Even modest hypoalbuminemia affects outcomes of colorectal surgery patients

Risk of venous thromboembolism and arterial events in patients with hypoalbuminemia: a comprehensive meta-analysis of more than 2 million patients

BACKGROUND

Albumin has antiplatelet and anticoagulant functions. Hypoalbuminemia, as defined by serum values of <3.5 g/dL, is associated with arterial thrombosis; its impact on venous thromboembolism (VTE) is unclear.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this meta-analysis is to assess the VTE risk in patients with hypoalbuminemia.

METHODS

MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched up to January 2024 for observational studies and randomized trials reporting data of interest. Primary outcome was the risk of VTE, while secondary outcomes were myocardial infarction and stroke risk in patients with hypoalbuminemia versus those without hypoalbuminemia. The risk of bias was evaluated using Newcastle-Ottawa scale and Cochrane tool. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated in a random-effects model.

RESULTS

Forty-three studies for a total of 2 531 091 patients (39 738 medical and 2 491 353 surgical) were included in primary analysis; 79.1% of the studies used 3.5 g/dL cut-off value for hypoalbuminemia definition. Follow-up duration was 30 days in 60.5% of studies. Patients with hypoalbuminemia had a higher risk of VTE (RR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.66-2.13). RRs were similar in both medical (RR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.53-2.27) and surgical patients (RR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.61-2.16) and in patients with (RR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.66-2.10) and without cancer (RR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.47-2.44). Risk of myocardial infarction (RR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.54-2.31) and stroke (RR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.26-2.48) was higher in patients with hypoalbuminemia.

CONCLUSION

Hypoalbuminemia is a risk factor for VTE in both medical and surgical patients irrespective of cancer coexistence. Serum albumin analysis may represent a simple and cheap tool to identify patients at VTE risk.

Impact of Preoperative Neutrophil to Prealbumin Ratio Index (NPRI) on Short-Term Complications and Long-Term Prognosis in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Radical Surgery for Colorectal Cancer

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the impact and predictive value of the preoperative NPRI on short-term complications and long-term prognosis in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical surgery for colorectal cCancer (CRC).

Methods

A total of 302 eligible CRC patients were included, assessing five inflammation-and nutrition-related markers and various clinical features for their predictive impact on postoperative outcomes. Emphasis was on the novel indicator NPRI to elucidate its prognostic and predictive value for perioperative risks.

Results

Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified a history of abdominal surgery, prolonged surgical duration, CEA levels ≥5 ng/mL, and NPRI ≥ 3.94 × 10-2 as independent risk factors for postoperative complications in CRC patients. The Clavien--Dindo complication grading system highlighted the close association between preoperative NPRI and both common and severe complications. Multivariate analysis also identified a history of abdominal surgery, tumor diameter ≥5 cm, poorly differentiated or undifferentiated tumors, and NPRI ≥ 2.87 × 10-2 as independent risk factors for shortened overall survival (OS). Additionally, a history of abdominal surgery, tumor maximum diameter ≥5 cm, tumor differentiation as poor/undifferentiated, NPRI ≥ 2.87 × 10-2, and TNM Stage III were determined as independent risk factors for shortened disease-free survival (DFS). Survival curve results showed significantly higher 5-year OS and DFS in the low NPRI group compared to the high NPRI group. The incorporation of NPRI into nomograms for OS and DFS, validated through calibration and decision curve analyses, attested to the excellent accuracy and practicality of these models.

Conclusion

Preoperative NPRI independently predicts short-term complications and long-term prognosis in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery, enhancing predictive accuracy when incorporated into nomograms for patient survival.

Preoperative Frailty and Malnutrition in Surgical Oncology Patients Predicts Higher Postoperative Adverse Events and Worse Survival: Results of a Blinded, Prospective Trial

BACKGROUND

Frailty, a multidimensional state leading to reduced physiologic reserve, is associated with worse postoperative outcomes. Despite the availability of various frailty tools, surgeons often make subjective assessments of patients' ability to tolerate surgery. The Risk Analysis Index (RAI) is a validated preoperative frailty assessment tool that has not been studied in cancer patients with plans for curative-intent surgery.

METHODS

In this prospective, surgeon-blinded study, patients who had abdominal malignancy with plans for resection underwent preoperative frailty assessment with the RAI and nutrition assessment by measurement of albumin, prealbumin, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Postoperative outcomes and survival were assessed.

RESULTS

The study included 220 patients, 158 (72%) of whom were considered frail (RAI ≥21). Frail patients were more likely to be readmitted within 30 and 90 days, (16% vs. 3% [P = 0.006] and 16% vs. 5% [P = 0.025], respectively). Patients with abnormal CRP, prealbumin, and albumin experienced higher rates of unplanned intensive care unit admission (CRP [27% vs. 8%; P < 0.001], albumin [30% vs. 10%; P < 0.001], prealbumin [29% vs. 9%; P < 0.001]) and increased postoperative mortality at 90 and 180 days. Survival was similar for frail and non-frail patients. In the multivariate analysis, frailty remained an independent risk factor for readmission (hazard ratio, 5.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.39-22.15; P = 0.015). In the post hoc analysis using the pre-cancer RAI score, the postoperative outcomes did not differ between the frail and non-frail patients.

CONCLUSION

In conjunction with preoperative markers of nutrition, the RAI may be used to identify patients who may benefit from additional preoperative risk stratification and increased postoperative follow-up evaluation.

Gastrıc cancer surgery in elderly patients: promising results from a mid-western population

BACKGROUNDS

Extended resection for gastric cancer in elderly patients is still challenging for surgeons. This study aimed to evaluate the prognosis and the postoperative outcomes of elderly patients underwent gastric cancer surgery in a high-volume center.

METHODS

The medical records of patients with gastric cancer surgery at Marmara University Hospital's General Surgery Department were examined retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups: Age ≤ 70 and Age > 70. The clinicopathological data of the patients were compared. The prognostic factors regarding gastric cancer surgery were analyzed with Cox proportional regression models. Kaplan Meier analysis and log-rank test were used to compare Overall Survival (OS) and Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS) among the groups. Competing risk regression analysis was used to examine cause-specific hazards among elderly patients.

RESULTS

The number of eligible patients was 250. Age > 70 group was 68 patients, and Age ≤ 70 group was 182 patients. There is no significant difference between the patient's demographics or pathological outcomes. Neoadjuvant therapies performed less in elderly patients [40 (22%) vs. 7 (10%), p: 0.03, respectively]. There was no significant difference in severe complication (≥ Grade III) rates in both groups. Multivariate analysis showed that advanced T stage and adjacent organ invasion were the independent risk factors for OS. No significant difference was observed between the groups regarding OS (Log Rank (Mantel-Cox): 0.102). Younger patients have worse CSS than those who are older. Cause-specific hazard model demonstrated a not increased hazard ratio [HR: 1.04(0.78-1.38)] for elderly patients for OS and CSS.

CONCLUSION

Gastric resections can be safely performed for elderly patients diagnosed with gastric cancer. This study showed that growing age is no longer a factor that will affect the clinician's decision in performing surgery in gastric cancer patients.

A novel scoring system for the early detection of anastomotic leakage: bedside leak score-a pilot study

Background

Anastomotic leakage is a major complication in colorectal surgery, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality rates. Despite substantial progress in surgical technique, anastomotic leakage rates remain stable. An early diagnosis of anastomotic leaks was proven to reduce adverse outcomes and improve survival.

Objective

This study aims to find a novel scoring system for detecting anastomotic leaks using inflammatory and nutritional indicators after colorectal surgery. Our purpose was to analyze the diagnostic accuracy of leak scores ( ( CRP POD 3 ) ( CRP POD 1 ) ∗ preoperative albumin level ) in predicting postoperative complications.

Design

The study included colorectal cancer patients who underwent curative surgery at Koc University Hospital between 2014 and 2018. Patients were categorized into two groups depending on the presence of anastomotic leaks and compared in terms of preoperative albumin levels, CRP levels in postoperative days 1 and 3, anastomotic leakage rates, length of hospital stay, and CRP quotient, which was calculated by dividing POD 3 CRP level to POD 1 CRP level. The bedside leak score is calculated by dividing the CRP quotient by the preoperative albumin level. The predictive value of bedside leak score, CRP quotient, and preoperative albumin levels in estimating anastomotic leakage was analyzed, and a cutoff value for the leak score was calculated.

