The Comprehensive Complication Index: a New Measure of the Burden of Complications After Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

Predictors of major postoperative complications in cytoreductive surgery with or without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy

PURPOSE

Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) ± Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) is associated with a high incidence of postoperative morbidity. Our aim was to identify independent, potentially actionable perioperative predictors of major complications.

METHODS

We reviewed patients who underwent CRS ± HIPEC from June 2020 to January 2022 at a high-volume center. Postoperative complications were categorized using the Comprehensive Complication Index, with the upper quartile defining major complications. Multivariate logistic analysis identified predictive and protective factors.

RESULTS

Of 168 patients, 119 (70.8%) underwent HIPEC. Mean Comprehensive Complication Index was 12.6 (12.7) and upper quartile cut-off was 22.6. Medical complications were more frequent but less severe than surgical (63% vs 18%). Forty-six patients (27.4%) comprised the "major complications" group (mean CCI 30.1 vs 6.3). Multivariate logistic regression showed that heart disease (RR 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1 to 3.3), number of anastomoses (RR 2.4; 95% CI:1.3 to 4.6) and first 24-h fluid balance (RR 1.1; 95% CI: 1.1 to 1.2), were independently associated as risk factors for major complications, while opioid-free anesthesia (RR 0.6; 95% CI: 0.3 to 0.9) and high preoperative hemoglobin (RR 0.9; CI 95%: 0.9 to 0.9) were independent-protective factors.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative heart diseases, number of anastomoses and first 24 h-fluid balance are independent risk factors for major postoperative complications, while high preoperative hemoglobin and opioid-free anesthesia are protective. Correction of anemia prior to surgery, avoiding positive fluid balance and incorporation of opioid-free anesthesia strategy are potential actionable measures to reduce postoperative morbidity.

Assessing the effectiveness of continuous glucose monitoring compared with conventional monitoring in enhancing surgical outcomes for patients with diabetes: protocol for a multicentre, parallel-arm, randomised, pragmatic trial in China

INTRODUCTION

The Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) is an internationally recognised indicator of postoperative complications. During the perioperative period, patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) may experience a significant increase in the CCI associated with glucose-related complications and increased mortality. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) offers advantages such as portability, accuracy, real-time monitoring and rich information. However, few large-scale studies have investigated the effectiveness and safety of CGM in reducing CCI during major surgeries.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study is a multicentre, parallel-arm, randomised pragmatic trial to investigate whether CGM improves clinical outcomes in patients with type 1 or type 2 DM or IGT undergoing major surgery relative to conventional monitoring. This study is planned to be conducted in 50 secondary or tertiary hospitals in China. Eligible patients aged 18 years or older with DM or IGT undergoing elective major surgery will be recruited during a baseline screening period of 3 days before surgery. Eligible patients will be randomly assigned to receive CGM or conventional monitoring in a 1:1 ratio. The primary endpoint measure is the CCI score within 30 postoperative days. The margin of superiority is -12.0. A total of 10 168 participants will achieve 90% power to detect a clinically important difference of -13.0 between the means in the primary outcome. This trial includes multiple statistical analysis steps. For the primary outcome, a covariance model will be used to compare the difference in CCI within 30 days postoperatively between the two groups after adjusting for baseline and centre effects.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This trial has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital (No. 23684-0-02) and its corresponding branch centres. Informed consent will be obtained from all subjects involved in the study. The primary trial results will be submitted for publication to a peer-reviewed journal.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT06331923.

Albumin Leakage Level during Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Is Associated with Major Complications

The clinical consequences of perioperative albumin extravasation accompanying major abdominal surgery remain underexplored. We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Parameters of albumin kinetics, including serum albumin concentration decrease (∆Alb) and extravasated albumin level (Albshift), were assessed from surgery until postoperative day (POD) 3. Logistic regression analysis identified factors associated with major complications. The association of albumin kinetics with major complications was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Serum albumin levels decreased during surgery and subsequently increased. Of the 121 analyzed patients, 25 (21%) developed major complications. The ∆Alb and Albshift during surgery and on POD 3 were greater in patients who developed major complications than in those who did not (12 ± 12 vs. 6 ± 14, p = 0.032, and 127.5 (71.9) vs. 48.5 (44.9), p < 0.001, respectively). Perioperative ∆Alb and Albshift were associated with major complications. The areas under the ROC curve of Albshift during the 3 days post-surgery and Albshift on POD 3 were 0.843 and 0.910, respectively. Albshift during the 3 days post-surgery and Albshift on POD 3 were correlated with complications (p < 0.05). In conclusion, perioperative albumin loss was associated with major complications in patients undergoing CRS and HIPEC. Albshift was associated with serious complications.

