Table 4.
Factors associated with postoperative complications
| Variable | No postoperative complication, n = 24 | Postoperative complication, n = 18 | OR [CI 95%] | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | ||||
| Age (years), median IQR [25–75] | 52.4 [37.4–73.8] | 69.01 [54.8–79.6] | 0.09 | |
| Sex (M, F) | 18.6 | 10.8 | 0.42 [0.11–1.62] | 0.19 |
| Charlson score, median IQR [25–75] | 0 [0–1] | 1 [0–2] | 0.03 | |
| Active smoking, n (%) | 12 (50) | 5 (28) | 0.38 [0.099–1.49] | 0.15 |
| Characteristics of trauma | ||||
| Road traffic accidents, n (%) | 12 (50) | 8 (44) | 0.80 [0.23–2.77] | 0.72 |
| Domestic fall, n (%) | 9 (38) | 8 (44) | 1.33 [0.38–4.71] | 0.65 |
| Time from trauma to ICU referral (days), median [IQR 25–75] | 2 [1–6] | 1.5 [0–3] | 0.34 | |
| TTSS, median [IQR 25–75] | 10 [8–11] | 12 [11–14.75] | 0.0005 | |
| Bilateral thoracic trauma, n (%) | 2 (8) | 8 (44) | 8.80 [1.29–59.92] | 0.007 |
| Other chest fractures, n (%) | 7 (29) | 13 (72) | 5.20 [1.15–23.53] | 0.017 |
| Number of broken ribs, median IQR [25–75] | 6.5 [5–7.25] | 8 [5.25–11.5] | 0.086 | |
| Extra-thoracic trauma | 10 (42) | 7 (38) | 0.89 [0.25–3.15] | 0.86 |
| Severity factors at initial management | ||||
| ISS, median IQR [25–75] | 41.5 [16–29] | 26 [16–27] | 0.59 | |
| SAPSII, median IQR [25–75] | 19 [15–26] | 33 [30–38] | 0.0001 | |
| SAPSII without age, median IQR [25–75] | 10 [7–17.5] | 20 [14–25] | 0.001 | |
| Respiratory failure, n (%)* | 3 (13) | 9 (50) | 7.00 [1.29–37.93] | 0.008 |
| Peroperative management | ||||
| Time from trauma to surgery (days), median [IQR 25–75] | 4.5 [2–7.25] | 3 [1–6] | 0.24 | |
| Duration of surgery (minutes), median [IQR 25–75] | 125 [120–150] | 150 [120–180] | 0.11 | |
| Transfusion of red blood cells, n (%) | 1 (4) | 5 (28) | 8.85 [0.79–99.31] | 0.03 |
| Number of red blood cells, median IQR [25–75] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–2] | 0.004 | |
| Vasopressor support, n (%) | 4 (9) | 7 (17) | 2.86 [0.64–12.81] | 0.15 |
| Loco regional analgesia | 24 (100) | 16 (88) | 0.09 | |
| Postoperative support and outcomes | ||||
| Mechanical ventilation duration (days), median IQR [25–75] | 0 [0–0] | 3.5 [0–8.0] | 0.0004 | |
| ICU length of stay, median IQR [25–75] | 5 [3.75–7] | 9 [6.25–17.5] | 0.0002 | |
| In-ICU mortality, n (%) | 0 (0) | 2 (11) | 0.9 | |
| Hospital length of stay, median IQR [25–75] | 10 [7–12.25] | 17 [11.25–31.5] | 0.0002 | |
COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; TTSS, Thoracic Trauma Severity Score; SAPSII, Simplified Acute Physiology Score; ISS, Index Severity Score; ICU, Intensive Care Unit
*Respiratory failure: need for high flow nasal oxygen (HFNO), non-invasive ventilation (NIV), or intubation with invasive ventilation