Higher Incidence Of Postoperative Pneumonia Research Articles

Impact of anesthesia type on surgical outcomes and medical complications in chronic subdural hematoma surgery

BackgroundsChronic Subdural Hematoma (CSDH) is common in elderly patients. Although general anesthesia (GA) has traditionally been used for CSDH surgeries, it may lead to postoperative complications, especially in older patients. We hypothesized that local anesthesia (LA) could reduce postoperative medical complications, including pneumonia, compared to GA. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study from 2015 to 2019, of medical records of CSDH patients from two hospitals in addition to a comprehensive literature review. Inclusion criteria were a new CSDH diagnoses and treatment with burr-hole craniostomy (BHC) and drain insertion. Patients with recent ipsilateral craniotomies were excluded. Clinical variables included demographics, comorbidities, hematoma characteristics, and post-operative outcomes. ResultsOf 383 eligible patients, 63 underwent BHC under LA (LA group), and 320 under GA (GA group). Both groups exhibited similar baseline characteristics, hematoma characteristics, and surgical outcomes, including postoperative CT findings and ICU stay duration. There was also no significant difference in postoperative bleeding events between the groups. Although patients in the GA group experienced a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (3.8 % vs 1.6 %), multivariate analysis revealed that the occurrence of pneumonia was associated with a history of lung disease and preoperative neurological status (OR 7.28, p = 0.018, OR 3.40, p < 0.001, respectively) rather than with the type of anesthesia used. ConclusionOur study suggests that the type of anesthesia does not influence postoperative surgical and medical outcomes, including pneumonia, which is the most common medical complication of BHC for CSDH. Rather, preoperative neurological status and underlying morbidities appear to be more closely related to postoperative medical complications. Future large, prospective studies are needed to validate our findings.

Early extubation after elective surgical aortic valve replacement during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundSurgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is an established therapy for severe calcific aortic stenosis. Enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery (ERACS) protocols have been shown to improve outcomes for elective cardiac procedures. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted early extubation post-elective surgeries to preserve critical care resources.Aim of this studyTo investigate the effects of extubating patients within 6 h post-elective SAVR on hospital and ICU length of stay, mortality rates, ICU readmissions, and postoperative pneumonia.Study Design and methodsThe retrospective analysis at the University Hospital Aachen, Germany, includes data from 2017 to 2022 and compares a total of 73 elective SAVR patients. Among these, 23 patients were extubated within 6 h (EXT group), while 50 patients remained intubated for over 6 h (INT group).ResultsThe INT group experienced longer postoperative ventilation, needed more vasopressor support, had a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia, and longer ICU length of stay. No significant differences were noted in overall hospital length of stay, mortality, or ICU readmission rates between the groups.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that early extubation in high-risk, multimorbid surgical aortic valve replacement patients is safe, and is associated with a reduction of pneumonia rates, and with shorter ICU and hospital length of stays, reinforcing the benefits of ERACS protocols, especially critical during the COVID-19 pandemic to optimize intensive care use.

Prognostic impact of pulmonary dysfunction in older gastric cancer patients

The influence of pulmonary dysfunction on postoperative outcomes in older patients with gastric cancer was assessed. In this retrospective study, 352 older patients (age ≥ 75 years) with gastric cancer who underwent preoperative spirometry and curative gastrectomy were enrolled. Of these patients, 200 underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy. Restrictive and obstructive pulmonary dysfunction were defined as percentage of vital capacity (%VC) < 80% and percent of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0%) < 70%, respectively. Twenty-six (7.3%) and 123 (34.9%) exhibited restrictive and obstructive pulmonary dysfunction, respectively. The low-%VC group showed a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (p = 0.018) while the low-FEV1.0% group did not (p = 0.677). Multivariate analysis identified a decreased %VC as a significant risk factor for postoperative pneumonia. However, this association was not observed in patients who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy. Concerning the long-term outcomes, restrictive dysfunction was a significant prognostic factor in older patients with gastric cancer who underwent either laparotomy or laparoscopy, whereas obstructive dysfunction did not. Restrictive pulmonary dysfunction increased the risk of postoperative pneumonia and had a negative prognostic effect in older patients with gastric cancer, whereas obstructive pulmonary dysfunction did not.