Results

A total of 184 patients were included in the study. The leak score, CRP POD 3-1 ratio, and preoperative albumin levels were found to successfully detect anastomotic leakage. The area under the curve for the leak score was calculated as 0.78. The optimal cutoff value was found to be 50.3 for the bedside leak score, which shows 90.9% sensitivity and 59.3% specificity.

Conclusion

The leak score may represent a valuable diagnostic tool for detecting patients at risk for anastomotic leakage after colorectal surgery and planning a better strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality rates and associated costs. However, further multicenter studies with large cohorts are necessary to confirm these results.

Is preoperative sarcopenia associated with postoperative complications after pelvic exenteration surgery?

PURPOSE

Pelvic exenteration (PE) involves radical surgical resection of pelvic organs and is associated with considerable morbidity. Sarcopenia is recognised as a predictor of poor surgical outcomes. This study aimed to determine if preoperative sarcopenia is associated with postoperative complications after PE surgery.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients who underwent PE with an available preoperative CT scan between May 2008 and November 2022 at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and St. Andrews Hospital in South Australia. Total Psoas Area Index (TPAI) was estimated by measuring the cross-sectional area of the psoas muscles at the level of the third lumbar vertebra on abdominal CT, normalised for patient height. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on gender-specific TPAI cut-off values. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for major postoperative complications with a Clavien-Dindo (CD) grade ≥ 3.

RESULTS

In total, 128 patients who underwent PE were included, 90 of whom formed the non-sarcopenic group (NSG) and 38 the sarcopenic group (SG). Major postoperative complications (CD grade ≥ 3) occurred in 26 (20.3%) patients. There was no detectable association with sarcopenia and an increased risk of major postoperative complications. Preoperative hypoalbuminemia (P = 0.01) and a prolonged operative time (P = 0.002) were significantly associated with a major postoperative complication on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia is not a predictor of major postoperative complications in patients undergoing PE surgery. Further efforts aimed specifically at optimising preoperative nutrition may be warranted.

Perioperative Nutritional Considerations in Colon and Rectal Surgery

Malnutrition is common in surgical patients and is associated with substantially increased morbidity and mortality. Dedicated assessment of nutritional status is advised by major nutrition and surgical societies. Assessment may utilize comprehensive and validated nutritional assessment tools or targeted history, physical examination with accompanying serologic markers to identify nutritional risk preoperatively. Emergent surgery in malnourished patients should proceed as the clinical situation dictates with consideration of ostomy or primary anastomosis with proximal fecal diversion to mitigate postoperative infectious complications. Nonemergent surgery should be delayed to facilitate nutritional optimization via oral nutritional supplementation preferably and total parenteral nutrition if necessary for at least 7 to 14 days. Exclusive enteral nutrition may be considered to optimize nutritional status and inflammation in patients with Crohn's disease. Immunonutrition use in the preoperative setting is not supported by evidence. Perioperative and postoperative immunonutrition may be of benefit but requires dedicated study in the contemporary era. Close attention to preoperative nutritional status and optimization represents a critical opportunity to improve outcomes in patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Relative decline in serum albumin help to predict anastomotic leakage for female patients following sphincter-preserving rectal surgery

BACKGROUND

Patients with normal preoperative serum albumin still suffer from a significant reduction in serum albumin after major abdominal surgery. The current study aims to explore the predictive value of ∆ALB for AL in patients with normal serum albumin and examine whether there is a gender difference in the prediction of AL.

METHODS

Medical reports of consecutive patients undergoing elective sphincter-preserving rectal surgery between July 2010 and June 2016 were reviewed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was adopted to examine the predictive ability of ∆ALB and determine the cut-off value according to the Youden index. The logistic regression model was performed identify independent risk factors for AL.

RESULTS

Out of the 499 eligible patients, 40 experienced AL. Results of the ROC analyses showed that ΔALB displayed a significant predictive value for females, and the AUC value was 0.675 (P = 0.024), with a sensitivity of 93%. In male patients, the AUC was 0.575 (P = 0.22), but did not reach a significant level. In the multivariate analysis, ∆ALB ≥ 27.2% and low tumor location prove to be independent risk factors for AL in female patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study suggested that there may be a gender difference in the prediction of AL and ∆ ALB can serve as a potential predictive biomarker for AL in females. A cut-off value of the relative decline in serum albumin can help predict AL in female patients as early as postoperative day 2. Although our study needs further external validation, our findings may provide an earlier, easier and cheaper biomarker for the detection of AL.

Laparoscopic versus open Hartmann reversal: a propensity score matching analysis

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to compare the short-term outcomes between laparoscopic Hartmann reversal (LHR) and open Hartmann reversal (OHR) in patients who had undergone Hartmann surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

The patients who underwent Hartmann reversal (HR) at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from Jun 2013 to Jun 2022 were retrospectively enrolled. The LHR group and the OHR group were compared using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 89 patients who underwent Hartmann reversal (HR) were enrolled in this study. There were 48 (53.9%) patients in the LHR group and 41 (46.1%) patients in the OHR group. After 1:1 ratio PSM, no difference in baseline information remained (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in operation time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative complications (p > 0.05) before and after PSM. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, pre-operative albumin < 42.0 g/L was an independent risk factor (p = 0.013 < 0.05, OR = 0.248, 95% CI = 0.083-0.741) for the HR-related complications; however, LHR/OHR was not a predictive risk factor (p = 0.663, OR = 1.250, 95% CI = 0.500-3.122).

CONCLUSION

Based on the current evidence, although there was no difference in short-term prognosis, LHR still had some advantages considering that it was less invasive to the patient.

Safety and Efficacy of a First-Line Chemotherapy Tailored by G8 Score in Elderly Metastatic or Locally Advanced Gastric and Gastro-Esophageal Cancer Patients: A Real-World Analysis

Introduction: Gastric (GC) and gastro-esophageal cancer (GEC) are common neoplasms in the elderly. However, in clinical practice, the correct strategy for elderly patients who might benefit from chemotherapy (CT) is unknown. Prospective data are still poor. In this context, we performed a retrospective analysis of GC patients aged ≥75 years and treated at our institutions. Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 90 patients with confirmed metastatic GC or GEC, treated with an upfront CT. Inclusion criteria were patients aged ≥75 years, PS 0−2, normal bone marrow/liver/renal function and no major comorbidities. All patients received a G8 score, and some patients with G8 ≤14 received a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). The primary goal was to perform a safety evaluation based on the incidence of adverse events (AE), and the secondary goal was to determine the efficacy (PFS and OS). The chi-square test and the Kaplan−Meier method were used to estimate the outcomes. The statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: Toxicity rates were quite low: G1/G2 (51.1%) and G3/G4 (25.5%). No toxic deaths were reported. The median PFS was 6.21 months and the median OS 11 months. The G8 score and PS ECOG significantly influenced both PFS and OS. A statistically significant correlation among G8, weight loss, hypoalbuminemia and risk of G3/G4 adverse events was also found. Conclusion: Our research on selected elderly patients did not detect broad differences of efficacy and tolerability compared to a young population. Our study, although retrospective and small-sized, showed that G8 score might be an accurate tool to identify elderly GC/GEC patients who could be safely treated with CT, further recognizing patients who could receive a doublet CT and who may require a single agent chemotherapy or a baseline dose reduction.

Preoperative C-reactive protein to albumin ratio predicts anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer: a single-center retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative anastomotic leakage (AL) is associated with not only prolonged hospital stay and increased medical costs, but also poor prognosis in esophageal cancer. Several studies have addressed the utility of various inflammation-based and/or nutritional markers as predictors for postoperative complications. However, none have been documented as specific predictors for AL in esophageal cancer. We aimed to identify predictors of AL after esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer, focusing on preoperative inflammation-based and/or nutritional markers.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 295 patients who underwent radical esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma between June 2007 and July 2020. As inflammation-based and/or nutritional markers, Onodera prognostic nutritional index, C-reactive protein (CRP)-to-albumin ratio (CAR) and modified Glasgow prognostic score were investigated. Optimal cut-off values of inflammation-based and/or nutritional markers for AL were determined by receiver operating characteristic curves. Predictors for AL were analyzed by logistic regression modeling.

