Post-discharge complications after esophagectomy account for high readmission rates

Table 2 Observed unadjusted rates of pre- and post-discharge outcomes after esophagectomy n (%)

Outcome	Total (n = 1986)	Group 2	Group 3	P value
		Pre-discharge complication	Post-discharge complication
		n = 1588 (79.96)	n = 398 (20.04)
30-d mortality1	140 (7.05)	104 (6.55)	36 (9.05)	0.082
Overall morbidity
Wound infection	470 (23.67)	307 (19.33)	163 (40.95)	< 0.001
Pneumonia	535 (26.94)	444 (27.96)	91 (22.86)	0.040
Urinary tract infection	112 (5.64)	91 (5.73)	21 (5.28)	0.725
Venous thromboembolism	207 (10.42)	142 (8.94)	65 (16.33)	< 0.001
Cardiac complication	108 (5.44)	92 (5.79)	16 (4.02)	0.163
Shock/sepsis	518 (26.08)	422 (26.57)	96 (24.12)	0.319
Unplanned intubation	420 (21.15)	368 (23.17)	52 (13.07)	< 0.001
Bleeding transfusion	584 (29.41)	526 (33.12)	58 (14.57)	< 0.001
Renal complication	59 (2.97)	50 (3.15)	9 (2.26)	0.351
On ventilator > 48 h	439 (22.10)	396 (24.94)	43 (10.80)	< 0.001
Organ space SSI	242 (12.19)	174 (10.96)	68 (17.09)	0.001
Reoperation 12-13	235 (25.97)	160 (22.38)	75 (39.47)	< 0.001
Serious Morbidity2	1102 (55.49)	901 (56.74)	201 (50.50)	0.025
Year of operation				0.142
2005-2007	264 (13.29)	223 (14.04)	41 (10.30)
2008-2010	518 (26.08)	409 (25.76)	109 (27.39)
2011-2013	1204 (60.62)	956 (60.20)	248 (62.31)
Length of stay, d (median)	11.7 ± 5.4 (10)	15.0 ± 6.3 (14)	10.3 ± 4.3 (9)	< 0.001
Prolonged length of stay3	765 (38.52)	707 (44.52)	58 (14.57)	< 0.001
Operative time, min (median)	342.3 ± 134.7 (328)	358.6 ± 145.6 (343)	350.4 ± 133.1 (335.5)	0.308
Prolonged operative time4	570 (28.70)	467 (29.41)	103 (25.88)	0.164
Readmission 2011-2013	226 (19.07)	62 (6.60)	164 (66.94)	< 0.001

¹In-hospital and post-discharge mortality among patients with pre or post-discharge complications. The overall mortality rate was 3.12% (140/4483);

²Serious morbidity: cardiac complication, shock/sepsis, unplanned intubation, on ventilator > 48 h, organ space SSI, and reoperation 2012-2013;

³Defined as length of stay > 75^th percentile;

⁴Defined as operative time > 75^th percentile. SSI: Surgical site infection.