Impact of intraoperative fluid management on postoperative complications in patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer: a retrospective single-center study

BackgroundEsophagectomy is a high-risk procedure that can involve serious postoperative complications. There has been an increase in the number of minimally invasive esophagectomies (MIEs) being performed. However, the relationship between intraoperative management and postoperative complications in MIE remains unclear.MethodsAfter the institutional review board approval, we enrolled 300 patients who underwent MIE at Tohoku University Hospital between April 2016 and March 2021. The relationships among patient characteristics, intraoperative and perioperative factors, and postoperative complications were retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome was the relationship between intraoperative fluid volume and anastomotic leakage, and the secondary outcomes included the associations between other perioperative factors and postoperative complications.ResultsAmong 300 patients, 28 were excluded because of missing data; accordingly, 272 patients were included in the final analysis. The median [interquartile range] operative duration was 599 [545–682] minutes; total intraoperative infusion volume was 3,747 [3,038–4,399] mL; total infusion volume per body weight per hour was 5.48 [4.42–6.73] mL/kg/h; and fluid balance was + 2,648 [2,015–3,263] mL. The postoperative complications included anastomotic leakage in 68 (25%) patients, recurrent nerve palsy in 91 (33%) patients, pneumonia in 62 (23%) patients, cardiac arrhythmia in 13 (5%) patients, acute kidney injury in 5 (2%) patients, and heart failure in 5 (2%) patients. The Cochrane-Armitage trend test indicated significantly increased anastomotic leakage among patients with a relatively high total infusion volume (P = 0.0085). Moreover, anastomotic leakage was associated with male sex but not with peak serum lactate levels. Patients with a longer anesthesia duration or recurrent nerve palsy had a significantly higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia than those without. Further, the incidence of postoperative pneumonia was not associated with the operative duration, total infusion volume, or fluid balance. The operative duration and blood loss were related to the total infusion volume. Acute kidney injury was not associated with the total infusion volume or serum lactate levels.ConclusionsAmong patients who underwent MIE, the total infusion volume was positively correlated with the incidence of anastomotic leakage. Further, postoperative pneumonia was associated with recurrent nerve palsy but not total infusion volume or fluid balance.

Platelet-to-white blood cell ratio: A feasible predictor for unfavorable functional outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

This study aimed to identify the association between the platelet-to-white blood cell ratio (PWR) and outcomes in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Data for patients diagnosed with aSAH and admitted from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors that correlated with unfavorable outcomes at 3 months. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cut-off value for the PWR to discriminate favorable and unfavorable outcomes at 3 months. The patients were then divided into two groups based on this cut-off value. To reduce selection bias, propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance the baseline characteristics. In total, 800 patients were enrolled in this study. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the PWR (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–1.09; p = 0.034) at admission was independently associated with unfavorable 3-month outcomes. ROC curve analysis identified 15.69 as the best cut-off PWR value for predicting clinical outcomes. After PSM, patients with a PWR < 15.69 exhibited a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (POP) (37.2% vs. 25.6%, p = 0.011) and unfavorable 3-month outcomes (19.3% vs. 12.1%, p = 0.043). These findings suggest that patients with aSAH showing a PWR < 15.69 at admission have a higher probability of developing POP, which may be the main factor causing unfavorable outcomes at 3 months.

Preoperative hypokalemia can increase complications after colorectal cancer surgery: a propensity score matching analysis

BackgroundWhether hypokalemia can affect the short-term outcomes of CRC patients after radical surgery remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of preoperative hypokalemia on the short-term outcomes for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients who underwent radical CRC surgery using propensity score matching (PSM).MethodsWe retrospectively enrolled consecutive CRC patients from Jan 2011 to Dec 2021 in a single-center hospital. Hypokalemia was defined as a serum potassium concentration < 3.5 mmol/L. The short-term outcomes were compared between the hypokalemia group and the normal blood potassium group. In addition, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify independent risk factors for overall complications.ResultsA total of 6183 CRC patients who underwent radical surgery were included in this study, of whom 390 (6.3%) patients were diagnosed with hypokalemia before surgery. After 1:1 ratio PSM, there were 390 patients in the hypokalemia group and in the normal potassium group. No significant difference was found between the two groups after PSM in terms of baseline information (p > 0.05). Regarding short-term outcomes, the hypokalemia group had a longer hospital stay (p = 0.028), a higher proportion of overall complications (p = 0.048) and a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (p = 0.008) after PSM. Moreover, hypokalemia (p = 0.036, OR = 1.291, 95% CI = 1.017–1.639) was an independent risk factor for overall complications.ConclusionPreoperative hypokalemia could increase complications after CRC surgery and prolong the hospital stay. Moreover, preoperative hypokalemia was an independent risk factor for overall complications.