Early postoperative pain and 30-day complications following major abdominal surgery: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence supports a positive relationship between the intensity of early postoperative pain, and the risk of 30-day postoperative complications. Higher pain levels may hamper recovery and contribute to immunosuppression after surgery. This leaves patients at risk of postoperative complications.

METHODS

One thousand patients who underwent major abdominal surgery (cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, esophageal, liver, or pancreas surgery) at the Radboud university medical center were randomly selected from eligible patients between 2014 and 2020. Pain scores on day 1, the independent variable of interest, were extracted from the electronic patient files. Outcome measures were 30-day postoperative complications (infectious, non-infectious, total complications and classification according to Clavien-Dindo).

RESULTS

Seven hundred ninety complications occurred in 572 patients within 30 days after surgery, of which 289 (36.7%) were of infectious origin, and 501 (63.4%) complications were non-infectious. The mean duration from the end of surgery to the occurrence of infectious complications was 6.5 days (SD 5.6) and 4.1 days (SD 4.7) for non-infectious complications (p<0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that pain scores on postoperative day 1 (POD1) were significantly positively associated with 30-day total complications after surgery (OR=1.132, 95% CI (1.076 to 1.190)), Clavien-Dindo classification (OR=1.131, 95% CI (1.071 to 1.193)), infectious complications (OR=1.126, 95% CI (1.059 to 1.196)), and non-infectious complications (OR=1.079, 95% CI (1.022 to 1.140)).

CONCLUSIONS

After major abdominal surgery, higher postoperative pain scores on day 1 are associated with an increased risk of 30-day postoperative complications. Further studies should pursue whether optimization of perioperative analgesia can improve immune homeostasis, reduce complications after surgery and enhance postoperative recovery.

Evaluating postoperative outcome assessment tools in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery: A comparative analysis of the comprehensive complication index and Clavien-Dindo classification in a cohort of 1240 patients at a tertiary care center

Introduction

The comprehensive complication index (CCI) has emerged as a new tool for reporting postoperative complications. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the efficacy of CCI and Clavien-Dindo Classification (CDC) in measuring postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery.

Materials and methods

In this single-centered, prospective, comparative study conducted between January 2022 and March 2023, 1240 patients underwent HPB surgery, including laparoscopic cholecystectomies and complex HPB surgery. Postoperative complications were evaluated utilizing the CCI and CDC indices, and their relationships with length of ICU stay, hospital stay, and return to activity were compared.

Results

A total of 117 patients (9.44%) experienced complications of varying grades. There was a strong correlation between CCI and CDC (r=0.982, P <0.001). Both CCI and CDC demonstrated a strong correlation with the length of hospital stay, ICU stay, and return to normal activity. While CCI showed a better correlation with the length of hospital stay (r=0.706 vs. 0.695) and return to normal activity (r=0.620 vs. 0.611) than CDC, the difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

CCI exhibited a stronger correlation with the length of stay and return to activity; however, no statistically significant advantage was observed over CDC.

Impact of Sodium Thiosulfate on Prevention of Nephrotoxicities in HIPEC: An Ancillary Evaluation of Cisplatin-Induced Toxicities in Ovarian Cancer

PURPOSE

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with cisplatin confers a survival benefit in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) but is associated with renal toxicity. Sodium thiosulfate (ST) is used for nephroprotection for HIPEC with cisplatin, but standard HIPEC practices vary.

METHODS

A prospective, nonrandomized, clinical trial evaluated safety outcomes of HIPEC with cisplatin 75 mg/m2 during cytoreductive surgery (CRS) in patients with EOC (n = 34) and endometrial cancer (n = 6). Twenty-one patients received no ST (nST), and 19 received ST. Adverse events (AEs) were reported according to CTCAE v.5.0. Serum creatinine (Cr) was collected preoperatively and postoperatively (Days 5-8). Progression-free survival (PFS) was followed. Normal peritoneum was biopsied before and after HIPEC for whole transcriptomic sequencing to identify RNAseq signatures correlating with AEs.

