Factors related to surgical complications and their impact on the functional status in 236 open surgeries for malignant tumors in a Latino-American hospital

BACKGROUND: There are not many studies that address the selection of patients harboring malignant brain tumors for open surgery. It is necessary, especially in developing countries, to establish the standards because of their impact not only on the efficacy but also on the cost-effectiveness of surgery. With the concern to add information that may help in future studies about the decision making, we proposed to analyze factors associated with surgical complications and evaluate their influence on the functional status at 30 days after surgery. METHODS: A consecutive series of 236 surgeries performed between June 1999 and June 2005 were retrospectively analyzed (168 gliomas, 65 metastases, 3 others). Variables evaluated were age, sex, pre- and postoperative KPS, ASA status, anatomic localization, extent of tumor resection, tumor histology, and number of surgeries. RESULTS: The incidence of complicated craniotomies was 15.68% and mortality was 2.97%. Postoperatively, 92% of the patients improved or maintained the functional status, whereas 8% worsened. In multivariate analysis, only preoperative KPS (P = .009), ASA status (P = .02), and histology type (P = .03) showed significant association with postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the neurologic and clinical preoperative condition and grade III gliomas were factors related to postoperative complications, whereas age, extent of resection, and number of surgeries were not risk factors. We believe that these conclusions provide an additional benchmark for future multicentric studies that focus on the selection criteria for resection of malignant brain tumors.     

Supratentorial gliomas: surgical considerations and immediate postoperative results. Gross total resection versus partial resection

Forty-two patients with supratentorial gliomas not involving the basal ganglia (extraganglionic) were studied pre- and postoperatively with computed tomographic (CT) scans to evaluate the effect of the extent of surgical resection on the immediate postoperative results. Thirty-three patients (79%) had malignant astrocytic gliomas (glioblastoma or anaplastic astrocytoma), 4 patients (10%) had well-differentiated astrocytomas, and 5 (12%) had oligodendrogliomas. The median age was 58 years, and the median Karnofsky rating was 70. There was no operative mortality. Six patients (14%) had surgical complications. A gross total resection was defined as the absence of any abnormal enhancement on the postoperative CT scan. A nearly gross total resection had been accomplished when less than 10% of the preoperatively enhancing mass was still seen. A partial resection was indicated by the presence of more than 10% of the enhancing lesion on the postoperative CT scan. A gross total or nearly gross total resection was accomplished in 36 patients (86%), and an improved or stable postoperative neurological status was present in 35 of these patients (97%). In contrast, the rate of neurological morbidity after a partial resection was 40%. Supratentorial extraganglionic gliomas, regardless of their histological type, generally were well-circumscribed lesions except at the level of the ventricular wall, where glioblastomas and anaplastic astrocytomas blended with the subependymal white matter from which they seemed to arise.     

神经导航辅助切除邻近重要功能区神经胶质瘤

目的介绍神经导航系统在切除邻近重要功能区神经胶质瘤( 简称胶质瘤)手术中的初步应用体会. 方法 2000年6月～2001年2月,应用Brain LAB公司VectorVision2导航系统辅助切除邻近重要功能区胶质瘤11例,并对神经导航用于胶质瘤手术的优越性、精确性以及注意事项进行分析. 结果本组病例中,平均注册误差为(1.5±0.7) mm,术后近期复查CT或MRI证实肿瘤全切除率为81.8%,患者临床症状均得到改善,肢体活动等重要神经功能未受明显影响,无手术并发症. 结论神经导航系统对于切除邻近重要功能区胶质瘤具有定位准确、动态示踪、微侵袭、安全可靠等特点 ,有助于提高胶质瘤的全切除率及降低手术并发症的发生.     

