A comprehensive assessment of transfusion in elective pancreatectomy: risk factors and complications

Blood transfusion in percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion: a nationwide analysis of incidence, predictors, and outcomes

BACKGROUND

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) may benefit from PLAAO, a method proven to reduce the risk of stroke. However, the risk of requiring blood transfusion during the perioperative period has not been adequately evaluated.

OBJECTIVES

Using a comprehensive nationwide database, this study aimed to evaluate the frequency of transfusion events, identify contributing factors, and assess clinical outcomes in individuals who underwent PLAAO.

METHODS

A retrospective evaluation of 61,445 PLAAO procedures, documented in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 2015 to 2019, was conducted. The analysis compared patient characteristics, underlying conditions, medical complications, institutional features, and clinical results between groups requiring and not requiring transfusion support. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify key predictors of blood transfusion.

RESULTS

Transfusion support was necessary in 1.8% of procedures (1,090/61,445), with a decrease from 5.0% in 2015 to 1.7% by 2019. Independent factors associated with an increased need for transfusion included female sex, pre-existing conditions (chronic blood loss anemia, coagulopathy, fluid and electrolyte disorders, metastatic cancer, other neurological disorders, and peripheral vascular disorders), and complications (hemorrhage/seroma/hematoma, postoperative shock, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal bleeding, acute heart failure, dialysis). Protective factors included elective admission and hospital location in the Midwest/North central, South, or West regions. The transfusion group experienced significantly poorer outcomes, with higher mortality (3.2% vs. 0.1%, P < 0.05), longer hospitalizations (median 3 vs. 1 day, P < 0.05), and greater hospital expenses (median $159,635 vs. $101,953, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing PLAAO who require blood transfusion face significantly higher risks of death, extended hospital stays, and increased healthcare expenses. A thorough pre-procedure risk assessment could improve patient selection and minimize transfusion requirements.

Outcomes following perioperative red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Perioperative red blood cell transfusion is a double-edged sword for surgical patients. While transfusion of red cells can increase oxygen delivery by increasing haemoglobin levels, its impact on short- and long-term postoperative outcomes, particularly in patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery, is unclear.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of perioperative blood transfusions on postoperative outcomes in elective major abdominal surgery. PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases were searched for studies with data collected between January 1, 2000 and June 6, 2020. The primary outcome was short-term mortality, including all-cause 30-day or in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included long-term all-cause mortality, any morbidity, infectious complications, overall survival, and recurrence-free survival. No randomised controlled trials were found. Thirty-nine observational studies were identified, of which 37 were included in the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Perioperative blood transfusion was associated with short-term all-cause mortality (odds ratio [OR] 2.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.89-3.91, P<0.001), long-term all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.35, 95% CI 1.09-1.67, P=0.007), any morbidity (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.81-2.64, P<0.001), and infectious complications (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.60-2.26, P<0.001). Perioperative blood transfusion remained associated with short-term mortality in the sensitivity analysis after excluding studies that did not control for preoperative anaemia (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.59-3.24, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative blood transfusion in patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery is associated with poorer short- and long-term postoperative outcomes. This highlights the need to implement patient blood management strategies to manage and preserve the patient's own blood and reduce the need for red blood cell transfusion.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO (CRD42021254360).

Transfusion-free Strategies in Liver and Pancreatic Surgery: A Predictive Model of Blood Conservation for Transfusion Avoidance in Mainstream Populations

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to (1) describe the techniques and prove the feasibility of performing complex hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery on a Jehovah Witness (JW) population.  (2) Describe a strategy that offsets surgical blood loss by the manipulation of circulating blood volume to create reserve whole blood upon anesthesia induction.

BACKGROUND

Major liver and pancreatic resections often require operative transfusions. This limits surgical options for patients who do not accept major blood component transfusions. There is also growing recognition of the negative impact of allogenic blood transfusions.