Impact of Frailty on Postoperative Dysphagia in Patients Undergoing Elective Cardiovascular Surgery

Postextubation dysphagia (PED) is a serious postoperative complication following cardiovascular surgery that can lead to a worse prognosis. On the other hand, frailty is a prognostic factor in patients who undergo cardiac surgery. This study investigated the effect of frailty status on PED and impact of PED on postoperative complications. This single-center retrospective cohort study included 644 consecutive patients who underwent elective cardiovascular surgery between May 1, 2014, and December 31, 2020; they were assigned to the PED or non-PED group based on postoperative swallowing status, and postoperative complications were investigated. Frailty status and physical functions, including walking speed, grip strength, Short Physical Performance Battery, and 6-minute walking distance, were preoperatively assessed; the frailty-status cutoff for predicting PED was determined from the receiver-operating characteristic curve. In this study cohort (mean age 67.7 years), the overall PED prevalence was 14.8%; preoperative frailty had a significantly higher prevalence in the PED group (50.0%) than in the non-PED group (20.3%; P< 0.001). PED correlated with a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia and prolonged intensive care unit or hospital stay (P< 0.05 for all). After adjustment for confounders, multiple regression analysis revealed that preoperative frailty was independently associated with PED (P< 0.001). PED occurred commonly after cardiovascular surgery and increased the risk of postoperative complications. Preoperative frailty was independently associated with PED. The 6-minute walking distance was the most powerful predictor of PED. Evaluation of preoperative frailty status is important for risk stratification and prevention of postoperative morbidity in patients undergoing surgery.

Cigarette smoking and complications in elective thoracolumbar fusions surgery: An analysis of 58,304 procedures.

ABSTRACTStudy Design:This was retrospective cohort study.Purpose:The current investigation uses a large, multi-institutional dataset to compare short-term morbidity and mortality rates between current smokers and nonsmokers undergoing thoracolumbar fusion surgery.Overview of Literature:The few studies that have addressed perioperative complications following thoracolumbar fusion surgeries are each derived from small cohorts from single institutions.Materials and Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on thoracolumbar fusion patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2006–2016). The primary outcome compared the rates of overall morbidity, severe postoperative morbidity, infections, pneumonia, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), transfusions, and mortality in smokers and nonsmokers.Results:A total of 57,677 patients were identified. 45,952 (78.8%) were nonsmokers and 12,352 (21.2%) smoked within 1 year of surgery. Smokers had fewer severe complications (1.6% vs. 2.0%, P = 0.014) and decreased discharge to skilled nursing facilities (6.3% vs. 11.5%, P < 0.001) compared to nonsmokers. They had lower incidences of transfusions (odds ratio [OR] = 0.9, confidence interval [CI] = 0.8–1.0, P = 0.009) and DVT (OR = 0.7, CI = 0.5–0.9, P = 0.039) as well as shorter length of stay (LOS) (OR = 0.9, CI = 0.9–0.99, P < 0.001). They had a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (OR = 1.4, CI = 1.1–1.8, P = 0.002). There was no difference in the remaining primary outcomes between smoking and nonsmoking cohorts.Conclusions:There is a positive correlation between smoking and postoperative pneumonia after thoracolumbar fusion. The incidence of blood transfusions, DVT, and LOS was decreased in smokers. Early postoperative mortality, severe complications, discharge to subacute rehabilitation facilities, extubation failure, PE, SSI, and return to OR were not associated with smoking.

