Published online Jan 7, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i1.98
Revised: November 21, 2009
Accepted: November 28, 2009
Published online: January 7, 2010
AIM: To investigate the occurrence of postoperative complications of gastric cancer surgery, and analyze the potential causes of reoperation for early postoperative complications.
METHODS: A total of 1639 patients who underwent radical or palliative gastrectomies for gastric cancer were included in the study. The study endpoint was the analysis of postoperative complications in inpatients.
RESULTS: About 31% of patients had early postoperative complications, and complications of infection occurred most frequently. Intra-abdominal hemorrhage and anastomotic leak were the main causes of reoperation, which accounted for about 2.2%. Mortality was 11.1% in the reoperation group, but was only 0.8% in other patients. The duration of postoperative stay in hospital was significantly longer and the total expenditure was markedly higher in the patients who underwent reoperation (P < 0.001). There was no significant association of any available factors in this study with the high rate of reoperation.
CONCLUSION: Reoperation significantly increases the mortality rate and raises the burden of the surgical unit. More prospective studies are required to explore the potential risk factors.