Incidence and clinical evolution of postoperative deficits after volumetric stereotactic resection of glial neoplasms involving the supplementary motor area

OBJECTIVE: We report the incidence and clinical evolution of postoperative deficits and supplementary motor area (SMA) syndrome after volumetric stereotactic resection of glial neoplasms involving the posterior one-third of the superior frontal convolution. We investigated variables that may be associated with the occurrence of SMA syndrome. METHODS: The postoperative clinical status of 27 consecutive patients who underwent resection of SMA gliomas was retrospectively reviewed. Neurological examination results were recorded 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months postoperatively. The extent of tumor resection, the percentage of SMA resection, violation of the cingulate gyrus, and operative complications were tabulated. RESULTS: The overall incidence of SMA-related deficits was 26% (7 of 27 patients), with 3 patients having complete SMA syndrome and 4 patients having partial SMA syndrome. Two additional patients (7.5%) had other postoperative deficits, including one with mild facial weakness and one with transient aphasia. The resection of low-grade gliomas was associated with a higher incidence of SMA syndrome, an outcome that likely reflects more complete removal of functional SMA cortex in this subset of patients. Intraoperative monitoring localized the precentral sulcus within the preoperatively defined tumor volume in 6 (22%) of 27 patients, thereby precluding gross total resection. All 27 patients had excellent outcomes at the 6-month follow-up examination. CONCLUSION: When the resection of SMA gliomas is limited to the radiographic tumor boundaries, the incidence and severity of SMA syndrome may be minimized. With the use of these resection parameters, patients with high-grade SMA gliomas are unlikely to experience SMA syndrome. These findings are helpful in the preoperative counseling of patients who are to undergo cytoreductive resection of SMA gliomas.     

Pulmonary assessment for general thoracic surgery

Preoperative pulmonary assessment is an essential step in the selection and the management of patients who are candidates for thoracic procedures. Despite advances in anesthesia, including the use of epidural analgesics, and advances in surgical techniques and perioperative care, postoperative pulmonary complications remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in thoracic surgery. No single parameter is predictive of postoperative complications or mortality in patients who undergo a thoracic procedure. Therefore, patients should not be denied for surgical resection based on any single abnormal test or parameter. A comprehensive assessment of the functional status, exercise tolerance, and pulmonary function should be performed before surgery to select the patients appropriately, predict the risk of postoperative complications, and achieve better outcomes.     

Perioperative nutritional support with immune-enhancing diet for surgical closure of open thoracic window

Immunonutrition, which is a therapeutic approach to modulate acute surgical or medical conditions, has been proven to decrease surgical site complications in patients undergoing major elective surgery for upper gastrointestinal and esophageal malignancy. For immunonutrition to be carried out effectively, specific nutrients called pharmaconutrients are quite important. In our case, to enhance the perioperative nutritional status of the patient, special formulas supplemented with specific pharmaconutrients, which are arginine and omega-3 fatty acids, were orally administered. The open thoracic window for chronic empyema caused by postoperative bronchopleural fistula was successfully closed. Perioperative immunonutrition is likely to have beneficial effect in decreasing postoperative infectious complications in high-risk malnourished thoracic surgical patients.     

吸烟对围术期患者病理生理和麻醉效果的影响

背景 每年都有成千上万的吸烟患者需要手术和麻醉,而大多数麻醉医师未充分认识到吸烟对围术期的危害.目的 为提高麻醉管理水平,改善围术期吸烟手术患者的预后,现将吸烟对围术期患者病理生理和麻醉效果的影响作一综述.内容 吸烟不仅能增加术后并发症(包括肺部并发症、心血管并发症和伤口相关并发症),还能增加麻醉相关并发症(譬如低氧血...     