753 Should Mini-Sternotomy Be Favoured Over Conventional Full-Sternotomy Approach in Aortic Valve Replacement

Abstract Aim In view of the increasing interest in Upper mini-sternotomy (UMS) as an alternative approach for conventional full sternotomy AVR (FS), we aimed to compare early and mid-term results between UMS and Full-sternotomy AVR. Method This is a retrospective study of 231 patients who had aortic valve replacement via upper mini sternotomy (UMS) compared with 231 patients had their AVR via full sternotomy (FS). Baseline characteristics, operative and postoperative outcomes were compared. Patients’ data are presented as median (interquartile range) or as percentages. Results The two groups were almost comparable in terms of preoperative characteristics. Though patients with age &amp;gt;80 were more in UMS AVR group (11.25% vs 8.6%), this was statistically insignificant (p &amp;gt; 0.05). Females were significantly more in UMS AVR group (104 vs 66, p &amp;lt; 0.05), as well as in high BMI patients (120 vs 89, p &amp;lt; 0.05). There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality( 0.43%vs 2.2%, P &amp;gt; 0.05) between the two groups, as well as in cardiopulmonary bypass time (109 vs 103 min, p &amp;gt; 0.05), aortic cross-clamping time (82 vs 83 min, p &amp;gt; 0.05) and the duration of operation(218 vs 213, p &amp;gt; 0.05).Results showed no significant difference in the incidence of major and minor postoperative complications apart from FS AVR patients had a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia ( 2.1% vs 10.4 %, p &amp;lt; 0.05). Conclusions UMS AVR are more commonly used in females and high BMI patients. Our results show that UMS AVR is a safe alternative approach for aortic valve surgery revealing comparable early and midterm results to conventional FS AVR.

Impact of Bedside Re-Explorations in a Cardiovascular Surgery Intensive Care Unit Led by Surgeons.

Surgical re-explorations represent 3–5% of all cardiac surgery. Concerns regarding mortality and major morbidity of re-explorations in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting exist. We sought to investigate whether they may have different outcomes compared with those performed in the operating room (OR). Single center retrospective review of patients who underwent mediastinal re-exploration in the ICU or in the OR after cardiac surgery. Mediastinal re-explorations were also classified as: “planned” and “unplanned”. Primary outcome was 30-day mortality, secondary outcomes include deep sternal wound infection (DSWI), sepsis, ICU and hospital length of stay, prolonged intubation (>72 h), tracheostomy, pneumonia, acute kidney injury requiring dialysis and stroke. Between 2010 and 2019, 195 of 7263 patients (2.7%) underwent mediastinal re-exploration after cardiac surgery. More patients in the ICU group experienced two or more re-explorations (30.3% vs. 2.3%, p < 0.001), a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (22% vs. 7%, p = 0.004), prolonged intubation (46.8% vs. 19.8%, p < 0.001) and longer hospital stay (30.3 ± 34.2 vs. 20.8 ± 18.3 days, p = 0.014). There were no differences in mortality between ICU and OR (16.5% vs. 13.9%, p = 0.24) nor in sepsis (14.7% vs. 7%, p = 0.91) and DSWI rates (1.8% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.14). Re-explorations in the ICU were not associated with increased mortality, sepsis and mediastinitis rate.

Preoperative Dependent Functional Status Is Associated With Poor Outcomes After Carotid Endarterectomy and Carotid Stenting in Both Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Patients

BackgroundBoth Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are the most common procedures to treat patients with symptomatic, and asymptomatic high-grade carotid stenosis. Poor preoperative functional status (FS) is increasingly being recognized as predictor for postoperative outcomes. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of preoperative functional status on the outcomes of patients who undergo CEA or CAS. MethodsData was obtained from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database from the years 2011–2018. All patients in the database who underwent CEA or CAS during this time period were identified. Patients were then further divided into 2 subgroups: FS-Independent and FS-dependent. Bivariate and multivariate analyses was performed for pre, intra and post-operative variables with functional status. Outcomes for treatment of symptomatic carotid disease were compared to those with asymptomatic disease among the cohort of functionally dependent patients. ResultsA total of 27,163 patients (61.2% Males, 38.8% Females) underwent CEA (n = 26,043) or CAS (n = 1,120) from 2011–2018. Overall, primary outcomes were as follows: mortality 0.77% (n = 210) and stroke 1.87% (n = 507).Risk adjusted multivariate analysis showed that FS-D patients undergoing CEA had higher mortality (AOR 3.06, CI 1.90–4.92, P < 0.001), longer operative times (AOR 1.36, CI 1.17–1.58, P< 0.001) higher incidence of unplanned reoperation (AOR 1.68, CI 1.19–2.37, P = 0.003), postoperative pneumonia (AOR 5.43, CI 1.62 – 18.11, P = 0.006) and ≥3 day LOS (AOR 3.05, CI 2.62–3.56, P < 0.001) as compared to FS-I patients. FS-D patients undergoing CAS had higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (AOR 20.81, CI 1.66–261.54, P = 0.019) and higher incidence of LOS ≥3 days (AOR 2.18, CI 1.21–3.93, P < .01) as compared to FS-I patients. Survival analysis showed that the best 30-day survival was observed in FS-I patients undergoing CEA, followed by FS-I patients undergoing CAS, followed by FS-D patients undergoing CEA, followed by FS-D patients undergoing CAS. FS-D status increased mortality after CEA by 2.11%. When the outcomes of CAS and CEA were compared to each other for the cohort of FS-D patients, CAS was associated with higher incidence of stroke (AOR 3.46, CI 0.32–1.97, P= 0.046), shorter operative times (AOR 0.25, CI 0.12–0.52, P < 0.001) and higher incidence of pneumonia (AOR 11.29, CI 1.32–96.74, P = 0.027). Symptomatic patientsundergoing CEA had higher LOS as compared to symptomatic patients undergoing CAS, and asymptomatic patients undergoing CEA or CAS. ConclusionsFS-D patients, undergoing CEA have higher mortality as compared to FS-I patients undergoing CAS. FS-D patients undergoing CAS have higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia and longer LOS as compared to FS-I patients. For the cohort of FS-D patients undergoing either CEA or CAS, CAS was associated with higher risk of stroke and reduced operative times. Risk benefit ratio for any carotid intervention should be carefully assessed before offering it to FS-D patients.Preoperative Dependent Functional Status Is Associated with Poor Outcomes After Carotid Endarterectomy and Carotid Stenting in Both Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Patients

