Current status of incidental surgery.

PURPOSE: Incidental surgery is a common occurrence in abdominal operations. This article is a review of recent publications on the safety and efficacy of such secondary procedures.

METHODS

A recent review of the literature as well as incorporation of some original data were conducted.

RESULTS

Incidental surgery is safe, but the indication should be clear in the surgeon's mind, including epidemiologic risk of disease in such organs as the gallbladder and appendix.

CONCLUSION

Factors that must be included into a decision to perform incidental surgery should be the age and general health of the patient, prognosis, setting of the original operation (emergency vs. nonemergency), and epidemiologic risk of disease when incidental surgery is performed prophylactically.