Postoperative intensive care admittance: the role of tobacco smoking

BACKGROUND: Smokers have been shown to have increased risk of intraoperative pulmonary complications and of a wide range of postoperative complications, but an increased risk of postoperative intensive care admittance has not yet been described. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of pulmonary complications and postoperative intensive care admittance in smokers and non-smokers in a general and orthopaedic surgical population. METHODS: A total of 4725 surgical patients were assessed. The following information was noted: age, sex and smoking status, history of heart and lung disease, ASA classification, type of anaesthesia, intensive care admittance and postoperative pulmonary or cardiovascular complications. A logistic regression model was used to determine the probability of intensive care admittance and pulmonary complications as a function of smoking status, age, and chronic heart and lung disease. RESULTS: Of the patients, 39.9% were smokers, 45.5% were non-smokers and in 14.6% of the cases smoking status was unspecified. Postoperative intensive care admittance and pulmonary complications were found in 2.0% and 4.3% of the patients, respectively. Non-smokers were more often female (P<0.01), and smokers had a higher incidence of emergency surgical procedures (P<0.05). When applying multiple regression analysis, we found that smoking, age >65 years, and a history of chronic lung disease increased the risk of unplanned intensive care admittance (odds ratio 1.55, 12.52 and 2.73). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate a relationship between a history of tobacco smoking and postoperative intensive care admittance.     

An analysis of the reasons for relaparotomy in the surgical clinic]

The results of surgical treatment of 4,078 patients who underwent operation in 1985-1989 were studied. Due to the occurrence of complications in the early postoperative period, 182 relaparotomies were carried out in 164 patients. The main indications for relaparotomies were advanced underlying disease, surgical errors (tactical, technical), changes of the patients' immune status. Early diagnosis, timely operation with the use of technically correct manipulations, and the application of a full complex of intensive therapy measures in the postoperative period are important in the prevention of complications.     

Intraoperative subcortical stimulation mapping for hemispherical perirolandic gliomas located within or adjacent to the descending motor pathways: evaluation of morbidity and assessment of functional outcome in 294 patients

OBJECT: Intraoperative stimulation mapping of subcortical white matter tracts during the resection of gliomas has become a valuable surgical adjunct that is used to reduce morbidity associated with tumor removal. The purpose of this retrospective analysis was to assess the morbidity and functional outcome associated with this method, thus allowing the surgeon to predict the likelihood of causing a temporary or permanent motor deficit. METHODS: In this study, the authors report their experience with intraoperative stimulation mapping to locate subcortical motor pathways in 294 patients who underwent surgery for hemispheric gliomas within or adjacent to the rolandic cortex. Data were collected regarding intraoperative cortical and subcortical stimulation mapping results, along with the patient's neurological status pre- and postoperatively. For patients in whom an additional motor deficit occurred postoperatively, its evolution was examined. Of 294 patients, an additional postoperative motor deficit occurred in 60 (20.4%). Of those 60, 23 (38%) recovered to their preoperative baseline status within the 1st postoperative week. Another 12 (20%) recovered from their postoperative motor deficit by the end of the 4th postoperative week, and 11 more recovered to their baseline status by the end of the 3rd postoperative month. Thus, 46 (76.7%) of 60 patients with postoperative motor deficits regained their baseline function within the first 90 days after surgery. The remaining 14 patients (4.8% of the entire study population of 294) had a persistent motor deficit after 3 months. Patients whose subcortical pathways were identified with stimulation mapping were more prone to develop an additional (temporary or permanent) motor deficit than those in whom subcortical pathways could not be identified (27.5% compared with 13.1%, p = 0.003). This was also true when additional (permanent) motor deficits lasted more than 3 months (7.4% when subcortical pathways were found, compared with 2.1% when they were not found; p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with gliomas that are located within or adjacent to the rolandic cortex and, thus, the descending motor tracts, stimulation mapping of subcortical pathways enables the surgeon to identify these descending motor pathways during tumor removal and to achieve an acceptable rate of permanent morbidity in these high-risk functional areas.     

