An Experience of an Individual With a Chronic Wound in an Open Abdomen: A Grounded Theory.

The open abdomen (OA) surgical technique has become an option for treating complex abdominal injuries; however, complications leading to late closure conditions might arise. In these cases the wound must be left open, which greatly impacts the patient's life.

OBJECTIVE: The author aims to describe the experiences of individuals with a chronic OA wound.

METHODS: Qualitative design using grounded theory was utilized. This study was carried out with a group of 28 adults who were treated with OA technique and whose wound had remained open for more than a month in duration and only received outpatient wound care. Data were collected through open interviews and examined under continuous comparison. The average age of the respondents was 45 years, and their wound, treated with OA due to severe abdominal infection, remained open between 2 months and 8 years.

RESULTS: An emergent theory was developed to describe how people facing this experience undergo a process of 4 stages: 1) finding an OA wound upon waking, 2) feeling desperate about the healing process and the limitations involved, 3) regaining control of their life, and 4) taking advantage of their second chance at life with an OA wound.

CONCLUSION: This study provides insight for nurses and other health care professionals into the experiences of patients with a chronic OA wound and proposes an emerging theory based on the conceptualization of these experiences.