RESULTS

AL was observed in 34 patients (11.5%). In univariate analyses, preoperative body mass index (≥ 22.1 kg/m²), serum albumin level (≤ 3.8 g/dL), serum CRP level (≥ 0.06 mg/dL), CAR (≥ 0.0139), operation time (> 565 min) and blood loss (≥ 480 mL) were identified as predictors of AL. Multivariate analyses revealed higher preoperative CAR (≥ 0.0139) as an independent predictor of AL (p = 0.048, odds ratio = 3.02, 95% confidence interval 1.01-9.06).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative CAR may provide a useful predictor of AL after esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Machine Learning-based Model for Predicting Postoperative Complications among Patients with Colonic Perforation: A Retrospective study

Objectives:

Surgery for colonic perforation has high morbidity and mortality rates. Predicting complications preoperatively would help improve short-term outcomes; however, no predictive risk stratification model exists to date. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine risk factors for complications after colonic perforation surgery and use machine learning to construct a predictive model.

Methods:

This retrospective study included 51 patients who underwent emergency surgery for colorectal perforation. We investigated the connection between overall complications and several preoperative indicators, such as lactate and the Glasgow Prognostic Score. Moreover, we used the classification and regression tree (CART), a machine-learning method, to establish an optimal prediction model for complications.

Results:

Overall complications occurred in 32 patients (62.7%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified high lactate levels [odds ratio (OR), 1.86; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.07-3.22; p = 0.027] and hypoalbuminemia (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.06-6.25; p = 0.036) as predictors of overall complications. According to the CART analysis, the albumin level was the most important parameter, followed by the lactate level. This prediction model had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.830.

Conclusions:

Our results determined that both preoperative albumin and lactate levels were valuable predictors of postoperative complications among patients who underwent colonic perforation surgery. The CART analysis determined optimal cutoff levels with high AUC values to predict complications, making both indicators clinically easier to use for decision making.

Strong for Surgery: Association Between Bundled Risk Factors and Outcomes After Major Elective Surgery in the VA Population

BACKGROUND

Strong for Surgery (S4S) is a public health campaign focused on optimizing patient health prior to surgery by identifying evidence-based modifiable risk factors. The potential impact of S4S bundled risk factors on outcomes after major surgery has not been previously studied. This study tested the hypothesis that a higher number of S4S risk factors is associated with an escalating risk of complications and mortality after major elective surgery in the VA population.

METHODS

The Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) database was queried for patients who underwent major non-emergent general, thoracic, vascular, urologic, and orthopedic surgeries between the years 2008 and 2015. Patients with complete data pertaining to S4S risk factors, specifically preoperative smoking status, HbA1c level, and serum albumin level, were stratified by number of positive risk factors, and perioperative outcomes were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 31,285 patients comprised the study group, with 16,630 (53.2%) patients having no S4S risk factors (S4S0), 12,323 (39.4%) having one (S4S1), 2,186 (7.0%) having two (S4S2), and 146 (0.5%) having three (S4S3). In the S4S1 group, 60.3% were actively smoking, 35.2% had HbA1c > 7, and 4.4% had serum albumin < 3. In the S4S2 group, 87.8% were smokers, 84.8% had HbA1c > 7, and 27.4% had albumin < 3. Major complications, reoperations, length of stay, and 30-day mortality increased progressively from S4S0 to S4S3 groups. S4S3 had the greatest adjusted mortality risk (adjusted odds radio [AOR] 2.56, p = 0.04) followed by S4S2 (AOR 1.58, p = 0.02) and S4S1 (AOR 1.34, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

In the VA population, patients who had all three S4S risk factors, namely active smoking, suboptimal nutritional status, and poor glycemic control, had the greatest risk of postoperative mortality compared to patients with fewer S4S risk factors.

Low Preoperative Serum Albumin Levels Are Associated With Impaired Outcome After Cytoreductive Surgery and Perioperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Surface Malignancies

Preoperative hypoalbuminemia is known to be associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality, as well as with poor survival after gastrointestinal cancer surgery. However, limited data exist regarding the prognostic significance of hypoalbuminemia in patients with peritoneal metastases undergoing cytoreductive surgery, combined with perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. We performed a systematic literature review of the previously published studies addressing the potential association between preoperative albumin levels and overall surgical outcomes after the performance of cytoreductive surgery and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy for peritoneal surface malignancies. Our research yielded a total of nine retrospective studies which met our inclusion criteria, and despite their heterogeneity; and we can conclude that preoperatively low albumin levels are associated with greater likelihood of overall and major morbidity, as well as less favorable oncological outcome after the performance of cytoreductive surgery and perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Impact of Artificial Nutrition on Postoperative Complications

Malnutrition is common in surgical cancer patients and it is widely accepted that it can adversely affect their postoperative outcome. Assessing the nutritional status of every patient, in particular care of elderly and cancer patients, is a crucial feature of the therapeutic pathway in order to optimize every strategy. Evidence exists that the advantages of perioperative nutrition are more significant in malnourished patients submitted to major surgery. For patients recognized as malnourished, preoperative nutrition therapies are indicated; the choice between parenteral and enteral nutrition is still controversial in perioperative malnourished surgical cancer patients, although enteral nutrition seems to have the best risk–benefit ratio. Early oral nutrition after surgery is advisable, when feasible, and should be administered in all the patients undergoing elective major surgery, if compliant. In patients with high risk for postoperative infections, perioperative immunonutrition has been proved in some ways to be effective, even if operations including those for cancer have to be delayed.

Postoperative complications and hospital costs following small bowel resection surgery

BACKGROUND

Postoperative complications after major gastrointestinal surgery are a major contributor to hospital costs. Thus, reducing postoperative complications is a key target for cost-containment strategies. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between postoperative complications and hospital costs following small bowel resection.

METHODS

Postoperative complications were recorded for 284 adult patients undergoing major small bowel resection surgery between January 2013 and June 2018. Complications were defined and graded according to the Clavien-Dindo classification system. In-hospital cost of index admission was calculated using an activity-based costing methodology; it was reported in US dollars at 2019 rates. Regression modeling was used to investigate the relationships among a priori selected perioperative variables, complications, and costs.

FINDINGS

The overall complication prevalence was 81.6% (95% CI: 85.7-77.5). Most complications (69%) were minor, but 22.9% of patients developed a severe complication (Clavien-Dindo grades III or IV). The unadjusted median total hospital cost for patients with any complication was 70% higher than patients without complications (median [IQR] USD 19,659.64 [13,545.81-35,407.14] vs. 11,551.88 [8,849.46-15,329.87], P < 0.001). The development of 1, 2, 3, and ≥ 4 complications increased hospital costs by 11%, 41%, 50%, and 195%, respectively. Similarly, more severe complications incurred higher hospital costs (P < 0.001). After adjustments were made (for the Charlson Comorbidity Index, anemia, surgical urgency and technique, intraoperative fluid administration, blood transfusion, and hospital readmissions), a greater number and increased severity of complications were associated with a higher adjusted median hospital cost. Patients who experienced complications had an adjusted additional median cost of USD 4,187.10 (95% CI: 1,264.89-7,109.31, P = 0.005) compared to those without complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative complications are a key target for cost-containment strategies. Our findings demonstrate a high prevalence of postoperative complications following small bowel resection surgery and quantify their associated increase in hospital costs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian Clinical Trials Registration number: 12620000322932.

Concomitant Malnutrition and Frailty Are Uncommon, but Significant Risk Factors for Mortality and Complication Following Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) demand continues to rise, but we are also gaining greater insight into patient risk factors for postoperative complications and excess resource utilization. There has been growing interest in frailty and malnutrition as risk factors, although they are often mistakenly used interchangeably. We aimed at identifying the incidence of their coexistence, and the magnitude of risk they confer to TKA patients.

METHODS

We queried the American College of Surgeons-National Surgery Quality Improvement Program database to identify 4 patient cohorts: healthy/normal serum albumin, healthy/hypoalbuminemic patients, normoalbuminemic/medically frail patients (defined by modified frailty index), and hypoalbuminemic/frail patients. We performed both univariate and multivariate analyses to quantify the risk conferred by each condition in isolation, and in coexistence.