Nutritional support to prevent infectious complications after surgery

The nutritional condition of patients affects the results of surgical treatment. In patients in poor nutritional condition, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality rate were reported to increase. Perioperative nutritional management is an important factor in preventing the incidence of postoperative infectious complications. The assessment of nutritional status is also important, and the appropriate dietary regimen should be selected based on the results of the assessment. Oral and enteral nutrition are usually selected for perioperative patients. Early enteral nutrition is advantageous in preventing postoperative infection. The effects of immunonutrition and synbiotics in surgical patients have been discussed in many recent reports. The advantages and disadvantages of nutritional therapy must be understood to provide the most appropriate regimen. This paper reviews the contribution of nutritional support to the prevention of complications after surgery.     

老年髋部损伤的围手术期风险预测

目的探讨老年髋部损伤高风险的相关因素,提高对患者手术风险的预测性。方法对172例髋部损伤的患者进行回顾性调查,调查包括:一般情况、病史、受伤情况、临床检验、手术情况以及手术后并发症的发生情况等。对调查结果进行多元回归分析、比较分析,进行统计检验。对目前2种评分方法进行验证。结果发生并发症的患者中,伤前活动差、血红蛋白含量及总蛋白含量较低(有显著差异)。结论老年髋部损伤的治疗选择中,年龄不是手术的禁忌证,血红蛋白、总蛋白的检验结果在一定程度上反映了老年患者的机体状况,在手术风险的预测中有重要意义。     

Prognostic nutritional index in gastrointestinal surgery

Based on assessment of 161 nonemergency general surgical patients, a multiparameter index of nutritional status was defined relating the risk of postoperative complications to baseline nutritional status. When applied prospectively to 100 gastrointestinal surgical patients, this index provided an accurate, quantitative estimate of operative risk, permitting rational selection of patients to receive preoperative nutritional support.     

The impact of hepatitis C status on postoperative outcome

The impact of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the postoperative complication rate is unknown. We identified a population of surgical patients (n = 2457) for whom the HCV antibody (anti-HCV) had been measured and compared after surgical complications and mortality between those who were positive (17.9%) versus negative. The complication rates were 10% in the anti-HCV positive and 13% in the negative group (P = 0.125), whereas the mortality rates were 0.7% and 2.5%, respectively (P = 0.017). The anti-HCV positive patients were younger, had lower ASA physical status, and underwent shorter procedures. In the univariate analysis, emergent surgery and high ASA physical status but not anti-HCV positivity were associated with a more frequent complication. In the multivariate analysis, the urgency of surgery, age, ASA physical status, length of surgery, and preoperative hematocrit (but not platelet count) were associated with complications. Anti-HCV positivity was associated with an odds ratio for having a complication of 1.08 (95% confidence interval, 0.90-1.30), which was not statistically significant (P = 0.405). In conclusion, we were unable to show HCV antibody status to be an independent risk factor for postoperative complications when other co-factors were considered. IMPLICATIONS: In this large study at a Veterans Administration medical center, the urgency of surgery, age, ASA physical status, length of surgery, and preoperative hematocrit were all independently associated with postoperative complications. However, hepatitis C infection was not an independent risk factor for postoperative complications.     

Surgical Complications in Gastric Cancer Patients Preoperatively Treated with Chemotherapy: Their Risk Factors and Clinical Relevance

Background

This study was designed to identify risk factors and oncological value for the development of postoperative complications after gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients with preoperative chemotherapy.

Methods

A total of 123 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy after chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. The incidence, type, risk factors, and prognostic value of surgical complications were evaluated.

Results

The postoperative complication rate was 29.3% and mortality rate was 1.6%. The development of postoperative complications was associated with operation time (>200?min) and transfusion during surgery. The resection extent, preoperative chemotherapy cycles and regimens, tumor stage, and patients?? nutritional status were not predictive factors for the development of surgical complications. In the multivariate analysis, operation time was an independent risk factor for the development of postoperative complications (odds ratio, 3.813; P?=?0.011). The median follow-up after surgery was 19?months. The 3-year, disease-free survival was 57.1% in patients without complications and 25.7% in patients with complications (P?=?0.004). Multivariable analysis demonstrated postoperative complications were a significant prognostic factor for disease-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.676; P?=?0.024).

