the expenditure of significant medical costs.