Airflow Limitation Predicts Postoperative Pneumonia after Esophagectomy.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is known to be a risk factor of pneumonia after esophagectomy. In this study, we investigated the relationship of airflow limitation with the occurrence and the severity of pneumonia in esophageal cancer patients who underwent esophagectomy. We enrolled 844 patients who underwent curative esophagectomy between 2009 and 2018. The airflow limitation was evaluated using the percent-predicted forced expiratory volume at 1s (%FEV1) with spirometry. There were 597 (70.7%), 141 (16.7%), 68 (8.1%), and 38 patients (4.5%) with %FEV1 of ≥ 90%, 80-90%, 70-80%, and < 70% categories, respectively. One hundred and ninety-one patients (22.6%) occurred pneumonia, and the incidences of pneumonia in each category of patients were 18.8%, 28.4%, 29.4%, and 50.0%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the categories of 80%-90%, 70-80%, and < 70% were significantly associated with a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.02-2.43, OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.04-3.36, OR 3.34; 95% CI 1.66-6.71, respectively), with the %FEV1 category of ≥ 90% as reference. The incidence of severe pneumonia of Clavien-Dindo grade III or higher was also significantly associated with the %FEV1. In patients without COPD, the incidence of pneumonia was significantly higher in those with %FEV1 < 90% than in those with %FEV1 ≥ 90% (32.2% versus 17.5%, p < 0.001). The airflow limitation can help predict the occurrence of pneumonia after esophagectomy in patients with and without COPD. Exclusive preventive measures should be considered in patients with reduced %FEV1 undergoing esophagectomy.

Prevalence and resource utilization for vocal fold paralysis/paresis after esophagectomy.

Vocal fold paralysis/paresis (VFP) is an uncommon but serious complication following esophagectomy. The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify the prevalence of VFP and associated complications after esophagectomy in the United States, and 2) determine the utilization and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery/speech-language pathology (OHNS/SLP) and predictors of such utilization in the management of these patients. Retrospective database analysis. The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) represents a 20% stratified sample of discharges from US hospitals. Using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes, patients undergoing esophagectomy between 2008 and 2013 were identified in the NIS. Subcohorts of patients with VFP and OHNS/SLP utilization were also identified. Weighted logistic regression models were used to compare binary outcomes such as complications; generalized linear models were used to compare total hospital charges and length of stay (LOS). We studied 10,896 discharges, representing a weighted estimate of 52,610 patients undergoing esophagectomy. The incidence of VFP after esophagectomy was 1.96%. Compared to those without VFP, patients with VFP had a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia, more medical complications, and were more likely to undergo tracheostomy; hospital charges and LOS were also higher. Of the patients with VFP, 35.0% received OHNS/SLP intervention. VFP after esophagectomy is associated with postoperative complications, prolonged LOS, and higher hospital costs. OHNS/SLP intervention occurred in roughly one-third of postesophagectomy VFP patients, suggesting there may be opportunities for enhanced evaluation and management of these patients. 4 Laryngoscope, 128:2815-2822, 2018.

