Table 2.
Postoperative complications
| Drain placed? | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entire cohort | No | Yes | |||
| 488,460 | 388,239 | 100,221 | PR (95% CI) | p value | |
| Outcome | |||||
| Swallow study performed day of or day after procedure | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 311,506 (63.8%) | 263,647 (67.9%) | 47,859 (47.8%) | Reference | |
| Yes, routine | 169,644 (34.7%) | 119,360 (30.7%) | 50,284 (50.2%) | 1.93 (1.91, 1.95) | |
| Yes, selective | 7310 (1.5%) | 5232 (1.3%) | 2078 (2.1%) | 1.85 (1.78, 1.92) | |
| Swallow study performed day of or day after procedure | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 311,506 (63.77) | 263,647 (67.91) | 47,859 (47.75) | Reference | |
| Yes | 176,954 (36.23) | 124,592 (32.09) | 52,362 (52.25) | 1.93 (1.91, 1.95) | |
| Death during operation (intra-op death) or post-op death within 30 days of procedure | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 487,967 (99.9%) | 387,895 (99.9%) | 100,072 (99.9%) | Reference | |
| Yes | 493 (0.1%) | 344 (0.1%) | 149 (0.1%) | 1.47 (1.29, 1.69) | |
| At least one reoperation within 30 days of op | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 481,482 (98.6%) | 383,186 (98.7%) | 98,296 (98.1%) | Reference | |
| Yes | 6978 (1.4%) | 5053 (1.3%) | 1925 (1.9%) | 1.35 (1.3, 1.4) | |
| At least one readmission within 30 days of op | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 468,239 (95.9%) | 373,119 (96.1%) | 95,120 (94.9%) | Reference | |
| Yes | 20,221 (4.1%) | 15,120 (3.9%) | 5101 (5.1%) | 1.24 (1.21, 1.27) | |
| At least one intervention within 30 days of op | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 481,134 (98.5%) | 382,965 (98.6%) | 98,169 (98.0%) | Reference | |
| Yes | 7326 (1.5%) | 5274 (1.4%) | 2052 (2.0%) | 1.37 (1.32, 1.42) | |
| Morbidity | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 474,293 (97.1%) | 378,405 (97.5%) | 95,888 (95.7%) | Reference | |
| Yes | 14,167 (2.9%) | 9834 (2.5%) | 4333 (4.3%) | 1.51 (1.47, 1.55) | |
| Unplanned admission to ICU within 30 days | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 484,750 (99.2%) | 385,676 (99.3%) | 99,074 (98.9%) | ||
| Yes | 3710 (0.8%) | 2563 (0.7%) | 1147 (1.1%) | ||
| Number of post-op deep incisional SSI | < 0.001 | ||||
| 0 | 488,065 (99.9%) | 388,021 (99.9%) | 100,044 (99.8%) | ||
| 1+ | 395 (0.1%) | 218 (0.1%) | 177 (0.2%) | ||
| Deep incisional SSI PATOS | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 488,434 (100.0%) | 388,229 (100.0%) | 100,205 (100.0%) | ||
| Yes | 26 (< 1%) | 10 (< 1%) | 16 (< 1%) | ||
| Intra-op or post-op myocardial infarction | 0.48 | ||||
| No | 488,302 (100.0%) | 388,117 (100.0%) | 100,185 (100.0%) | ||
| Yes | 158 (< 1%) | 122 (< 1%) | 36 (< 1%) | ||
| Number of on ventilator > 48 h occurrences | < 0.001 | ||||
| 0 | 488,003 (99.9%) | 387,935 (99.9%) | 100,068 (99.8%) | ||
| 1+ | 457 (0.1%) | 304 (0.1%) | 153 (0.2%) | ||
| Ventilator > 48 h PATOS | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 488,439 (100.0%) | 388,230 (100.0%) | 100,209 (100.0%) | ||
| Yes | 21 (< 1%) | 9 (< 1%) | 12 (< 1%) | ||
| Number of post-op organ/ space SSI occurrences | < 0.001 | ||||
| 0 | 487,029 (99.7%) | 387,340 (99.8%) | 99,689 (99.5%) | ||
| 1+ | 1431 (0.3%) | 899 (0.2%) | 532 (0.5%) | ||
| Organ/space SSI PATOS | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 488,309 (100.0%) | 388,190 (100.0%) | 100,119 (99.9%) | ||
| Yes | 151 (< 1%) | 49 (< 1%) | 102 (0.1%) | ||
| Number of post-op pneumonia occurrences | < 0.001 | ||||
| 0 | 487,306 (99.8%) | 387,466 (99.8%) | 99,840 (99.6%) | ||
| 1+ | 1154 (0.2%) | 773 (0.2%) | 381 (0.4%) | ||
| Pneumonia PATOS | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 488,422 (100.0%) | 388,219 (100.0%) | 100,203 (100.0%) | ||
| Yes | 38 (< 1%) | 20 (< 1%) | 18 (< 1%) | ||
| Peripheral nerve injury | 0.23 | ||||
| No | 488,433 (100.0%) | 388,215 (100.0%) | 100,218 (100.0%) | ||
| Yes | 27 (< 1%) | 24 (< 1%) | 3 (< 1%) | ||