RESULTS

Forty patients had HIPEC at the time of interval or secondary CRS. Renal toxicities in the nST group were 33% any grade AE and 9% grade 3 AEs. The ST group demonstrated no renal AEs. Median postoperative Cr in the nST group was 1.1 mg/dL and 0.5 mg/dL in the ST group (p = 0.0001). Median change in Cr from preoperative to postoperative levels were + 53% (nST) compared with - 9.6% (ST) (p = 0.003). PFS did not differ between the ST and nST groups in primary or recurrent EOC patients. Renal AEs were associated with downregulation of metabolic pathways and upregulation of immune pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

ST significantly reduces acute renal toxicity associated with HIPEC with cisplatin in ovarian cancer patients. As nephrotoxicity is high in HIPEC with cisplatin, nephroprotective agents should be considered.

Clavien-Dindo, comprehensive complication index and classification of intraoperative adverse events: a uniform and holistic approach in adverse event registration for (deep) endometriosis surgery

STUDY QUESTION

What is the additional value of the comprehensive complication index (CCI) and ClassIntra system (classification for intraoperative adverse events (ioAEs)) in adverse event (AE) reporting in (deep) endometriosis (DE) surgery compared to only using the Clavien-Dindo (CD) system?

SUMMARY ANSWER

The CCI and ClassIntra are useful additional tools alongside the CD system for a complete and uniform overview of the total AE burden in patients with extensive surgery (such as DE), and with this uniform data registration, it is possible to provide greater insight into the quality of care.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Uniform comparison of AEs reported in the literature is hampered by scattered registration. In endometriosis surgery, the usage of the CD complication system and the CCI is internationally recommended; however, the CCI is not routinely adapted in endometriosis care and research. Furthermore, a recommendation for ioAEs registration in endometriosis surgery is lacking, although this is vital information in surgical quality assessments.

STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION

A prospective mono-center study was conducted with 870 surgical DE cases from a non-university DE expertise center between February 2019 and December 2021.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS

Endometriosis cases were collected with the EQUSUM system, a publicly available web-based application for registration of surgical procedures for endometriosis. Postoperative adverse events (poAEs) were classified with the CD complication system and CCI. Differences in reporting and classifying AEs between the CCI and the CD were assessed. ioAEs were assessed with the ClassIntra. The primary outcome measure was to assess the additional value toward the CD classification with the introduction of the CCI and ClassIntra. In addition, we report a benchmark for the CCI in DE surgery.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

A total of 870 DE procedures were registered, of which 145 procedures with one or more poAEs, resulting in a poAE rate of 16.7% (145/870), of which in 36 cases (4.1%), the poAE was classified as severe (≥Grade 3b). The median CCI (interquartile range) of patients with poAEs was 20.9 (20.9-31.7) and 33.7 (33.7-39.7) in the group of patients with severe poAEs. In 20 patients (13.8%), the CCI was higher than the CD because of multiple poAEs. There were 11 ioAEs reported (11/870, 1.3%) in all procedures, mostly minor and directly repaired serosa injuries.

LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION

This study was conducted at a single center; thus, trends in AE rates and type of AEs could differ from other centers. Furthermore, no conclusion could be drawn on ioAEs in relation to the postoperative course because the power of this database is not robust enough for that purpose.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

From our data, we would advise to use the Clavien-Dindo classification system together with the CCI and ClassIntra for a complete overview of AE registration. The CCI appeared to provide a more complete overview of the total burden of poAEs compared to only reporting the most severe poAEs (as with CD). If the use of the CD, CCI, and ClassIntra is widely adapted, uniform data comparison will be possible at (inter)national level, providing better insight into the quality of care. Our data could be used as a first benchmark for other DE centers to optimize information provision in the shared decision-making process.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS

No funding was received for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

N/A.

Clinical Validation of the Comprehensive Complication Index in a Pancreaticoduodenectomy Cohort

INTRODUCTION

Although the Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) is the most widely utilized method for quantifying surgical complications, it fails to properly capture all events. To address this, the comprehensive complication index (CCI) was introduced. The purpose of this study was to compare the CCI and CDC as predictors of postoperative length of stay (PLOS) and total hospitalization costs in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

METHODS

Data were collected from February 2018 to February 2021. Complications were graded on the CDC scale and the CCI was calculated for each patient. The correlations between CDC and CCI with PLOS and hospitalization costs were compared. Linear analyses were performed to identify factors associated with PLOS and costs.