METHODS

A 23-year, single-center, retrospective review of JW patients undergoing liver and pancreatic resections was performed. We describe perioperative management and patient outcomes. Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) is proposed as an important strategy for offsetting blood losses and preventing the need for blood transfusion. A quantitative mathematical formula is developed to provide guidance for its use.

RESULTS

One hundred one major resections were analyzed (liver n=57, pancreas n=44). ANH was utilized in 72 patients (liver n=38, pancreas n=34) with median removal of 2 units that were returned for hemorrhage as needed or at the completion of operation. There were no perioperative mortalities. Morbidity classified as Clavien grade 3 or higher occurred in 7.0% of liver resection and 15.9% of pancreatic resection patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Deliberate perioperative management makes transfusion-free liver and pancreatic resections feasible. Intraoperative whole blood removal with ANH specifically preserves red cell mass, platelets, and coagulation factors for timely reinfusion. Application of the described JW transfusion-free strategy to a broader general population could lessen blood utilization costs and morbidities.

Pancreatic resections in patients who refuse blood transfusions. The application of a perioperative protocol for a true bloodless surgery

BACKGROUND

The refusal of blood transfusions compels surgeons to face ethical and clinical issues. A single-institution experience with a dedicated perioperative blood management protocol was reviewed to assess feasibility and short-term outcomes of true bloodless pancreatic surgery.

METHODS

The institutional database was reviewed to identify patients who refused transfusion and were scheduled for elective pancreatic surgery from 2010 through 2018. A protocol to optimize the hemoglobin values by administration of drugs stimulating erythropoiesis was systematically used.

RESULTS

Perioperative outcomes of 32 Jehovah's Witnesses patients were included. Median age was 67 years (range, 31-77). Nineteen (59.4%) patients were treated with preoperative erythropoietin. Twenty-four (75%) patients underwent pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy, 4 (12.5%) distal pancreatectomy (DP) with splenectomy, 3 (9.4%) spleen-preserving DP, and 1 (3.1%) total pancreatectomy. Median estimated blood loss and surgical duration were 400 mL (range, 100-1000) and 470 min (range, 290-595), respectively. Median preoperative hemoglobin was 13.9 g/dL (range, 11.7-15.8) while median postoperative nadir hemoglobin was 10.5 g/dL (range, 7.1-14.1). The most common histological diagnosis (n = 15, 46.9%) was pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Clavien-Dindo grade I-II complications occurred in fourteen (43.8%) patients while one (3.1%) patient had a Clavien-Dindo grade IIIa complication wich was an abdominal collection that required percutaneous drainage. Six (18.8%) patients presented biochemical leak or postoperative pancreatic fistula grade B. Median hospital stay was 16 days (range, 8-54) with no patient requiring transfusion or re-operation and no 90-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

A multidisciplinary approach and specific perioperative management allowed performing pancreatic resections in patients who refused transfusion with good short-term outcomes.

Improving the treatment of pre-operative anemia in hepato-pancreato-biliary patients: a quality improvement initiative

Background

Pre-operative anemia is a common, but treatable, condition encountered by surgical patients. It has been associated with increased perioperative complications, length of stay, and blood transfusions. The aim of this project was to increase the treatment rate of pre-operative anemia to 75% of patients consented for major hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery.

Methods

This was an interrupted time series study and a spread initiative from a similar project in a colorectal surgery population. Interventions included an anemia screening and treatment algorithm, standardized blood work, referral to a patient blood management program, and standardized oral iron prescriptions. The primary outcome measure was the change in pre-operative anemia treatment rate and the secondary outcome measure was the post treatment increase in hemoglobin.

Results

A total of 208 patients were included (n = 124 pre-intervention and n = 84 post-intervention). Anemia was present in 39.9% of patients. The treatment rate of pre-operative anemia increased to 44.1% from 28.6%. The mean hemoglobin increased from 110 g/L to 119 g/L in patients who were treated (p = 0.03). There was no significant increase or decrease in blood transfusions or mean number of red cell units transfused per patient. Screening rates for pre-operative anemia increased from 41.1 to 64.3% and appropriate referrals to the patient blood management program increased from 14.3 to 67.6%.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a small scale spread initiative focused on the treatment of pre-operative anemia. Although the goal to treat 75% of anemic patients was not reached, an effective referral pathway to an existing patient blood management program was developed, and a significant increase in the mean hemoglobin in anemic patients who have been treated pre-operatively was demonstrated.