The impact of low body mass index on postoperative outcomes in pancreatectomy patients: a retrospective analysis of Japanese administrative data.

To comparatively examine in-hospital mortality among different underweight body mass index (BMI) categories in pancreatic cancer patients after pancreatectomy in Japan. We conducted a large-scale multi-center retrospective cohort study of adult patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent pancreatectomy between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2016. Patients were classified according to BMI as follows: normal BMI (18.50-24.99kg/m2), mild thinness (17.00-18.49kg/m2), moderate thinness (16.00-16.99kg/m2), and severe thinness (< 16.00kg/m2). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed with in-hospital mortality as the dependent variable and BMI groups as the main independent variable of interest. We analyzed 6173 patients from 332 hospitals. The results showed that the severe thinness group had a longer postoperative hospital stay (34.4 ± 25.6 days) and higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (5.5%) than the other groups. The generalized estimating equations accounted for patient demographics, surgical procedure, anesthetic technique, activities of daily living score, and Charlson comorbidity index as covariates. Relative to the normal BMI group, the odds ratios for in-hospital mortality were 0.57 (95% confidence interval: 0.26-1.24; P = 0.16) in the mild thinness group, 1.49 (0.64-3.48; P = 0.36) in the moderate thinness group, and 2.54 (1.05-6.08; P = 0.04) in the severe thinness group. Severe thinness was significantly associated with a higher risk of mortality, and extremely low BMI should be considered a risk factor in pancreatectomy patients.

Clinical significance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients undergoing elective total arch replacement: analysis based on the Japan Adult Cardiovascular Surgery Database.

We investigated the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing conventional total aortic arch replacement (TAR), based on the Japan Adult Cardiovascular Surgery Database. A total of 12 590 patients who underwent elective TAR between 2008 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into 4 categories: normal respiratory function (control), with ratio of forced expiratory volume of air in 1 s (FEV 1 ) to forced vital capacity (FVC) of 76% or greater (TAR, n = 10 040); mild COPD, with FEV 1 /FVC ratio 60-75% and/or use of bronchodilator (TAR, n = 1890); moderate COPD, FEV 1 /FVC ratio 50 to 59% and/or use of steroids (TAR, n = 504); and severe COPD, FEV 1 /FVC ratio less than 50% and/or presence of respiratory failure (TAR, n = 156). In-hospital mortality was 5.7% (5.2% in controls, 7.0% in mild COPD, 9.3% in moderate COPD and 9.0% in severe COPD). A significant trend towards the severity of COPD was noted ( P < 0.0001). A higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (6.0% in control, 11.0% in mild COPD, 12.3% in moderate COPD and 15.4% in severe COPD; P < 0.0001) and a greater need for prolonged ventilation (17.5% in control, 22.0% in mild COPD, 26.6% in moderate COPD and 29.5% in severe COPD; P < 0.0001) were observed in cases of more severe COPD. The odds ratio of moderate/severe COPD for in-hospital mortality was 1.44 with confidence interval of 1.08-1.91 ( P = 0.012). There was a significant increase in in-hospital mortality and morbidity with increasing severity of COPD in patients who underwent TAR.

Morbidity and mortality after use of iliac conduits for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair

Although placement of an open iliac conduit for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) is generally felt to result in higher morbidity and mortality, published literature is scarce. Our objective was to assess 30-day outcomes after elective EVAR with an open iliac conduit using a multi-institutional database. Patients who underwent elective EVAR (n = 14,339) for abdominal aortic aneurysm were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program 2005 to 2011 database. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. An open iliac conduit was used in 231 patients (1.6%), and the remainder had femoral exposure or percutaneous EVAR. Women comprised 32% of patients with iliac conduits in contrast to 17% of those without iliac conduits. Patients with iliac conduits were older and had a lower body mass index. Univariable analysis showed patients with open iliac conduits had a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia (3.0% vs 1.1%), ventilator dependence (4.8% vs 1.0%), renal failure (3.0% vs 0.7%), cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction (5.2% vs 1.1%), return to the operating room (9.1% vs 3.7%), major morbidity (16.0 vs 6.6%), and death (3.0% vs 0.9%). On multivariable analysis, the use of open iliac conduits was associated with higher risk of 30-day mortality (odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-6.0) and 30-day major morbidity (odds ratio, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-3.3). Patients with open iliac conduits for EVAR are more likely to be female and have higher postoperative morbidity and mortality. For patients with complex iliac artery disease, conduits are a viable alternative after EVAR to be performed, albeit at an increased risk. These data do suggest the need for lower-profile grafts and other alternative strategies for navigating complex iliac artery disease.