Conclusions

The incidence of surgical complications was high in gastric cancer patients who received preoperative chemotherapy. Long operation time was a risk factor for surgical complications, and the development of postoperative complication was predictive of patients?? prognoses.     

Smoking increases the risk of postoperative wound complications: A propensity score-matched cohort study

Cigarette smoking is associated with surgical complications, including wound healing and surgical site infection. However, the association between smoking status and postoperative wound complications is not completely understood. Our objective was to investigate the effect of smoking on postoperative wound complications for major surgeries. Data were collected from the 2013 to 2018 participant use files of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. A propensity score matching procedure was used to create the balanced smoker and nonsmoker groups. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for postoperative wound complications, pulmonary complications, and in-hospital mortality associated with smokers. A total of 1 156 002 patients (578 001 smokers and 578 001 nonsmokers) were included in the propensity score matching analysis. Smoking was associated with a significantly increased risk of postoperative wound disruption (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.56-1.75), surgical site infection (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.28-1.34), reintubation (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.40-1.54), and in-hospital mortality (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.07-1.19) compared with nonsmoking. The length of hospital stay was significantly increased in smokers compared with nonsmokers. Our analysis indicates that smoking is associated with an increased risk of surgical site infection, wound disruption, and postoperative pulmonary complications. The results may drive the clinicians to encourage patients to quit smoking before surgery.     

A study of the impact of long-term tobacco smoking on postoperative intensive care admission

Smoking is a risk factor for intra-operative pulmonary complications and a wide range of postoperative pulmonary, cardiovascular, infection and wound-related complications. These may all lead to unplanned postoperative intensive care admission. We tested the hypothesis that smokers have an increased incidence of postoperative intensive care admission and more postoperative complications than nonsmokers in a general and orthopaedic surgical population. The following information was assessed in 6026 surgical patients: age, sex and smoking status (pack-years), history of heart and lung disease, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical classification, intensive care admission and postoperative complications. Two thousand five hundred and twenty-six (46%) were smokers but for 620 patients (10.3%) smoking status was not confirmed. Postoperative intensive care admission was required by 319 patients (5.3%). Patients with > 50 pack-years were admitted to the intensive care more frequently than were smokers with < or = 50 pack-years history and nonsmokers (p < 0.001). Ex-smokers with > 50 pack-years history had the same risk of postoperative admission to intensive care as smokers with > 50 pack-years history. Smokers admitted to intensive care with > 50 pack-years history had a higher incidence of chronic lung disease (p < 0.005) and heavy alcohol consumption (p < 0.001). These smokers also had a higher incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (odds ratio = 3.91, p < 0.01). The mortality rate was 37% in smokers with > 50 pack-years history and 24% in nonsmokers (odds ratio = 2.02, p = 0.08). We conclude long-term tobacco smoking (> 50 pack-years) carries a higher risk of postoperative admission to intensive care, and there seems to be a dose relationship between the amount of tobacco consumed and the risk of postoperative intensive care admission.     

Perioperative cortical stimulation of language fields under local anesthesia in preparation to excision of tumors of the dominant hemisphere

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to demonstrate the accuracy of direct cortical stimulation of language areas preparatory to the removal of infiltrating tumors of dominant hemisphere. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From June 1998 to March 2000 we included in our study 15 patients, aged from 30 to 75 years, harboring gliomas (14 high grades and 1 low grade) close to language-specific cortex. All patients had slight inaugural phasic troubles. They underwent craniotomy under local anesthesia for cortical stimulation language mapping, in conjunction with electrocorticography to identify the after-discharge threshold. Stimulation mapping covered the entire macroscopically tumor involved area, extending up to 3 cm away from the margins of the lesion, without searching to identify systematically the language areas. Therefore, the lesion was removed as completely as possible, respecting a security margin of at least 1 cm from the recognized language sites. RESULTS: We identified from 1 to 6 language sites for 14 of our patients, in different locations. A radical removal was achieved for all high grade gliomas, while the low grade was only partially removed. A patient died on the 16th postoperative day from pulmonary embolism; 2 patients deteriorated from peri- or immediate postoperative complications; 9 showed a transient neurological worsening that receded by the 2nd postoperative month, while 3 did not present any postoperative aggravation. At a follow-up of 1 month to 2 years (mean 8 months), 6 patients died and the 9 survivors maintain a good life quality. CONCLUSIONS: Cortical stimulation for language mapping is an accurate technique that allows the surgical morbidity of lesions in proximity to language areas to decrease and become comparable to the surgical morbidity for lesions in non eloquent areas.     