Higher body mass index deteriorates postoperative outcomes of pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

Previous studies presented controversies in impact of body mass index (BMI) on perioperative complications in pancreatectomy, and mainly focused on Western population. This study aimed to explore the impact of BMI on perioperative outcomes in Chinese patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy.

METHODS

Seven hundred and seven adult patients undergoing open pancreaticoduodenectomy between January 2005 and December 2016 at Ruijin Hospital were studied retrospectively and categorized as obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m²), overweight (BMI ≥23 kg/m² and <25 kg/m²), or normal weight (BMI ≥18.5 kg/m² and <23 kg/m²). Associations of these BMI groups with perioperative outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS

The overweight and obese groups experienced higher risk of clinically related postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) (7.6% vs. 9.9% vs. 17.6%, P = 0.002) and re-operation (1.1% vs. 2.5%  vs. 5.1%, P = 0.017), and longer systemic inflammation response syndrome (SIRS) duration [2 (1-9) d vs. 2 (1-7) d vs. 3 (1-10) d, P = 0.003] and postoperative hospital stay [19 (2-84) d vs. 19 (7-158) d vs. 23 (8-121) d, P = 0.023] than the normal weight group did. The multiple logistic regression models showed obese as an independent risk factor for CR-POPF (P = 0.013). The multiple linear regression analysis confirmed BMI as a predictor for prolonged postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher BMI results in higher morbidity of Chinese patients undergoing open pancreaticoduodenectomy. Pancreaticoduodenectomy is still a safe surgery procedure for overweight and obese patients, with intensive perioperative management.

The negative effect of perioperative red blood cell transfusion on morbidity and mortality after major abdominal operations

BACKGROUND

This study aims to test associations between perioperative blood transfusion and postoperative morbidity and mortality after major abdominal operations.

METHODS

The 2014 ACS NSQIP dataset was queried for all patients who underwent one of the ten major abdominal operations. Separate multivariable regression models, were developed to evaluate the independent effects of perioperative blood transfusion on morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS

Of 48,854 patients in the study cohort, 4887 (10%) received a blood transfusion. Rates of transfusion ranged from 4% for laparoscopic gastrointestinal resection to 58% for open AAA. After adjusting for significant effects of NSQIP-estimated probabilities, transfusion was independently associated with morbidity and mortality after open AAA repair (OR = 1.99/14.4 respectively, p ≤ 0.010), esophagectomy (OR = 2.80/3.0, p < 0.001), pancreatectomy (OR = 1.88/3.01, p < 0.001), hepatectomy (OR = 2.82/5.78, p < 0.001), colectomy (OR = 2.15/3.17, p < 0.001), small bowel resection (OR = 2.81/3.83, p ≤ 0.004), and laparoscopic gastrointestinal operations (OR = 2.73/4.05, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative blood transfusion is independently associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality after most major abdominal operations.

Impact of obesity on surgical outcomes of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: A Norwegian single-center study

BACKGROUND

Obesity is known as a risk factor for intra- and postoperative complications in pancreatic operation. However, the operative outcomes in obese patients undergoing laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy remain unclear.

METHODS

A total number of 423 patients underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy at Oslo University Hospital-Rikshospitalet from April 1997 to December 2015. Patients were categorized into 3 groups based on the body mass index: normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m²), overweight (25-29.9 kg/m²), and obese (≥30 kg/m²). After excluding underweight patients, 402 patients were enrolled in this study.

