Relationship between preoperative assessment of organ function and postoperative morbidity in patients with oesophageal cancer

Eur J Surg. 1998 Aug;164(8):581-6. doi: 10.1080/110241598750005679.

Abstract

Objective: To find out if strict assessment of organ function preoperatively predicted morbidity and mortality in patients being operated on for oesophageal carcinoma.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Teaching hospital, Japan.

Subjects: 178 patients operated on for oesophageal cancer 1989-1993.

Interventions: Oesophagectomy and reconstruction (using either stomach or colon) in one stage by a right thoracoabdominal approach in 173, and transhiatal resection in 5 with either poor pulmonary reserve or early lesions.

Main outcome measures: Correlation between preoperative assessment of organ function and postoperative development of complications.

Result: 79 patients (44%) developed complications and 6 died (3%). Pulmonary dysfunction preoperatively was significantly associated with the development of all complications (p=0.001) and of postoperative pulmonary complications (p=0.04). No other preoperative assessment correlated significantly with the development of postoperative complications.

Conclusion: Accurate preoperative assessment of pulmonary function is a valuable indicator of postoperative morbidity.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Esophagectomy
  • Female
  • Heart / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Kidney / physiopathology
  • Liver / physiopathology
  • Lung / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Postoperative Complications / epidemiology*
  • Preoperative Care*
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survivors / statistics & numerical data