Delayed gastric emptying after esophagectomy for malignancy.

Controversy still exists about the need for pyloric drainage procedures after esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction. Although pyloric drainage may prevent postoperative delayed gastric emptying (DGE), it may also promote dumping syndrome and bile reflux. The aims of this study were to audit the incidence and management of DGE in patients without routine pyloric drainage after esophagectomy in a university medical center. From July 2006 to June 2012, data from 356 consecutive patients who underwent esophagectomy with a gastric conduit without pyloric drainage for esophageal or gastric cardia carcinoma were reviewed. Major observation parameters were the incidence, management, and outcomes of DGE. Overall incidence of DGE was 15.7% (56 of 356). Early DGE developed in 26 patients, and late DGE developed in 30 patients. There were no differences in demographic and intraoperative data between the two groups with or without DGE. More DGE was documented in patients with an intra-right thoracic gastric conduit (P=.031). A higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia was observed in patients exhibiting early DGE, but without significance (P=.254). There were also no significant impacts on respiratory failure (P=.848) and anastomotic leakage (P=.257). There was an increased postoperative hospital stay with DGE, but without significance (P=.089). Endoscopic balloon dilatation of the pylorus was used to manage 33.9% of patients with DGE, yielding a 78.9% (15 of 19) success rate without complications. In 3 patients endoscopy showed the pylorus was open, and their symptoms improved over time. One patient with tumor-related DGE was treated by pyloric stent. The remaining patients were adequately treated with conservative management. Omitting the operative drainage procedure does not lead to an increased frequency of DGE after esophagectomy with a gastric conduit. Many patients responded to conservative management, and endoscopic balloon pyloric dilatation can be effective in managing the DGE postoperatively.

Impact of previous gastrectomy on postoperative pneumonia after pulmonary resection in lung cancer patients

Postoperative pneumonia is a serious complication following pulmonary resection. Aspiration of oesophageal reflux contents is known to cause pulmonary complications in patients with a history of gastrectomy. In this study, we compared the incidence of postoperative pneumonia in patients with or without previous gastrectomy. A retrospective review was conducted of clinical charts for patients who underwent radical pulmonary resection for non-small cell lung cancer from January 2006 to December 2010. Pneumonia was diagnosed with chest computed tomography findings in all cases. A total of 333 patients underwent pulmonary resections during the study period. Twenty-seven patients (8.1%) had a history of gastrectomy. Eight patients (2.2%) had postoperative pneumonia. All eight patients who developed postoperative pneumonia did not have pneumonia before pulmonary resection. Of the aforementioned 27 patients, five (18.5%) developed pneumonia postoperatively, whereas only three of 325 patients who did not have a history of gastrectomy (0.9%) had pneumonia (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, a history of gastrectomy had the highest impact on the odds ratio (8.81) for postoperative pneumonia. A significantly higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia was found in patients with a history of gastrectomy. Prophylactic treatment, such as premedication with ranitidine, should be considered in those patients.

Effect of CD4+ T-lymphocyte count on hospital outcome of elective general thoracic surgery patients with human immunodeficiency virus

Traditionally, the chief surgical indicator for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients was the CD4-positive T-lymphocyte count; however, there is no current consensus. Reports published after 2006 indicated that HIV-infected patients had a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia and higher 12-month mortality rates. In addition, CD4 counts had no relation to the in-hospital outcome. Therefore, we retrospectively examined all of the previous patients who underwent operations in our department on the basis of these findings. Regardless of the initiation of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), we retrospectively reviewed 10 general thoracic surgeries performed in our department according to the CD4 cell count, HIV-ribonucleic acid (RNA) viral load, time of HAART initiation, operating time, amount of blood, postoperative course, and period of observation. There was no incidence of postoperative pneumonia or wound infection. There were also no complications during the perioperative period. One patient died 7 months after surgery. Our retrospective study demonstrates that the indicator for elective general thoracic surgery is not the CD4-positive T-lymphocyte count and that the initiation of HAART may reduce the 12-month mortality rates. In HIV-positive patients, regardless of the CD4-positive T-lymphocyte count, surgeons can operate in the same manner as they would with HIV-negative patients.