RESULTS

Obese patients had significantly longer operative time and increased blood loss compared with overweight and normal weight patients (190 [61-480] minutes vs 158 [56-520] minutes vs 153 [29-374] minutes, P = .009 and 200 [0-2,800] mL vs 50 [0-6250] mL vs 90 [0-2,000] mL, P = .01, respectively). A multiple linear regression analysis identified obesity as predictive of prolonged operative time and increased blood loss during laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy. The rates of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula and severe complications (≥grade III by Accordion classification) were comparable in the 3 groups (P = .23 and P = .37, respectively). A multivariate logistic regression model did not demonstrate an association between obesity and postoperative morbidity (P = .09). The duration of hospital stay was comparable in the 3 groups (P = .13).

CONCLUSION

In spite of longer operative time and greater blood loss, laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy in obese patients is associated with satisfactory postoperative outcomes, similar to those in normal weight and overweight patients. Hence, laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy should be equally considered both in obese and nonobese patients.

Effect of perioperative blood transfusion on postoperative complications after liver transplantation

AIM: To investigate the effect of perioperative blood transfusion on complications after liver transplantation.

METHODS: In order to analyze the relationship between blood transfusion and complications after liver transplantation, the clinical data for 418 patients who underwent liver transplantation from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2012 at our hospital were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS: Of 386 liver transplantation patients, 235 (60.88%) developed postoperative complications and 151 (39.12%) did not occur. The main early complications were lung infection, electrolyte disturbance and reperfusion injury. As the frequency and amount of blood transfused increased, the incidence of complications increased.

CONCLUSION: The higher the frequency and amount of perioperative blood transfusion after liver transplantation, the higher the incidence of complications including infection, electrolyte imbalance, reperfusion injury and so on. Therefore, perioperative blood transfusion should be minimized.

The impact of peri-operative blood transfusions on post-pancreatectomy short-term outcomes: an analysis from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program

BACKGROUND

Peri-operative red blood cell transfusions (RBCT) may induce transfusion-related immunomodulation and impact post-operative recovery. This study examined the association between RBCT and post-pancreatectomy morbidity.

METHODS

Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) registry, patients undergoing an elective pancreatectomy (2007-2012) were identified. Patients with missing data on key variables were excluded. Primary outcomes were 30-day post-operative major morbidity, mortality, and length of stay (LOS). Unadjusted and adjusted relative risks (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were computed using modified Poisson, logistic, or negative binomial regression, to estimate the association between RBCT and outcomes.

RESULTS

The database included 21 132 patients who had a pancreatectomy during the study period. Seventeen thousand five hundred and twenty-three patients were included, and 4672 (26.7%) received RBCT. After adjustment for baseline and clinical characteristics, including comorbidities, malignant diagnosis, procedure and operative time, RBCT was independently associated with increased major morbidity (RR 1.49; 95% CI: 1.39-1.60), mortality (RR 2.19; 95%CI: 1.76-2.73) and LOS (RR 1.27; 95%CI 1.24-1.29).

CONCLUSION

Peri-operative RBCT for a pancreatectomy was independently associated with worse short-term outcomes and prolonged LOS. Future studies should focus on the impact of interventions to minimize the use of RBCT after an elective pancreatectomy.

Safety and usability of hemostats, sealants, and adhesives

Hemostats, sealants, and adhesives are an integral part of surgical patient care. Nurses who have knowledge about these agents can better help ensure safe, efficient surgical patient care. As a caregiver and patient advocate, the perioperative nurse must understand the most current information about these agents and be prepared to facilitate the transfer of this knowledge to all caregivers. Information about these agents, including the contraindications, warnings, and precautions associated with their use as well as their preparation and application, is provided here. Algorithms designed to clarify the best options for using hemostats, sealants, and adhesives are included as well.