RESULTS

291 patients were enrolled with an average age of 61.2 years. 286 of them developed postoperative complications at CDC grade 1 (17.8%), 2 (59.9%), 3a (13.4%), 3b (4.5%), 4 (2.1%), and 5 (0.6%). Median CCI of the study cohort was 30.8. Spearman's correlation analysis showed the CDC and CCI were significantly correlated with PLOS and hospitalization costs, but the CCI showed a stronger correlation with PLOS (+0.552 day of stay for each additional CCI point; CCI: ρ = 0.663 vs. CDC: ρ = 0.581; p = 0.036). There were no significant differences in the correlations between total hospitalization costs and the CDC or CCI (CCI: ρ = 0.566 vs. CDC: ρ = 0.565; p = 0.78).

CONCLUSION

CCI is an accurate tool for quantifying morbidities after PD and shows a stronger correlation with PLOS compared with the CDC.

Comparison between Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI®) and Clavien-Dindo Classification for laparoscopic single-stage treatment of choledocholithiasis with concomitant cholelithiasis

PURPOSE

The Clavien-Dindo Classification (CDC) and the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI®) are both widely used methods for reporting postoperative complications. Several studies have compared the CCI® with the CDC in evaluating postoperative complications of major abdominal surgery. However, there are no published reports comparing both indexes in single-stage laparoscopic common bile duct exploration with cholecystectomy (LCBDE) for the treatment of common bile duct stones. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of the CCI® and the CDC in evaluating the complications of LCBDE.

METHODS

In total, 249 patients were included. Spearman's rank test was used to calculate the correlation coefficient between CCI® and CDC with length of postoperative stay (LOS), reoperation, readmission, and mortality rates. Student t-test and Fisher's exact test were used to study, if higher ASA, age, larger surgical time, history of previous abdominal surgery, preoperative ERCP, and intraoperative cholangitis finding were associated with higher CDC grade or higher CCI® score.

RESULTS

Mean CCI® was 5.17 ± 12.8. CCI® ranges overlap among three CDC grades: II (20.90-36.20), IIIa (26.20-34.60), and IIIb (33.70-52.10). Age > 60 years, ASA ≥ III, and intraoperative cholangitis finding were associated with higher CCI® (p = 0.010, p = 0.044, and p = 0.031) but not with CDC ≥ IIIa (p = 0.158, p = 0.209, and p = 0.062). In patients with complications, LOS presented a significantly higher correlation with CCI® than with CDC (p = 0.044).

CONCLUSION

In LCBDE, the CCI® assesses better the magnitude of postoperative complications in patients older than 60 years, with a high ASA as well as in those who present intraoperative cholangitis. In addition, the CCI® correlates better with LOS in patients with complications.

Impact of cumulative complications on 1-year treatment-related healthcare costs in patients with colorectal peritoneal metastases undergoing cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of all minor and major complications on treatment-related healthcare costs in patients who undergo cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for the treatment of colorectal peritoneal metastases (PMs).

Method

Patients with histologically proven colorectal PMs who underwent CRS + HIPEC from March 2006 to October 2019 in a tertiary referral centre were retrospectively identified from a prospectively maintained database. Patients were divided into six subgroups according to the severity of the complications, which were scored using the comprehensive complication index (CCI) (CCI 0–9.9, CCI 10–19.9, CCI 20–29.9, CCI 30–39.9, CCI 40–49.9, and CCI 50 or higher). Treatment-related healthcare costs up to 1 year after CRS + HIPEC were obtained from the financial department. Differences in costs and survival outcomes were compared using the chi-squared test and Kruskal–Wallis H test.

Results

A total of 142 patients were included (CCI 0–9.9, 53 patients; CCI 10–19.9, 0 patients; CCI 20–29.9, 45 patients; CCI 30–39.9, 14 patients; CCI 40–49, 9 patients; and CCI 50 or higher, 21 patients). Median (interquartile range) treatment-related healthcare costs increased significantly and exponentially for the CCI 30–39, CCI 40–49, and CCI 50 or higher groups (€48 993 (€44 262–€84 805); €57 167 (€43 047–€67 591); and €82 219 (€55 487–€145 314) respectively) compared with those for the CCI 0–9.9 and CCI 20–29.9 groups (€33 856 (€24 433–€40 779) and €40 621 (€31 501–€58 761) respectively, P < 0.010).

