Emergency general surgery is linked to significant post-operative financial strain, with 9.1% of patients facing increased medical debt within a year.

• Patients with an income under $40,000 were nearly six times more likely to incur debt compared to those over $100,000 (15.2% vs. 2.7%).
• Uninsured patients had a 4.06-fold higher risk of increased debt compared to privately insured patients (29.5% vs. 7.3%).

Surgeons should consider the financial implications of surgery on vulnerable populations, focusing on patient demographics rather than treatment choices to address post-operative debt.