Minimally invasive pancreatectomy for cancer: a critical review of the current literature

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has transformed operative practices by offering patients procedures with reduced hospital stay and recovery compared to that of open operations. In spite of the advantages of a MIS approach, the application to pancreatectomy has only recently emerged. This review aims to analyze and discuss available comparative studies as they relate to resection techniques for treatment of malignant disease. A PubMed search was used to obtain original studies and meta-analyses relating to MIS pancreatectomy from 2008 to 2013. Several studies were identified that reported on the application of MIS specifically to the treatment of cancer, many of which were retrospective, single-institution studies. Notwithstanding an inherent selection bias, several studies suggest that MIS can provide equivalent R0 resection rates, number of lymph nodes harvested, and survival to that of open resection. Furthermore, parameters such as blood loss and length of stay are significantly reduced in patients treated with MIS. The current literature supports the conclusion that MIS is safe and effective as a treatment for cancer in well-selected patients in the hands of experienced surgeons. However, the published studies to date are observational in nature and therefore higher quality studies will be needed to support the application and generalizability of MIS in the treatment of pancreatic malignancies.

Limitations of ACS-NSQIP in reporting complications for patients undergoing pancreatectomy: underscoring the need for a pancreas-specific module

BACKGROUND

Large centralized databases are used with increasing frequency for reporting hospital-specific and nationwide trends and outcomes after various surgical procedures in order to improve quality of surgical care. American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) is a risk-adjusted, case-weighted complication tracking initiative that reports 30-day outcomes from more than 400 academic and community institutions in the US. However, the accuracy of event reporting specific to pancreatic surgery has never been examined in depth.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients, the information on whose postoperative course was originally reported through ACS-NSQIP between 2006 and 2010. Preoperative characteristics, operative data, and postoperative events were recorded after review of electronic medical records including physician and nursing notes, operative room records and anesthesiologist reports. Fidelity of reported clinical events was assessed. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated for each variable of interest.

RESULTS

Two hundred and forty-nine pancreatectomies were reviewed, including 145 (58.2 %) Whipple procedures, 19 (7.6 %) total pancreatectomies, 65 (26.1 %) distal pancreatectomies, and 15 (6.0 %) central or partial resections. Median age was 65.7, males comprised 41.5 % of the group, and 74.3 % of patients were Caucasian. The overall rate of complications reported by NSQIP was 44.0 %, compared with 45.0 % in our review, however discordance was observed in 27.3 % of the time, including 34 cases of reporting a complication where there was not one, and 34 cases of missed complication. The most frequently reported event was postoperative bleeding requiring transfusion, however this was also the event most commonly misclassified. Additionally, three procedures unrelated to the index operation were recorded as reoperation events. While a pancreas-specific module does not yet exist, ACS-NSQIP reports a 7.6 % rate of organ-space surgical site infections; when compared with our institutional rate of Grades B and C postoperative fistula (10.4 %), we observed discordance 4.4 % of the time. Delayed gastric emptying, a common post-pancreatectomy morbidity, was not captured at all. Additionally, there were significant inaccuracies in reporting urinary tract infections, postoperative pneumonia, wound complications, and postoperative sepsis, with discordance rates of 4.4, 3.2, 3.6, and 6.8 %, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

ACS-NSQIP data are an important and valuable tool for evaluating quality of surgical care, however pancreatectomy-specific postoperative events are often misclassified, underscoring the need for a hepatopancreatobiliary-specific module to better capture key outcomes in this complex and unique patient population.

Sarcopenia is an independent predictor of complications following pancreatectomy for adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Sarcopenia, which is subclinical loss of skeletal muscle mass, is commonly observed in patients with malignancy. The objective of this study is to determine the correlation between sarcopenia and operative complications following pancreatectomy for cancer.

METHODS

A retrospective review of a pancreatectomy database was performed. The Hounsfield Unit Average Calculation (HUAC) of the psoas muscle, a marker of muscle density and fatty infiltration, was measured from preoperative CT scans. Complications were graded and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed.