Conclusion

Treatment-related healthcare costs increase exponentially as more complications develop among patients who undergo CRS + HIPEC for the treatment of colorectal PMs. Anastomotic leakages after CRS + HIPEC lead to an increase of 295 per cent of treatment-related healthcare costs.

Failure to Thrive Following Cytoreduction and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy: Causes and Consequences

BACKGROUND

Failure to thrive (FTT) is a complex syndrome of nutritional failure and functional decline. Readmission for FTT following cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS HIPEC) is common but underexamined. This study aims to determine features, risk factors, and prognostic significance of FTT following CRS HIPEC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We reviewed patients who underwent CRS HIPEC from 2010 to 2018 at our institution. Patients were categorized into no readmission, FTT readmission, and other readmission. FTT was determined by coding and chart review. We compared baseline characteristics, oncologic data, perioperative outcomes, and survival among the three cohorts.

RESULTS

Of 1068 discharges examined, 379 patients (36%) were readmitted within 90 days, of which 134 (12.5%) were labeled as FTT. Patients with FTT readmission had worse preoperative functional status, higher rates of malnutrition, more complex resections, longer hospital stays, and more postoperative complications (all p < 0.001). Ostomy creation [relative risk ratio (RRR) 4.06], in-hospital venous thromboembolism (VTE), discharge to nursing home (RRR 2.48), pre-CRS HIPEC chemotherapy (RRR 1.98), older age (RRR 1.84), and female gender (RRR 1.69) were all independent predictors for FTT readmission on multinomial regression (all p < 0.01). FTT readmission was associated with worse median overall survival on multivariate analysis [hazard ratio (HR) 1.60, p < 0.001] after controlling for oncologic, perioperative, and baseline factors.

CONCLUSIONS

FTT is common following CRS HIPEC and appears to be associated with baseline patient characteristics, operative burden, and postoperative complications. Perioperative strategies for improving nutrition and activity, along with early recognition and intervention in FTT may improve patient outcomes.

Measuring the impact of complications after surgery for retroperitoneal sarcoma: Is comprehensive complication index better than Clavien-Dindo Classification?

BACKGROUND

To compare the Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) and the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) in retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) surgery in assessing the real burden of post-operative complications on both post-operative length of stay and total costs of hospitalization (PLOS and TCH, respectively).

STUDY DESIGN

A series of 417 procedures for both primary and recurrent RPS between January 2000 and December 2017 was analyzed. Complications were classified according to both CDC and CCI. Univariable linear regressions were used to assess predictors associated with PLOS and TCH. Multivariable linear regression models were constructed to identify the factors independently associated with PLOS and TCH.

RESULTS

Median PLOS was 10 days (interquartile range [IQR] 7-16); median TCH was 7033.5€ (IQR 1350-305.900). Post-operative complications occurred in 170/417 (40.7%) of the procedures and in 75/417 (17.9%) of the procedures CDCs >3 were identified. Sixty-four (15.34%) patients had more than one complication. Univariable linear regression showed that both PLOS and TCH were significantly associated to both CDC and CCI among other factors. Multivariable linear analyses selected CDC and CCI as independent prognostic factors for both PLOS and TCH. According to the AIC and BIC, models including CCI performed better (5559.53 and 5598.18, respectively, compared with 5561.31 and 5599.95 for CDC models).

CONCLUSION

The CCI resulted to perform better than the CDC in describing the overall burden of complications after RPS surgery, both for clinical and economic purposes.

Comparison of comprehensive complication index and Clavien-Dindo classification in patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma

BACKGROUND

Our study aimed to compare the comprehensive complication index (CCI) to the conventional Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) in patients undergoing surgery for primary retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS).

METHODS

Data were collected for patients who underwent surgery from 2008 to 2019 at a tertiary institution. The length of hospital stay (LOS) was used as a surrogate marker for clinical outcomes, and associations with CDC and CCI were assessed.

