Does a time threshold exist for bladder repair after which outcomes worsen? A Trauma Quality Improvement Program study.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The appropriate timing of surgical intervention for bladder injuries is not well-defined. The effect of time to surgery on the outcomes of patients with a bladder injury was assessed using data from the Trauma Quality Improvement Program. METHODS: Patients with dominant or isolated bladder injuries who underwent surgical repair from 2017 to 2019 were studied. Mortality, infection (surgical site infection or sepsis), acute kidney injury, overall length of stay, and length of stay after surgery were compared between patients who underwent bladder repair within and after 24 hours of arrival at the emergency department. The role of time to surgical repair in the outcomes of patients with a bladder injury was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 1,507 patients with a mean time to bladder repair of 14.0 hours were studied. In total, 233 (15.5%) patients with a bladder injury underwent bladder repair more than 1 day after emergency department arrival. These patients had significantly more infections (5.6% vs 2.5%, P = .011), more acute kidney injuries (7.8% vs 1.8%, P < .001), and a longer length of stay after surgery (16.0 vs 12.3 days, P = .001) than patients who underwent bladder repair within 1 day. A time to bladder repair longer than 24 hours after emergency department arrival did not significantly affect mortality (P = .075) but significantly increased the risk of infection/acute kidney injury (odds = 1.823, P = .040). However, the infection/acute kidney injury risk did not increase with increasing time to surgery in patients who underwent bladder repair within 24 hours (P = .120). CONCLUSION: Patients with dominant or isolated bladder injuries may have a poor outcome (ie, increased infection rate, acute kidney injury, longer overall length of stay, and longer length of stay after bladder repair) if they undergo surgical repair more than 24 hours after arrival at the emergency department.