RESULTS

One hundred eighteen patients met criteria for analysis; the overall morbidity rate was 78.8% (n = 93). There were 31 (26.3%) patients who met criteria for sarcopenia using the HUAC. When analyzed as a continuous variable, sarcopenia was an independent predictor of major grade III complications, length of stay, intensive care unit admission, delayed gastric emptying, and infectious, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and cardiac complications.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that sarcopenia as measured with the HUAC, a value that can be obtained from a preoperative CT scan, is a significant independent predictor of surgical outcome and can be used to improve patient selection and informed consent prior to pancreatectomy in patients with cancer.

Trends and risk factors for transfusion in hepatopancreatobiliary surgery

INTRODUCTION

Patient-specific factors impacting the need for possible perioperative blood transfusions have not been examined in patients undergoing hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) procedures. We sought to define the overall utilization of blood transfusions for HPB surgery stratified by procedure type, as well as identify patient-level risk factors for transfusion.

METHODS

Hepatic and pancreatic resections were selected from the 2005-2011 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program's public use files. Transfusion utilization, risk factors, temporal trends, and outcomes were assessed using regression models. Missing data were addressed using multiple imputation.

RESULTS

Twenty-six thousand eight hundred twenty-seven patients met the inclusion criteria. There were 16,953 pancreas cases (distal pancreatectomy (31.2%), pancreaticoduodenectomy (65.8%), total pancreatectomy (3.0%)), and 9,874 liver cases (wedge resection (60.0%), hemi-hepatectomy (30.1%), trisegmentectomy (9.9%)). Overall, 25.7% patients received a perioperative transfusion. Transfusion rates varied by operation type (hepatic wedge resection 18.7%, lobectomy 31.3%, trisegmentectomy 39.8%, distal pancreatectomy 19.8%, Whipple 28.7%, total pancreatectomy 43.6%, p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, several patient-level factors were strongly associated with the risk of transfusion: preoperative hematocrit <36% (risk ratios (RR) 1.99, 95% CI 1.91-2.08), preoperative albumin <3.0 g/dL (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.19-1.31), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class IV (RR 1.24, 95% CI 1.16-1.33), and anticoagulation/bleeding disorder (RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.15-1.38) (all p < 0.001). Patients with any one of these high-risk factors had an over twofold increased risk of perioperative transfusion (RR 2.31, 95% CI 2.21-2.40, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

There are large differences in the incidence of transfusion among patients undergoing HPB procedures. While the type of HPB procedure was associated with the risk of transfusion, patient-level factors-including preoperative hematocrit and albumin, ASA classification, and history of anticoagulation/bleeding disorder-were as important.

Morbidity and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with borderline resectable type C clinical classification

BACKGROUND

We previously described the clinical classification of patients with resectable pancreatic tumor anatomy but marginal performance status (PS) or reversible comorbidities as "borderline resectable type C" (BR-C). This study was designed to analyze the incidence and risk factors for post-pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) morbidity/mortality in a multi-institutional cohort of BR-C patients.

METHODS

Elective PDs were evaluated from the 2005-10 ACS-NSQIP database. BR-C was defined as age ≥ 80, poor PS, weight loss > 10 %, pulmonary disease, recent myocardial infarction/angina, stroke history, and/or preoperative sepsis. Variables associated with 30-day postoperative major complications (PMC) and mortality were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 3,033/8,266 (36.7 %) patients were BR-C. BR-C patients were more likely to suffer PMC (31.3 vs. 26.2 %) and mortality (4.1 vs. 2.3 %). BR-C patients with PMC suffered 50 % higher mortality versus non-BR-C patients with PMC (11.5 vs. 7.7 %) (all p < 0.001). For BR-C patients, multivariate analysis identified the following risk factors for PMC or mortality: albumin < 3.5 g/dL, dyspnea, preoperative sepsis, age ≥ 80, poor PS, anesthesia score ≥ 4, and intraoperative transfusion ≥ 4 units.

CONCLUSIONS

Nationwide, one third of patients undergoing PD are medically borderline. These BR-C patients are at higher risk for and less able to be rescued from PMC. Surgeons should identify and optimize comorbidities and utilize prehabilitation to address functional deficits before elective PD.