RESULTS

Of 179,702 elective TKA cases from 2006 to 2018, 18.6% of patients were frail only, 3.0% were hypoalbuminemic -only, and just 1.2% were both frail and hypoalbuminemic. The raw rate of any complication was highest in frail/hypoalbuminemic patients (8.7%), 5.2% in hypoalbuminemic patients, 4.8% in frail patients, and just 3.4% in healthy patients (P < .001); the multivariate model revealed odds ratio of a complication in frail/hypoalbuminemic group of 2.40 (95% confidence interval = 1.27-1.63; P < .001). Mortality within 30 days was highest in the frail/hypoalbuminemic cohort (1.0%), and just 0.1% in healthy patients, and the multivariate model noted an odds ratio of 9.43 for these patients (95% confidence interval = 5.92-14.93; P < .001). The odds of all studied complications were highest in the frail/hypoalbuminemic group.

CONCLUSION

Frailty and hypoalbuminemia represent distinct conditions and are independent risk factors for a complication after TKA. Their coexistence imparts a synergistic association with the risk of post-TKA complications.

Malnutrition increases the 30-day complication and re-operation rates in hip fracture patients treated with total hip arthroplasty

INTRODUCTION

This study sought to determine the effect that malnutrition, defined as hypoalbuminemia, has on hip fracture patients treated with total hip arthroplasty (THA). Specifically, we evaluated: (1) demographics and perioperative data; (2) postoperative complications; and (3) re-operation rates.

METHODS

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was utilised to identify hip fracture patients who underwent THA from 2008 to 2015. Propensity scores were calculated for the likelihood of having a preoperative albumin measurement. Hip fracture patients who underwent THA and had preoperative hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dL) (n = 569) were compared to those who had normal albumin levels (⩾3.5 g/dL) (n = 1098) in terms of demographics and perioperative data. Regression models were adjusted for age, sex, modified Charlson/Deyo scores, and propensity scores to evaluate complication and re-operation rates.

RESULTS

Compared to controls, hypoalbuminemia patients were older (p = 0.006), more likely male (p = 0.024), had higher Charlson/Deyo scores (p = 0.0001), more likely smokers (p < 0.0001), more likely functionally dependent (p < 0.0001), had ASA scores ⩾3 (p < 0.0001) and had longer LOS (p < 0.0001). Compared to controls, hypoalbuminemia patients had 80% higher risk for any complication (OR = 1.80; 95% CI, 1.43-2.26), 113% higher risk for major complications (OR = 2.13; 95% CI, 1.31-3.48), and 79% higher risk for minor complications (OR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.42-2.26), and 97% increased risk for re-operation (OR = 1.97; 95% CI, 1.20-3.23).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings in the present study indicate the need to develop better pre- and postoperative medical and nutritional care for malnourished hip fracture patients who undergo THA in order to potentially mitigate their increased risk.

Surgical complications in colorectal cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic sciences have allowed early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly reported cancers, particularly in elderly patients.

METHODS

Open and laparoscopic surgeries are used for the removal of the tumor, along with chemotherapy, depending on the stage of cancer. However, colorectal cancer surgery is associated with a great number of complications, that affect the efficacy of the surgery and overall health and survival of the patient.

RESULTS

Prevalence of these complications have shown discrepancies depending on the condition of the patient and disease and surgical skills of the surgeon. Preoperative evaluation, intraoperative care and postoperative measures can reduce the incidence of these complications.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights some frequently reported complications associated with colorectal cancer surgery, their risk factors and subsequent therapeutic measures to treat them.

No news is good news? Three-year postdischarge mortality of octogenarian and nonagenarian patients following emergency general surgery

BACKGROUND

Outcome data on the very elderly patients undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS) are sparse. We sought to examine short- and long-term mortality in the 80 plus years population following EGS.

METHODS

Using our institutional 2008-2018 EGS Database, all the 80 plus years patients undergoing EGS were identified. The data were linked to the Social Security Death Index to determine cumulative mortality rates up to 3 years after discharge. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine predictors of in-hospital and 1-year cumulative mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 385 patients were included with a mean age of 84 years; 54% were female. The two most common comorbidities were hypertension (76.1%) and cardiovascular disease (40.5%). The most common procedures performed were colectomy (20.0%), small bowel resection (18.2%), and exploratory laparotomy for other procedures (15.3%; e.g., internal hernia, perforated peptic ulcer). The overall in-hospital mortality was 18.7%. Cumulative mortality rates at 1, 2, and 3 years after discharge were 34.3%, 40.5%, and 43.4%, respectively. The EGS procedure associated with the highest 1-year mortality was colectomy (49.4%). Although hypertension, renal failure, hypoalbuminemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and elevated liver enzymes predicted in-hospital mortality, the only independent predictors of cumulative 1-year mortality were hypoalbuminemia (odds ratio, 2.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-4.27; p = 0.025) and elevated serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGOT) level (odds ratio, 2.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-4.70; p = 0.029) at initial presentation. Patients with both factors had a cumulative 1-year mortality rate of 75.0%.

CONCLUSION

More than half of the very elderly patients undergoing major EGS were still alive at 3 years postdischarge. The combination of hypoalbuminemia and elevated liver enzymes predicted the highest 1-year mortality. Such information can prove useful for patient and family counseling preoperatively.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic, Level III.

The hospital costs of complications following colonic resection surgery: A retrospective cohort study

Background

Colonic resection is a common surgical procedure associated with a high rate of postoperative complications. The aim of this observational study is to estimate the in-hospital costs of complications and to identify perioperative variables associated with complication development following colon resection surgery.

Materials and methods

We conducted a single-centre cohort study with retrospective data collection of 487 patients undergoing colonic resection surgery between 2013 and 2018. Postoperative complications were graded according to the Clavien-Dindo classification system. In-hospital cost of index admission is reported in 2019 United States Dollars. Regression modelling was used to investigate the relationship of a priori selected perioperative variables and presence of complications and costs.

Results

Overall complication prevalence was 69.6% (95%CI:65.5%–73.7%). Median [interquartile range] cost of patients with postoperative complications was significantly increased as compared to patients without complications ($17,963 [13,533:25,178] vs $12,578 [10,196:16,140]; p < 0.0001). Clavien-Dindo Grade I, II, III and IV complications increased costs by 15.8%, 36.8%, 169.4% and 240.1% respectively (p < 0.0001). Presence of complications was significantly associated with Charlson Comorbidity Index (Odds ratio (OR) per 1-unit increase: 1.09; 95%CI:1.02 to 1.17), preoperative albumin levels (OR per 1-unit increase: 0.94; 95%CI:0.90 to 0.98) and open as compared to laparoscopic resection (OR: 2.41; 95%CI:1.32 to 4.42).

Conclusions

There is a high prevalence of complications following colonic resection surgery. Postoperative complications, including minor complications (Clavien-Dindo Grade I-II), were associated with a significant increase in hospital costs and are a key target for cost containment strategies.

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Almost 7 out of every 10 patients experienced one or more complications.

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Most complications were minor (Clavien-Dindo grade I-II).

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Minor complications significantly increased costs by over 20%.

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Major complications resulted in an exponential increase in costs and length of stay.

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Charlson Comorbidity Index and hypoalbuminemia are associated with complications.

Role of Albumin as a Nutritional and Prognostic Marker in Elective Intestinal Surgery

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate albumin, nutritional status, and inflammation in the perioperative course of patients undergoing elective intestinal surgery.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients with preoperative measurements of nutritional parameters who underwent intestinal surgery between April 2017 and August 2018 at our institution was performed. Preoperatively, the correlation of albumin levels with markers for inflammation and nutritional status was investigated. Postoperatively, albumin levels were assessed with regard to high-grade morbidity and inflammation.

RESULTS

A total of 105 patients were included. Preoperatively, albumin levels were correlated with both markers for nutritional status and inflammation, with phase angle (PA) (p=0.004) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (p < 0.001) as independent factors predicting the albumin levels in multivariable analysis. Postoperatively, the reduction in serum albumin (∆-albumin) on postoperative day (POD) 1/2 (p=0.025) and POD 4/5 (p=0.003) was significantly associated with Clavien-Dindo complications ≥grade III. A cut-off value of 27.3% for ∆-albumin on POD 1/2 predicted postoperative high-grade morbidity (sensitivity 75% and specificity 69%). The product of ∆-albumin and CRP on POD 4/5 identified patients with major complications more reliably than ∆-albumin or CRP alone (sensitivity 91% and specificity 72%).