RESULTS

Data were available for 191 patients, with the highest CDC Grade of I, II, III, and IV in 18.3%, 41.9%, 17.8%, and 4.2%, respectively; the 30-day postoperative mortality (CDC Grade V) was 1.6% (N = 3). Whilst both classification systems were significantly correlated with LOS, this association was significantly stronger for CCI (Spearman's ρ: 0.768 vs. 0.648, p < 0.001). Increasing Charlson Comorbidity Index, tumor size, and organ weighted resection scores were independently associated with longer LOS. However, the association between LOS and both the CDC and CCI remained significant, even after adjusting for these factors (both p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The CCI is more strongly associated with LOS than the CDC, and represents a useful tool to quantify the total burden of postoperative complications after surgery for RPS.

Cumulative Burden of Postoperative Complications in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Primary Retroperitoneal Sarcoma

BACKGROUND

Correlations between postoperative complications and oncological outcomes have been reported in several malignancies, but their impact in retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) is unclear. Our study aimed to evaluate the association between postoperative complications and prognosis in patients with RPS.

METHODS

Patients undergoing surgery for primary RPS from 2008 to 2019 at a sarcoma center were evaluated. The cumulative burden of postoperative complications was quantified using the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI), and associations with local recurrence (LR), distant metastases (DM) and overall survival (OS) were assessed.

RESULTS

Data were available for 191 patients, of whom 160 (82.9%) developed at least one postoperative complication, with a median CCI of 20.9 (interquartile range 8.7-33.5). After postoperative deaths were excluded (n = 3, 1.6%), the remaining patients were divided into those with a CCI of 0-20.9 (n = 97) and > 20.9 (n = 91). Patients with a CCI >20.9 had significantly shorter OS than those with a CCI of 0-20.9 (43.3% vs. 69.5% at 5 years; p = 0.005), and this difference remained significant after multivariable adjustment for patient- and treatment-related factors [hazard ratio (HR) 2.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.30-4.09; p = 0.004]. However, CCI > 20.9 was not found to be a significant independent predictor of either LR (HR 1.30, 95% CI 0.76-2.23; p = 0.333) or DM (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.61-1.93; p = 0.786).

CONCLUSION

Increasing complication burden, as quantified by the CCI, is a significant independent predictor of OS; however, there is no evidence of a significant association with either LR or DM, which may be more related to tumor biological factors.

Clinical Validation of the Comprehensive Complication Index in Colon Cancer Surgery

(1) Introduction: To date, the sensitivity of the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) in a homogeneous cohort of colonic resections for oncologic purposes has not been reported. The present study aims to compare the CCI with the conventional Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) in colon cancer patients. (2) Methods: The clinical data of patients submitted to an elective colectomy for adenocarcinoma were retrieved from a prospectively maintained database. Postoperative complications and length of stay were reviewed, and CDC and CCI scores were calculated for each patient. The association of the CCI and the CDC with the length of stay, prolongation of stay and readmission rate were assessed and compared. (3) Results: The overall postoperative morbidity was 26.9%. In particular, 157 (20.4%) patients had more than one complication. A strong correlation between the two scoring systems was observed (r = 99.4%; 95%CI: 99.3-99.5%). In multivariate analysis, CCI had a higher predictive ability for all endpoints. Regarding subgroup analysis, the difference between the CCI and CDC was progressively increased when evaluating outcome measures in complicated and multi-complicated patients. (4) Conclusion: Both scoring systems adequately report the overall burden of postoperative complications. The CCI showed a greater ability than the CDC to predict hospital stay, particularly in patients with multiple postoperative complications.

The comprehensive complication index (CCI): proposal of a new reporting standard for complications in major urological surgery

PURPOSE

The comprehensive complication index (CCI) is a new tool for reporting the cumulative burden of postoperative complications on a continuous scale. This study validates the CCI for urological surgery and its benefits over the Clavien-Dindo-Classification (Clavien).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data from a prospectively maintained data base of all consecutive patients at a university care-center was analyzed. Complications after radical cystectomy (RC), radical prostatectomy (RP), and partial nephrectomy (PN) were classified using the CCI and Clavien system. Differences in complications between the CCI and the Clavien were assessed and correlation analyses performed. Sample size calculations for hypothetical clinical trials were compared between CCI and Clavien to evaluate whether the CCI would reduce the number of required patients in a clinical trial.