Nutritional status and outcome of surgery: A prospective observational cohort study of children at a tertiary surgical hospital in Harare,Zimbabwe

BackgroundUndernutrition contributes to nearly 50% of all child deaths in the world, yet there is conflicting evidence regarding the association between nutritional status and postoperative complications. The aim was to describe the preoperative nutritional status among pediatric surgery patients in Zimbabwe, and to assess if nutritional status was a risk factor for adverse postoperative outcome of mortality, surgical site infection, reoperation, readmission, and longer length of stay.MethodsThis prospective observational cohort study included 136 children undergoing surgery at a tertiary pediatric hospital in Zimbabwe. Nutritional status was standardized using Z-scores for BMI, length, weight, and middle upper arm circumference. Primary outcomes after 30 days included mortality, surgical site infection, reoperation, and readmission. Secondary outcome was length of stay. Univariate and multivariable analyses with logistic regression were performed.ResultsOf the 136 patients, 31% were undernourished. Postoperative adverse outcome occurred in 20%; the mortality rate was 6%, the surgical site infection rate was 17%, the reoperation rate was 3.5%, and readmission rate was 2.5%. Nutritional status, higher ASA classification, major surgical procedures, and lower preoperative hemoglobin levels were associated with adverse outcome. Univariate logistic regression identified a seven-fold increased risk of postoperative complications among undernourished children (OR 7.3 [2.3–22.8], p = 0.001), and there was a four- to six-fold increased adjusted risk after adjustment for ASA, major surgery, and preoperative hemoglobin.ConclusionA third of all pediatric surgery patients were undernourished, and undernourished children had a considerably higher risk of adverse outcome. With a positive correlation identified between undernourishment and increased postoperative complications, future aims would include assessing if preoperative nutritional treatment could be especially beneficial for undernourished children.Levels of EvidenceLevel II treatment study.     

Surgical complications do not affect longterm survival after esophagectomy for carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus and cardia

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection is the only real chance of cure for carcinoma of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction, although it carries considerable postoperative morbidity and mortality. The longterm prognosis for patients undergoing operation depends largely on the pathologic stage of the disease. The real impact of postoperative complications on survival is still under evaluation. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the thoracic esophagus and esophagogastric junction, undergoing surgical resection between January 1992 and December 2002. For the 522 patients considered for esophagogastroplasty, we analyzed comorbidities, preoperative staging, neoadjuvant treatments, surgical data, histopathology, postoperative surgical or medical complications, and survival. RESULTS: Surgical complications occurred in 85 of 522 patients (16.3%); their survival rate was entirely similar to that of the group of patients without surgical complications (p=0.9). The survival rate was worse for patients with concurrent surgical and medical complications. Analysis of the 99 patients (19%) who had only medical complications postoperatively revealed a survival rate comparable (p=0.9) with that of the 338 patients (63.7%) with an uneventful postoperative course. The median postoperative hospital stay was 14 days for all 522 patients, and 18 days for patients with medical or surgical postoperative complications. Multivariate analysis of the predictive factors showed that surgical complications do not affect longterm prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical complications have no negative impact on survival rates, which seem to depend exclusively on the pathologic stage of the tumor.