CONCLUSION

Preoperatively, albumin was a marker for nutritional status even if an inflammatory component was present. Postoperatively, ∆-albumin on POD 1/2 predicted high-grade morbidity. A new marker to identify patients with major complications on POD 4/5 is presented.

Increased risk of complications in patients with hypoalbuminemia undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty

Objective

The relationship between hypoalbuminemia and complications after revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) has not been established. We hypothesize that hypoalbuminemia is associated with complications in patients undergoing revision THA.

Methods

The ACS-NSQIP database was queried for patients undergoing revision THA. Chi square and regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between hypoalbuminemia, demographics, other comorbidities, and complications.

Results

Hypoalbuminemia is associated with an increased risk of reoperation, bleeding complications, surgical site infections, non-routine discharge, medical complications, and surgical complications.

Conclusions

Albumin levels should be considered in the preoperative planning of patients undergoing revision THA for possible nutritional optimization.

Subcuticular sutures in laparoscopic colorectal surgery: a comparative study to evaluate wound infection rates and cosmetic results

Laparoscopic colorectal surgery is categorized as clean-contaminated surgery. It is important to prevent incisional surgical site infections (SSIs), because SSIs can prolong hospital stays, increase medical costs and produce negative cosmetic outcomes for patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of subcuticular skin sutures following colorectal laparoscopic surgery in terms of wound infection rates and aesthetic results. A retrospective analysis on a database of a consecutive series of unselected patients was conducted. Patients underwent elective colorectal laparoscopic surgery in a single center between October 1st of 2016 and October 30th of 2017. Data on patients' demographics, operative details, short-term and long-term outcomes and aesthetic satisfaction were prospectively recorded. A total of 100 patients were selected and divided in 2 groups: 43 patients who had received subcuticular sutures, 57 patients who had received separate stitch sutures. Wound infection rates were lower, with no statistical significance in the subcuticular suture group (6.9% versus 15.8%, p = 0.182), but the patient-reported cosmetic results were superior in the subcuticular suture group (1.9 versus 2.9, p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses identified high BMI and low preoperative hemoglobin level as possible risk factors associated with wound infection after colorectal laparoscopic surgery. Subcuticular sutures could improve cosmetic results in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer with comparable risks of wound infection. In this population, high BMI and low preoperative hemoglobin levels appear to be risk factors associated with wound infections.

Role of Hypoalbuminemia as an Independent Predictor of 30-Day Postoperative Complications Following Surgical Fixation of Ankle Fractures

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition is known to be negatively associated with outcomes after multiple orthopedic procedures. We hypothesized that admission albumin levels, as a marker for malnutrition, would correlate with postoperative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate this relationship following surgery for ankle fracture.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. Patients undergoing operative fixation of an ankle fracture were identified. A total of 6138 patients with albumin available for analysis were identified. Baseline patient information, preoperative serum albumin levels, 30-day postoperative complications, readmission, reoperation, and length of stay data were then collected. Poisson regression with robust error variance was performed to assess the effect of preoperative serum albumin level on postoperative outcomes.

RESULTS

The mean albumin level was 3.86 g/dL and 20.3% (1246/6138) of patients with available albumin levels were hypoalbuminemic. Multivariate analysis revealed that an albumin level <3.5 g/dL was an independent risk factor for complications (relative risk [RR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.78; P = .002) and readmission (RR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.13-2.08; P = .006). Additionally, when analyzed as a continuous variable, albumin level was negatively correlated with risk of mortality (RR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.19-0.72; P = .003). Patients with hypoalbuminemia also had significantly longer lengths of stay (4.5 vs 2.1 days; P < .001).

CONCLUSION

While complication rates after fixation of ankle fractures remain low, hypoalbuminemia was a predictor of postoperative course. Malnutrition, therefore, may help inform the decision between surgical and conservative management of patients with ankle fractures potentially amenable to nonoperative management. Additionally, hypoalbuminemia should trigger heightened awareness and prophylactic therapy where appropriate.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, comparative study.

Usefulness of Inflammation-Based Prognostic Scores for Predicting the Risk of Complications After Radical Resection of Colorectal Carcinoma

Purpose

We aimed to investigate the value of inflammation-based prognostic scores for predicting early complications after radical surgery for colorectal carcinoma.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data of 154 patients who underwent elective resection of colorectal carcinoma between January 2017 and December 2018 at Beijing Friendship Hospital. Univariate, multivariate, and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were conducted. As inflammation indices, we evaluated the preoperative modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), as well as the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR), postoperative GPS, and C-reactive protein levels on postoperative day 3 (POD3).

Results

Within 30 days postoperatively, complications occurred in 80 patients (51.9%). And high levels of preoperative mGPS (P=0.002), preoperative CAR (P=0.019), POD3 CAR (P<0.001) and POD3 poGPS (P<0.001) can significantly affect postoperative complications after surgery for colorectal cancer, with CRP on POD3 (odds ratio, 1.015; 95% confidence interval, 1.006–1.024; P=0.001) as independent risk factors. Among all inflammation-based indicators, POD3 CAR had the highest area under the curve (0.711) and positive predictive value (83.2%). Higher CAR (≥2.6) on POD3 was associated with a higher rate of complications (92.9% vs 36.6%, P<0.001), especially of infectious nature (54.8% vs 16.1%, P<0.001).

Conclusion

CAR≥2.6 on POD3 reflects sustained systemic inflammation and represents a useful predictor of complications after surgery for colorectal carcinoma, facilitating early detection, timely intervention, and enhanced recovery.

Cardiovascular Risk Assessment for Noncardiac Surgery: Are We Ready for Biomarkers?

Biomarkers aided perioperative cardiac assessment is a relatively new concept. Cardiac biomarkers with historical significance (aspartate transaminase, dehydrogenase, creatinine kinase and myoglobin) have paved the way for traditional biomarkers (cardiac troponin, C-reactive protein, lipoprotein). Contemporary biomarkers like natriuretic peptides (BNP and ProBNP) are validated risk markers in both acute and chronic cardiac diseases and are showing remarkable promise in predicting serious cardiovascular complications after non-cardiac surgery. This review is intended to provide a critical overview of traditional and contemporary biomarkers for perioperative cardiovascular assessment and management. This review also discusses the potential utility of newer biomarkers like galectin-3, sST-2, GDF-15, TNF-alpha, MiRNAs and many others that can predict inflammation, cardiac remodeling, injury and endogenous stress and need further investigations to establish their clinical utility. Though promising, biomarker led perioperative care is still in infancy and it has not been determined that it can improve clinical outcomes.

The Effect of Malnutrition on Postoperative Complications Following Surgery for Distal Radius Fractures

PURPOSE

Malnutrition is known to negatively affect outcomes after arthroplasty, hip fracture, and spine surgery. Although distal radius fracture surgery may be considered in a similar patient cohort, the effect of malnutrition in this scenario is unknown. We hypothesized that admission serum albumin level, as a marker for malnutrition, would correlate with the rate of postoperative complications following surgery for distal radius fracture.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of the American College of Surgeons National Surgery Quality Improvement database. Patients undergoing open reduction and internal fixation of a distal radius fracture were identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes. We excluded patients who were septic at presentation, were multiply injured, or had open fractures. We collected patient demographics, length of stay, 30-day complications, reoperation, and readmission rates. We performed multivariable linear regression analysis controlling for age, sex, body mass index, operative time, discharge destination, and modified Frailty Index score.

RESULTS

We identified 1,989 patients (mean age, 56 years; range, 18-90 years) with available albumin levels, and 14.7% had hypoalbuminemia (albumin, < 3.5 g/dL). Multivariable regression revealed that malnourished patients had higher rates of postoperative complications (6.5% vs 1.3%; odds ratio [OR] 4.88; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.47-9.66). Specifically, these patients had increased rates of Clavien-Dindo IV (life-threatening) complications (2.4% vs 0%), readmission (7.2% vs 2%; OR, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.88-6.03), and mortality (1.7% vs 0.1%; OR, 9.23; 95% CI, 1.55-54.87). Malnourished patients had significantly longer length of stay (3.55 vs 0.73 days). Albumin concentration was inversely associated with risk of death (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.03-0.52).

