Table 4.

Postoperative complications 90 days after surgery according to Esophageal Complications Consensus Group definitions¹⁴ and the Clavien–Dindo severity classification¹⁸

	Perioperative chemotherapy group (n=162)	Trimodality group (n=167)
Gastrointestinal
Oesophagogastric leak from anastomosis, staple line or localised conduit necrosis	18 (11%)	19 (11%)
Extensive conduit necrosis	1 (1%)	0
Ileus	0	2 (1%)
Small bowel obstruction	0	2 (1%)
Feeding J-tube complication	2 (1%)	2 (1%)
Pyloromyotomy or pyloroplasty complication	1 (1%)	0
Clostridioides difficile infection	1 (1%)	2 (1%)
Pancreatitis	0	1 (1%)
Gastrointestinal bleeding requiring intervention or transfusion	2 (1%)	2 (1%)
Liver dysfunction	4 (2%)	2 (1%)
Delayed gastric emptying requiring intervention or delaying discharge or requiring maintenance of nasogastric drainage >7 days after operation	5 (3%)	2 (1%)
Pulmonary
Pneumonia	32 (20%)	26 (16%)
Pleural effusion requiring additional drainage procedure	18 (11%)	25 (15%)
Pneumothorax requiring intervention	9 (6%)	7 (4%)
Atelectasis mucous plugging requiring bronchoscopy	3 (2%)	1 (1%)
Respiratory failure requiring reintubation	13 (8%)	13 (8%)
Acute respiratory distress syndrome	1 (1%)	7 (4%)
Acute aspiration	4 (2%)	3 (2%)
Tracheobronchial injury	1 (1%)	2 (1%)
Chest tube drainage for >10 days after operation	6	9
Cardiac
Myocardial infarction	1 (1%)	0
Atrial dysrhythmia requiring intervention	21 (13%)	26 (16%)
Ventricular dysrhythmia requiring intervention	1 (1%)	1 (1%)
Congestive heart failure requiring intervention	2 (1%)	0
Pericarditis requiring intervention	1 (1%)	0
Thromboembolic
Deep vein thrombosis	0	1 (1%)
Pulmonary embolus	7 (4%)	4 (2%)
Stroke	1 (1%)	3 (2%)
Urological
Acute renal failure requiring dialysis	2 (1%)	1 (1%)
Urinary tract infection	1 (1%)	5 (3%)
Urinary retention requiring reinsertion of urinary catheter	5 (3%)	0
Infection
Wound Infection requiring opening wound or antibiotics	9 (6%)	7 (4%)
Central intravenous line infection requiring removal or antibiotics	1 (1%)	0
Intrathoracic or intra-abdominal abscess	3 (2%)	5 (3%)
Generalised sepsis according to CDC definition	10 (6%)	8 (5%)
Other infections requiring antibiotics	23 (14%)	23 (14%)
Neurological or psychiatric complications
Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury	4 (2%)	2 (1%)
Acute delirium	9 (6%)	7 (4%)
Wound or diaphragm complications
Thoracic wound dehiscence	2 (1%)	1 (1%)
Acute abdominal wall dehiscence or hernia	2 (1%)	2 (1%)
Acute diaphragmatic hernia	2 (1%)	0
Other complications
Chyle leak	6 (4%)	9 (5%)
Re-operation for reasons other than bleeding, anastomotic leak, or conduit necrosis	3 (2%)	3 (2%)
Clavien–Dindo severity classification
No complication	63 (39%)	62 (37%)
Grade I	20 (12%)	17 (10%)
Grade II	36 (22%)	44 (26%)
Grade IIIa	20 (12%)	18 (11%)
Grade IIIb	8 (5%)	12 (7%)
Grade IVa	8 (5%)	7 (4%)
Grade IVb	1 (1%)	2 (1%)
Grade V	5 (3%)	4 (2%)

Data are n (%). CDC=US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.