| Progressive renal insufficiency | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 488,129 (99.9%) | 388,019 (99.9%) | 100,110 (99.9%) | ||
| Yes | 331 (0.1%) | 220 (0.1%) | 111 (0.1%) | ||
| Pulmonary embolism | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 487,910 (99.9%) | 387,834 (99.9%) | 100,076 (99.9%) | ||
| Yes | 550 (0.1%) | 405 (0.1%) | 145 (0.1%) | ||
| Number of post-op sepsis occurrences | < 0.001 | ||||
| 0 | 487,754 (99.9%) | 387,797 (99.9%) | 99,957 (99.7%) | ||
| 1+ | 706 (0.1%) | 442 (0.1%) | 264 (0.3%) | ||
| Sepsis PATOS | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 488,376 (100.0%) | 388,217 (100.0%) | 100,159 (99.9%) | ||
| Yes | 84 (< 1%) | 22 (< 1%) | 62 (0.1%) | ||
| Number of post-op septic shock occurrences | < 0.001 | ||||
| 0 | 488,074 (99.9%) | 387,982 (99.9%) | 100,092 (99.9%) | ||
| 1+ | 386 (0.1%) | 257 (0.1%) | 129 (0.1%) | ||
| Septic shock PATOS | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 488,406 (100.0%) | 388,218 (100.0%) | 100,188 (100.0%) | ||
| Yes | 54 (< 1%) | 21 (< 1%) | 33 (< 1%) | ||
| Number of post-op superficial incisional SSI | < 0.001 | ||||
| 0 | 486,113 (99.5%) | 386,686 (99.6%) | 99,427 (99.2%) | ||
| 1+ | 2347 (0.5%) | 1553 (0.4%) | 794 (0.8%) | ||
| Superficial incisional SSI PATOS | 0.021 | ||||
| No | 488,424 (100.0%) | 388,216 (100.0%) | 100,208 (100.0%) | ||
| Yes | 36 (< 1%) | 23 (< 1%) | 13 (< 1%) | ||
| Transfusion intra-op/post-op (72 h of surgery start time) | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 484,870 (99.3%) | 385,787 (99.4%) | 99,083 (98.9%) | ||
| Yes | 3590 (0.7%) | 2452 (0.6%) | 1138 (1.1%) | ||
| Number of units transfused (1–200), median (IQR) | 0.06 (0.46) | 0.05 (0.44) | 0.08 (0.53) | < 0.001 | |
| Number of units transfused (1–200) | < 0.001 | ||||
| 0 | 145,602 (29.8%) | 110,009 (28.3%) | 35,593 (35.5%) | ||
| 1 | 727 (0.1%) | 505 (0.1%) | 222 (0.2%) | ||
| 2 | 1798 (0.4%) | 1232 (0.3%) | 566 (0.6%) | ||
| 3+ | 1052 (0.2%) | 707 (0.2%) | 345 (0.3%) | ||
| Unknown | 339,281 (69.5%) | 275,786 (71.0%) | 63,495 (63.4%) | ||
| Unplanned intubation | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 487,694 (99.8%) | 387,701 (99.9%) | 99,993 (99.8%) | ||
| Yes | 766 (0.2%) | 538 (0.1%) | 228 (0.2%) | ||
| Number of post-op UTI occurrences | < 0.001 | ||||
| 0 | 486,656 (99.6%) | 386,868 (99.6%) | 99,788 (99.6%) | ||
| 1+ | 1804 (0.4%) | 1371 (0.4%) | 433 (0.4%) | ||
| Urinary tract infection PATOS | 0.25 | ||||
| No | 488,312 (100.0%) | 388,127 (100.0%) | 100,185 (100.0%) | ||
| Yes | 148 (< 1%) | 112 (< 1%) | 36 (< 1%) | ||
| Post-op vein thrombosis requiring therapy | 0.095 | ||||
| No | 487,578 (99.8%) | 387,558 (99.8%) | 100,020 (99.8%) | ||
| Yes | 882 (0.2%) | 681 (0.2%) | 201 (0.2%) | ||
| Wound disruption | 0.84 | ||||
| No | 488,184 (99.9%) | 388,021 (99.9%) | 100,163 (99.9%) | ||
| Yes | 276 (0.1%) | 218 (0.1%) | 58 (0.1%) | ||
| Unplanned admission to ICU within 30 days | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 484,750 (99.2%) | 385,676 (99.3%) | 99,074 (98.9%) | ||
| Yes | 3710 (0.8%) | 2563 (0.7%) | 1147 (1.1%) | ||
| Acute renal failure | < 0.001 | ||||
| No | 488,092 (99.9%) | 387,992 (99.9%) | 100,100 (99.9%) | ||
| Yes | 368 (0.1%) | 247 (0.1%) | 121 (0.1%) | ||
| Intra-op or post-op cardiac arrest requiring CPR | 0.027 | ||||
| No | 488,246 (100.0%) | 388,082 (100.0%) | 100,164 (99.9%) | ||
| Yes | 214 (< 1%) | 157 (< 1%) | 57 (0.1%) | ||
| Coma > 24 h | 0.58 | ||||
| No | 488,449 (100.0%) | 388,231 (100.0%) | 100,218 (100.0%) | ||
| Yes | 11 (< 1%) | 8 (< 1%) | 3 (< 1%) | ||
| Stroke/cerebrovascular accident | 0.81 | ||||
| No | 488,405 (100.0%) | 388,196 (100.0%) | 100,209 (100.0%) | ||
| Yes | 55 (< 1%) | 43 (< 1%) | 12 (< 1%) | ||
PR prevalence ratio, CI confidence interval, IQR interquartile range, UTI urinary tract infection, ICU intensive care unit, SSI skin and soft tissue infection, PATOS present at time of surgery, MI myocardial infarction, CPR cardiopulmonary resuscitation