CONCLUSIONS

Malnutrition, indicated by albumin less than 3.5 g/dL, is a powerful predictor of uncommon, but important, postoperative complications, including mortality, following surgery for distal radius fracture. Evaluation of preoperative albumin level may, therefore, help surgeons provide individualized counseling and more accurately stratify the risk of patients.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic II.

Skeletal Muscle Mass Index Predicts Postoperative Complications in Intestinal Surgery for Crohn's Disease

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) for major postoperative morbidity in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and intestinal surgery at a tertiary referral center.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the prospectively maintained database for surgical patients with CD at our institution was performed. The cases of all patients operated on between December 2009 and December 2017 with sectional imaging prior to surgery were eligible for this study.

RESULTS

A total of 230 patients were included. Major postoperative complications were observed in 32 patients (13.9%). Common intestinal procedures were ileocecal resections (51.7%), segmental small-bowel resections (10%), and colectomy or proctocolectomy (8.3%). In multivariable analysis, SMI (P = .002; odds ratio = 0.914) was the only independent risk factor for major postoperative complications. Both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies were suitable to determine SMI. The cutoff values for SMI were 31.8 cm² /m² for females and 41.5 cm² /m² for males.

CONCLUSION

We present the largest published cohort investigating SMI with regard to major postoperative morbidity in surgery for CD. In multivariable analysis, SMI was the only significant risk factor for Clavien-Dindo complications grade ≥III. Lumbar SMI was reliably determined by CT and MRI alike. Because preoperative abdominal imaging with either modality is common for patients with CD, SMI could be a reliable and largely available tool to stratify the risk of postoperative complications.

Preoperative Optimization and Choreographed Physiological Evaluation for Resection of Giant Abdominal Neoplasm: A Case Report

Giant ovarian cystadenoma is a rare and often late presentation. The mass effect of such tumors can lead to profound respiratory and cardiovascular compromise, predominately through inferior vena cava compression, but also restriction of normal lung function through transdiaphragmatic mass effect and, as is seen in this case, cardiac tamponade. In this article, the authors outline an expedited program of preoperative optimization and a choreographed physiological assessment strategy to functionally assess the hemodynamic consequences of a giant ovarian mucinous neoplasm, thereby informing the safe conduct of anesthesia and surgery.

Preoperative malnutrition with mild hypoalbuminemia associated with postoperative mortality and morbidity of colorectal cancer: a propensity score matching study

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition with hypoalbuminemia (albumin < 35 g/L) is an important factor in predicting risks associated with colorectal cancer surgery. However, there is limited data about the effects of mild hypoalbuminemia with small decreases in albumin on postoperative complications.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study using the multi-institutional, nationally validated database of the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) to investigate mild hypoalbuminemia and its association with postoperative mortality and morbidity by using a propensity score matching method.

RESULTS

In a group of 30,676 colorectal cancer patients who received surgery, 5230 had mild hypoalbuminemia (< 35 and > =30 g/L) and 21,310 had normal albumin levels (> = 35 g/L). Significant differences were noted in 21 clinical characteristics between the two groups. After 1:2 propensity score matching postoperative mortality was significantly associated with mild hypoalbuminemia (OR = 1.74; p < 0.001). There were significant associations between mild hypoalbuminemia and 11 postoperative morbidities including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, superficial and deep surgical site infection, pneumonia, septic shock, ventilator> 48 h, blood transfusion, return to operating room, stroke and re-intubation. Mild hypoalbuminemia was also associated with overall complication (B = 0.064, p < 0.001) and length of total hospital stay (B = 2.236, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In colorectal cancer, this is the first propensity score matching study of malnutrition with mild hypoalbuminemia which demonstrates that a mild decrease in serum albumin contributes significantly to poor postoperative outcome.

Incidence of and risk factors for delayed acute kidney injury in patients undergoing colorectal surgery

BACKGROUND

The risk of delayed AKI (AKI development beyond the perioperative period) in patients undergoing colorectal surgery is greater than that in patients undergoing other major operations. However, the characteristics of and risk factors for delayed AKI are unclear.

METHODS

We investigated 683 patients who underwent colorectal surgery with intestinal resection at a single tertiary hospital. All patients were followed-up for a year postoperatively. The primary outcome was the development of AKI during follow-up.

RESULTS

AKI occurred in 177 (25.9%) during the first postoperative year. Patients who developed AKI were significantly older, showed a lower body mass index, and significantly lower preoperative hemoglobin and serum albumin levels. AKI occurred most commonly during the first 3 months postoperatively. However, AKI occurred persistently even after this initial period. Older age, lower preoperative serum albumin levels, and late ostomy closure were independently associated with a higher risk of delayed AKI.

CONCLUSION

AKI commonly occurs beyond the perioperative period. Careful risk stratification and modification of risk factors may prevent delayed AKI in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery.

MALNUTRITION AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN SURGICAL PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL DISEASE

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition is a frequent condition among hospitalized patients and a factor of increased risk of postoperative complication.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of malnutrition on phase angle (PA), body water distribution and clinical outcomes in surgical patients with colorectal disease.

METHODS

This retrospective study was performed in a tertiary hospital with 40 patients admitted electively. In the preoperative evaluation, global subjective assessment and bioelectrical impedance analysis were performed to determine nutritional status, PA, extracellular water (ECW), intracellular water (ICW) and total body water (TBW). In postoperative evaluation, the length of hospital stay and severe complications, according to Clavien-Dindo classification, were determined. The optimal PA cutoff for malnutrition screening was determined by ROC curve analysis.

RESULTS

Seventeen (42.5%) patients were diagnosed as malnourished and 23 (57.5%) as well-nourished according to global subjective assessment. Twelve (30.0%) patients developed severe complications. The malnourished group presented lower values of serum albumin (P=0.012), hematocrit (P=0.026) and PA (P=0.002); meanwhile, ECW/ICW (P=0.019) and ECW/TBW (P=0.047) were higher. Furthermore, 58.8% of malnourished patients developed severe postoperative complications compared to 8.7% of well-nourished. Malnutrition was independent predictor of severe postoperative complications (OR=15.00, IC: 2.63-85.68, P=0.002). The optimal PA cutoff obtained was 6.0º (AUC=0.82, P=0.001), yielding sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 76.5%, 87.0%, 81.3% and 83.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Malnutrition was an independent predictive factor for severe complications in patients underwent to elective major coloproctological surgery. Besides that, malnutrition was associated with lower PA values and greater ratio of ECW. The PA provided great accuracy in nutritional screening, implying a useful marker of malnutrition.

Risk factors for early postoperative complications in patients with Crohn's disease after colorectal surgery other than ileocecal resection or right hemicolectomy

PURPOSE

To evaluate risk factors for early postoperative complications in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) after extensive colorectal resection excluding mere ileocecal resection or right hemicolectomy at a university center.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the prospectively maintained database for surgical patients with CD at our institution was performed. All consecutive patients operated between December 2009 and December 2017 were included.

RESULTS

In total, 126 patients were eligible for this study. Most common types of operations performed were subtotal colectomy or proctocolectomy (37.3%) and resections of the rectum (34.1%) or the sigmoid colon (14.3%). Major postoperative complications occurred in 29 patients (23.0%). The rate of local septic complications (anastomotic leak, postoperative abscess) was 11.1%. In univariate analysis, low preoperative albumin, elevated preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP), and emergency surgery were factors associated with major postoperative complications. When multivariable analysis was performed, low preoperative albumin was the only independent risk factor for the occurrence of major postoperative complications (p = 0.0033; OR 0.899). The cut-off value for albumin was 32.6 g/L.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large cohort of consecutive patients undergoing surgery of the colorectum in CD, the rate of major postoperative complications was considerably higher compared to our recently published data from patients with ileocecal resection or right hemicolectomy. Preoperative albumin is the only independent risk factor for the occurrence of major postoperative complications. Preoperative albumin levels > 32.6 g/L significantly reduce the risk for postoperative complications.

