ACS: Mortality Elevated for Certain Common Emergency General Surgeries

TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Mortality has consistently increased for adults undergoing emergency surgery for appendicitis, acute cholecystitis, and abdominal wall hernia with obstruction or gangrene, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Surgeons, held from Sept. 26 to 29 in Washington, D.C.

Vishnu Mani, M.B.B.S., from the University of Illinois in Peoria, and colleagues examined long-term trends and geographic patterns in mortality from treatable emergency surgical conditions among U.S. adults in a population-based analysis using the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WONDER Multiple Cause of Death database from 1999 to 2020 and 2018 to 2024. Adults aged 18 to 64 years with appendicitis, acute cholecystitis, and abdominal wall hernia with obstruction or gangrene were included; the annual crude mortality rates were calculated per 100,000.

The researchers found that during the study period, there were 19,601 deaths. There was an increase in crude mortality from 0.4 per 100,000 in 1999 to 0.6 per 100,000 in 2020, representing a sustained upward trend. Consistently higher mortality was seen for men versus women, and there was a progressive increase with age, peaking in those aged 55 to 64 years.

“What we found is that more working-age adults are dying with these conditions than two decades ago, which raises important questions about whether patients are getting to surgical care in time, especially in rural communities, and whether workforce shortages or other pressures are contributing,” Mani said in a statement.

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