Table 2.
Frequencies of Clavien–Dindo grades and postoperative complications in patients of the current study
| nCRT and surgery (n = 161) | Surgery alone (n = 161) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any complication | 136 (85 %) | 125 (78 %) | 0.13 |
| Grade I complication | 70 (43 %) | 79 (49 %) | 0.37 |
| Grade II complication | 90 (56 %) | 85 (53 %) | 0.65 |
| Grade IIIa complication | 58 (36 %) | 52 (32 %) | 0.56 |
| Grade IIIb complication | 25 (13 %) | 28 (15 %) | 0.76 |
| Grade IVa complication | 28 (15 %) | 33 (20 %) | 0.57 |
| Grade IVb complication | 3 (2 %) | 6 (3 %) | 0.50 |
| Grade V complication | 5 (3 %) | 6 (3 %) | 1.00 |
| Subgroup 1: Anastomotic leakagea | 37 (23 %) | 49 (30 %) | 0.16 |
| Subgroup 2: Pulmonary complicationsb | 81 (50 %) | 82 (50 %) | 1.00 |
| Subgroup 3: Cardiac complicationsc | 34 (21 %) | 23 (14 %) | 0.57 |
| Subgroup 4: Thromboembolic events | 6 (3 %) | 4 (2 %) | 1.00 |
| Subgroup 5: Chyle leakaged | 16 (10 %) | 11 (7 %) | 0.41 |
| Subgroup 6: Wound infections | 18 (11 %) | 21 (13 %) | 0.60 |
| Anastomotic leakage | 37 (23 %) | 49 (30 %) | 0.16 |
| Leakage requiring surgical intervention | 8 (4 %) | 6 (3 %) | 0.59 |
| Pneumonia | 49 (30 %) | 40 (21 %) | 0.32 |
| Atelectasis | 17 (11 %) | 22 (14 %) | 0.49 |
| Empyema | 14 (9 %) | 25 (16 %) | 0.09 |
| Pneumothorax | 10 (6 %) | 14 (9 %) | 0.52 |
| Respiratory insufficiency | 29 (15 %) | 33 (20 %) | 0.67 |
| Reintubation | 33 (20 %) | 33 (20 %) | 1.00 |
| Thromboembolism | 6 (3 %) | 4 (2 %) | 0.75 |
| Cardiac arrhythmia | 30 (20 %) | 22 (12 %) | 0.29 |
| Myocardial infaction | 0 (0 %) | 1 (1 %) | 1.00 |
| Cardiac decompensation | 4 (2 %) | 0 (0 %) | 0.13 |
| Mediastinitis | 6 (3 %) | 11 (7 %) | 0.32 |
| Chylothorax | 16 (10 %) | 11 (7 %) | 0.41 |
| Vocal cord palsy | 19 (12 %) | 12 (7 %) | 0.66 |
| Wound infection neck | 9 (6 %) | 6 (3 %) | 0.60 |
| Wound infection thorax | 0 (0 %) | 9 (6 %) | 0.007 |
| Wound infection abdomen | 9 (6 %) | 6 (3 %) | 0.60 |
| Renal failure | 4 (2 %) | 1 (1 %) | 0.37 |
| Sepsis | 7 (4 %) | 10 (6 %) | 0.62 |
| Multi-organ failure | 0 (0 %) | 4 (2 %) | 0.13 |
| Readmittance ICU | 30 (19 %) | 27 (17 %) | 0.66 |
Adverse events were graded according to the National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0
nCRTS neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy
aAnastomotic leakage was defined as: drainage of saliva or gastrointestinal content from the surgical join between the oesophagus and gastric tube. The luminal contents may emerge externally or internally, or may be collected near the anastomosis with or without systemic complications
bPulmonary complications were pneumonia (isolation of pathogen from sputum culture and a new or progressive infiltrate on chest radiograph), serious atelectasis (lobar collapse on chest radiograph), pneumothorax (collection of air between the visceral and parietal pleural surfaces, requiring drainage), pleural effusion (collection of fluid between the visceral and parietal pleural surfaces, requiring drainage), pulmonary embolus (embolus detected on spiral CT or a ventilation–perfusion mismatch on a lung scintigram), and acute respiratory failure (partial pressure of arterial oxygen <60 mm Hg while breathing ambient air)
cCardiac complications were arrhythmia (any change in rhythm on the electrocardiogram, requiring treatment), myocardial infarction (two or three of the following: previous myocardial infarction, electrocardiographic changes suggesting myocardial infarction, or enzyme changes suggesting myocardial infarction), cardiac decompensation and left ventricular failure (marked pulmonary edema on a chest radiograph)
dChylothorax was recorded when elevated levels of triglycerides in intrathoracic fluid [>1 mmol l−1 (89 mg per deciliter)] were found. Mediastinitis was scored when reported by the local investigator