Prognostic Nutritional Index predicts morbidity after curative surgery for colorectal cancer

INTRODUCTION

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health concern and it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Over the last decades, the relationship between cancer and nutritional and inflammatory status in oncologic patients was studied thoroughly and multiple immunonutritional scores were developed. These scores have been mainly related to the prognosis of several cancers. An interaction between the tumour and the host is generated, triggering a systemic inflammatory reaction leading to several neuroendocrine changes. This situation favours a tendency towards anorexia and catabolism. Our hypothesis is that nutritional and inflammatory status of oncologic patients is correlated to postoperative morbidity.

METHODS

This is a prospective observational cohort study with those patients undergoing curative surgery for CRC at our institution between September 2015 and March 2017. Nutritional and inflammatory status was established using Onodera's Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI). Complications (overall, severe, infectious and anastomotic leakage) were carefully collected during the first 30 days of the postoperative period.

RESULTS

After carrying out the multivariate analysis, PNI turned out to be a great predictive and protective factor for overall complications (RR: 0.279; 95% CI: 0.141-0.552), severe complications (RR: 0.355; 95% CI: 0.130-0.965), infectious complications (RR: 0.220; 95% CI: 0.099-0.489) and anastomotic leakage (RR: 0.151; 95% CI: 0.036-0.640).

CONCLUSION

Our work reports that PNI is an independent predictive factor for the development of postoperative complications following curative surgery for CRC.

Early decrease in postoperative serum albumin predicts severe complications in patients with colorectal cancer after curative laparoscopic surgery

Background

Postoperative severe complications are always associated with prolonged hospital stays, increased economic burdens, and poor prognoses in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). This present study aimed to investigate potential risk factors including serum albumin (Alb) for severe complications in CRC patients.

Methods

Eligible patients with primary CRC undergoing elective laparoscopic colectomy from July 2015 to July 2017 were included. Postoperative severe complications were defined as grade III and IV according to the Clavien–Dindo classification. ∆Alb was defined as (preoperative Alb − nadir Alb within POD2)/preoperative Alb × 100%. The baseline characteristics, intraoperative data, and laboratory data were obtained from the database for the analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized for the assessment of the association between risk factors and postoperative severe complications. The predictive value of ∆Alb for postoperative severe complications was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results

A total of 193 patients were finally included in the analysis data set, of which 38 (19.7%) patients had postoperative severe complications. In the final multivariate logistic regression analysis, ∆Alb was the only independent factor associated with postoperative severe complications (OR 1.66, 95%CI 1.18–2.33, p = 0.003). The area under the curve (AUC) of ∆Alb was 0.916, with the sensitivity and specificity of 0.842 and 0.858 (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The ∆Alb was an independent risk factor for severe complications in CRC patients after curative laparoscopic surgery.

Use of Clavien-Dindo classification in evaluating complications following pancreaticoduodenectomy in 1,056 cases: A retrospective analysis from one single institution

The Clavien-Dindo (C-D) classification is a simple and feasible grading system of postoperative complications. The aim of the present study was to apply this system to retrospectively classify all types of post-pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) complications (PPCs) and to systematically identify associated risk factors. Between January 2009 and December 2014, the C-D classification was applied to retrospectively classify PPCs for 1,056 patients who had undergone PD at the West China Hospital. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to link perioperative parameters and mortality with the severity of PPCs, which were subdivided into overall PPCs (Grade I-V), severe PPCs (Grade III-V) and mortality (Grade V). The number of patients with Clavien-Dindo grade I, II, IIIa, IIIb, IVa, IVb and V complications was 185 (17.5%), 128 (12.1%), 50 (4.7%), 25 (2.4%), 35 (3.3%), 19 (1.8%) and 33 (3.1%), respectively. A total of 475 (45.0%) patients experienced overall PPCs; 168 (15.9%) patients experienced severe PPCs; and 33 patients succumbed to mortality following PD. The following risk factors were identified following PD: Preoperative hypoproteinemia was correlated with all three subdivisions; obstructive jaundice was associated with severe PPCs and mortality; and older age was revealed to be an independent risk factor of mortality. A large retrospective study was performed in the present study and PD was correlated with a high occurrence of PPCs. The Clavien-Dindo system represents a broad applicable and feasible approach to evaluating PPCs in patients following PD. The independent risk factors of PPCs that were identified in the present study require further validation using the Clavien-Dindo classification in additional prospective studies.

Risk Assessment

Purpose of Review

The central question of preoperative assessment is not “What can be done?” but “What should be done and how?” Predicting a patient’s risk of unwanted outcomes is vital to answering this question. This review discusses risk prediction tools currently available and anticipates future developments.

Recent Findings

Simple, parsimonious risk scales and scores are being replaced by complex risk prediction models as high-capacity information systems become ubiquitous. The accuracy of risk estimation will be further increased by improved assessment of physical fitness, frailty, and incorporation of existing and novel biomarkers. However, the limitations of risk prediction for individual patient care must be recognized.

Summary

Risk prediction is transforming from clinical estimation to statistical science. Predictions should be used within the context of a patient’s baseline risk (life expectancy independent of surgery), personal circumstances, quality of life, their expectations and values, and consideration of outcomes that are meaningful for the patient.

Postoperative C-reactive protein/albumin ratio as a novel predictor for short-term complications following gastrectomy of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Postoperative complications following gastric cancer resection remain a clinical problem. Early detection of postoperative complications is needed before critical illness develops. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio in patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS

A total of 322 patients undergoing curative (R0) gastrectomy between 2015 and 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify clinical factors predicting postoperative complications. The cutoff values and diagnostic accuracy of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio and C-reactive protein were determined by receiver-operating characteristic curves.

RESULTS

Among all of the patients, 85 (26.4%) developed postoperative complications. The optimal cutoff of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio was set at 3.04 based on the ROC analysis. Multivariate analysis identified C-reactive protein/albumin ratio was an independent risk factors for complications after gastrectomy (OR 3.037; 95% CI 1.248-7.392; P = 0.014). Additionally, C-reactive protein/albumin ratio showed a higher diagnostic accuracy than C-reactive protein on postoperative day 3 (AUC: 0.685 vs 0.660; sensitivity: 0.624 vs 0.471; specificity: 0.722 vs 0.835).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated C-reactive protein/albumin ratio was an independent predictor for postoperative complications following gastrectomy of gastric cancer, and the diagnostic accuracy was higher than C-reactive protein alone. Overall, postoperative C-reactive protein/albumin ratio may help to identify patients with high probability of postoperative complications.

Preoperative hypoalbuminemia is an independent risk factor for increased high-grade morbidity after elective rectal cancer resection

PURPOSE

This study investigated the association of preoperative hypoalbuminemia and postoperative complications after elective resection for rectal cancer.

METHODS

From September 2009 to December 2014, all patients who underwent elective rectal resection for adenocarcinoma of the rectum were identified using a prospective colorectal cancer database. Hypoalbuminemia was defined as a serum albumin < 35 g/L. Characteristics and outcomes of hypoalbuminemic patients were compared to those of patients with normal albumin levels. Potential risk factors for postoperative major morbidity, defined as Clavien-Dindo ≥ grade 3, were analyzed by both univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Three hundred seventy patients met the inclusion criteria. Hypoalbuminemic patients (67/370 (18%)) were significantly older and had more advanced tumor stages and more comorbidities (more ASA III, higher percentage of diabetics). Furthermore, they were more likely to undergo abdominoperineal resection instead of low anterior resection and less likely to be operated laparoscopically. On univariate analysis, a higher BMI, advanced tumor stages, diabetes, open procedures, pre- and postoperative hypoalbuminemia, a higher decrease in albumin (∆ preop-postop), and conversion were significantly associated with postoperative high-grade morbidity. On multivariate analysis, diabetes, advanced tumor stages, a higher decrease in the albumin level, as well as preoperative hypoalbuminemia turned out to be independent risk factors for postoperative high-grade morbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypoalbuminemia is an independent risk factor for postoperative high-grade morbidity. As a low-cost and easy accessible test, serum albumin should be used as a prognostic tool to detect patients at risk for adverse outcomes after resection for rectal cancer.

Preoperative nutritional risk assessment in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for colorectal carcinomatosis

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition is associated with increased postoperative morbidity in colorectal surgery. This study aimed to determine if preoperative nutritional markers could predict postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) for peritoneal metastasis (PM) of colorectal origin.

METHODS

All patients who underwent a complete CRS-HIPEC for colorectal PM between January 2009 and December 2014 were evaluated. Preoperative clinical and biological nutritional factors, including Body Mass Index (BMI), preoperative albumin and prealbumin levels were analysed. Preoperative computed tomography was used to measure the cross-sectional surface of the visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, at the third lumbar vertebrae, to assess the abdominal fat composition. Skeletal muscle mass was measured to assess for sarcopenia.

RESULTS

Among 214 patients, 14 (6.5%) had a BMI ≥ 35 kg/m², 90 (42%) were sarcopenic, 19 (9%) presented albumin <35 g/L and 2 (1%) had pre-albumin <20 mg/dL. Median values for visceral and subcutaneous fat surfaces were 99.2 cm² and 198 cm², respectively. Hypoalbuminemia was associated with worse overall survival (23 vs. 59 months, p = 0.015). The other nutritional factors did not impact overall or progression free survival after CRS-HIPEC for colorectal PM. In multivariate analysis, major post-operative complication and hypoalbuminemia were independently associated with decreased overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypoalbuminemia appears as a strong predictive factor for decreased overall survival in patients presenting PM of colorectal origin undergoing CRS-HIPEC.

Early Postoperative Decrease of Serum Albumin Predicts Surgical Outcome in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Resection

BACKGROUND

A simple and accurate predictor of postoperative complications is needed for early and safe discharge after surgery. A decrease in serum albumin is commonly observed early after surgery, even in patients with normal preoperative levels. However, whether it predicts patient postoperative outcome is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the reduction in serum albumin within 2 postoperative days compared with the preoperative level could serve as an independent predictor of postoperative complications after colorectal surgery.

DESIGN

This was a retrospective study from a single institution.

SETTINGS

The study was conducted in a tertiary referral hospital.

PATIENTS

A total of 626 patients undergoing major colorectal surgery between December 2012 and January 2016 were eligible for this study.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for postoperative complications and to identify the factors associated with Δalbumin. Receiver operating characteristic curves were developed to examine the cutoff value of the change in albumin in predicting postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Among all of the patients, the median Δalbumin after surgery was 15%. ΔAlbumin was an independent risk factor for overall complications (p < 0.01). The cutoff value was 15%, and an increased area under the curve compared with C-reactive protein occurred on postoperative day 3 or 4. Patients with a Δalbumin ≥15% experienced more postoperative major complications, a higher comprehensive complication index, a longer postoperative stay, and increased surgical site infections (p < 0.05) than those <15%. ΔAlbumin correlated with sex, type of surgery, stoma creation, C-reactive protein on postoperative day 3 or 4, and intraoperative blood transfusion. Postoperative C-reactive protein remained independently associated with Δalbumin (p < 0.01).

LIMITATIONS

The study was limited by its retrospective nature.

CONCLUSIONS

A cutoff value of a 15% reduction in serum albumin within 2 postoperative days could help to identify patients with a high probability of postoperative complications and permit safe and early discharge after colorectal surgery.

Predictors of Morbidity and Mortality After Surgery for Intestinal Perforation

Purpose

An intestinal perforation is a rare condition, but has a high mortality rate, even after immediate surgical intervention. The clinical predictors of postoperative morbidity and mortality are still not well established, so this study attempted to identify risk factors for postoperative morbidity and mortality after surgery for an intestinal perforation.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 117 patients who underwent surgery for an intestinal perforation at a single institution in Korea from November 2008 to June 2014. Factors related with postoperative mortality at 1 month and other postoperative complications were investigated.

Results

The mean age of enrolled patients was 66.0 ± 15.8 years and 66% of the patients were male. Fifteen patients (13%) died within 1 month after surgical treatment. Univariate analysis indicated that patient-related factors associated with mortality were low systolic and diastolic blood pressure, low serum albumin, low serum protein, low total cholesterol, and high blood urea nitrogen; the surgery-related factor associated with mortality was feculent ascites. Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression indicated that low systolic blood pressure and feculent ascites independently increased the risk for mortality; postoperative complications were more likely in both females and those with low estimated glomerular filtration rates and elevated serum C-reactive protein levels.

Conclusion

Various factors were associated with postoperative clinical outcomes of patients with an intestinal perforation. Morbidity and mortality following an intestinal perforation were greater in patients with unstable initial vital signs, poor nutritional status, and feculent ascites.

Laparoscopic versus open ventral hernia repair in patients with chronic liver disease

BACKGROUND

Previous studies demonstrated laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) to be associated with fewer short-term complications than open ventral hernia repair (OVHR). Little literature is available comparing LVHR and OVHR in chronic liver disease (CLD) patients.

METHODS

Patients with model for end-stage liver disease score ≥9 who underwent elective ventral hernia repair in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database were included. 30-day outcomes were compared between LVHR and OVHR after adjusting for hernia disease severity, baseline comorbidities and demographic factors.

RESULTS

A total of 3594 ventral hernia repairs were included, 536 (14.9 %) of which were LVHR. After adjusting for other confounders, LVHR was associated with a lower incidence of wound-related complications (0.23, 95 % CI 0.07-0.74, p = 0.01), shorter length of stay (mean 3.7 vs. 5.0 days, p < 0.01) than OVHR, but similar systemic complications (p = 0.77), bleeding complications (p = 0.69), unplanned reoperation (p = 0.74) or readmission (p = 0.40). Propensity score-matched comparison showed similar conclusions. Five hundred and sixty-two patients had ascites, among whom 35 (6.2 %) underwent LVHR. In this subcohort, LVHR was associated with higher mortality (OR 5.36, 95 % CI 1.00-28.60, p = 0.05), systemic complications (OR 7.03, 95 % CI 2.06-24.00, p < 0.01), and unplanned reoperation (OR 6.03, 95 % CI 1.51-24.12, p = 0.01) than OVHR.

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison with OVHR, LVHR is associated with similar short-term outcomes except for lower wound-related complications and shorter length of stay in CLD patients. However, when patients have ascites, LVHR is associated with higher mortality, systemic complications, and unplanned reoperation.

Implications of preoperative hypoalbuminemia in colorectal surgery

Serum albumin has traditionally been used as a quantitative measure of a patient’s nutritional status because of its availability and low cost. While malnutrition has a clear definition within both the American and European Societies for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition clinical guidelines, individual surgeons often determine nutritional status anecdotally. Preoperative albumin level has been shown to be the best predictor of mortality after colorectal cancer surgery. Specifically in colorectal surgical patients, hypoalbuminemia significantly increases the length of hospital stay, rates of surgical site infections, enterocutaneous fistula risk, and deep vein thrombosis formation. The delay of surgical procedures to allow for preoperative correction of albumin levels in hypoalbuminemic patients has been shown to improve the morbidity and mortality in patients with severe nutritional risk. The importance of preoperative albumin levels and the patient’s chronic inflammatory state on the postoperative morbidity and mortality has led to the development of a variety of surgical scoring systems to predict outcomes efficiently. This review attempts to provide a systematic overview of albumin and its role and implications in colorectal surgery.

Low Serum Albumin Level, Male Sex, and Total Gastrectomy Are Risk Factors of Severe Postoperative Complications in Elderly Gastric Cancer Patients

Purpose

It is well known that old age is a risk factor for postoperative complications. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the risk factors for poor postoperative surgical outcomes in elderly gastric cancer patients.

Materials and Methods

Between January 2006 and December 2015, 247 elderly gastric cancer patients who underwent curative gastrectomy were reviewed. In this study, an elderly patient was defined as a patient aged ≥65 years. All possible variables were used to explore the risk factors for poor early surgical outcomes in elderly gastric cancer patients.

Results

Based on multivariate analyses of preoperative risk factors, preoperative low serum albumin level (<3.5 g/dl) and male sex showed statistical significance in predicting severe postoperative complications. Additionally, in an analysis of surgery-related risk factors, total gastrectomy was a risk factor for severe postoperative complications.

Conclusions

Our study findings suggest that low serum albumin level, male sex, and total gastrectomy could be risk factors of severe postoperative complications in elderly gastric cancer patients. Therefore, surgeons should work carefully in cases of elderly gastric cancer patients with low preoperative serum albumin level and male sex. We believe that efforts should be made to avoid total gastrectomy in elderly gastric cancer patients.