RESULTS

682 patients (172 RC, 297 RP, 213 PN) were analyzed. Overall, 9.4-46.6% of patients had > 1 complication cumulatively assessed with the CCI resulting in an upgrading in the Clavien classification for 2.4-32.4% of patients. Therefore, scores between the systems differed for RC: CCI (mean ± standard deviation) 26.3 ± 20.8 vs. Clavien 20.4 ± 16.7, p < 0.001; PN: CCI 8.4 ± 14.7 vs. Clavien 7.0 ± 11.8, p < 0.001 and RP: CCI 5.8 ± 11.7 vs. Clavien 5.3 ± 10.6, p = 0.102. The CCI was more accurate in predicting LOS after RC than Clavien (p < 0.001). Sample size calculations based in the CCI (for future hypothetical trials) resulted in a reduction of required patients for all procedures (- 25% RC, - 74% PN, - 80% RP).

CONCLUSION

The CCI is more accurate to assess surgical complications and reduces required sample sizes that will facilitate the conduction of clinical trials.

Effects of Immunonutrition on Comprehensive Complication Index in Patients Undergoing Pancreatoduodenectomy

Background and objectives: Immunonutrition is recommended by enhanced recovery after surgery in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy for 5-7 days perioperatively as it may reduce the rate of infectious complications. However, data on effect of immunonutrition on the overall complication rate are contradictory and it is not clear, which groups of patients benefit most. The aims of this study are to evaluate the effects of immunonutrition on the overall complication rate and the rate of severe and/or multiple complications in patients with pancreatic tumours stratified according to final histological diagnosis-patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) vs. other tumours-and nutritional state, using more sensitive Comprehensive Complication Index. Materials and Methods: Seventy consecutive patients scheduled for pancreatoduodenectomy because of pancreatic tumours were randomised into immunonutrition vs. control groups and stratified according to final histological diagnosis and nutritional status. Surgical outcomes were assessed postoperatively using Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) and Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI). Results: No significant differences in the overall complication rates in immunonutrition vs. control, patients with malnutrition vs. no malnutrition, PDAC vs. other pancreatic tumours groups were detected. However, significant differences in the rates of severe and/or multiple complications in immunonutrition vs. control groups and in PDAC patients segregated according to immunonutrition were obtained using CCI. Conclusions: Patients with PDAC may experience greater benefits of immunonutrition as compared to patients with benign pancreatic diseases or less aggressive tumours, while nutritional status was not a determining factor for the efficacy of immunonutrition.

Severity of Postoperative Complications From the Perspective of the Patient

Background:

Although provider-derived surgical complication severity grading systems exist, little is known about the patient perspective.

Objective:

To assess patient-rated complication severity and determine concordance with existing grading systems.

Methods:

A survey asked general surgery patients to rate the severity of 21 hypothetical postoperative events representing grades 1 to 5 complications from the Accordion Severity Grading System. Concordance with the Accordion scale was examined. Separately, descriptive ratings of 18 brief postoperative events were ranked.

Results:

One hundred sixty-eight patients returned a mailed survey following their discharge from a general surgery service. Patients rated grade 4 complications highest. Grade 1 complications were rated similarly to grade 5 and higher than grades 2 and 3 (P ≤ .01). Patients rated one event not considered an Accordion scale complication higher than all but grade 4 complications (P < .001). The brief events also did not follow the Accordion scale, other than the grade 6 complication ranking highest.

Conclusion:

Patient-rated complication severity is discordant with provider-derived grading systems, suggesting the need to explore important differences between patient and provider perspectives.

The Assessment of Complications After Major Abdominal Surgery: A Comparison of Two Scales

BACKGROUND

An accurate and reproducible method for the evaluation of postoperative morbidity is essential for a valid assessment of the outcomes of surgery. However, there is still no consensus on reporting of complications. The Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) of complications is a validated system which reports only the most severe complication. The Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) is a novel scale designed to capture the overall burden of complications. The aim of our study is to validate and compare the CDC and the CCI in the setting of high-risk surgical patients in whom multiple complications are common.

METHODS

A prospective, observational study analyzed 206 high-risk adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. Each postoperative complication was recorded until discharge or readmission within 30 days. The severity of complications was graded with the CDC, and the CCI was calculated subsequently. Correlations of the CDC and the CCI with hospitalization indicators and functional activity on discharge were assessed and compared.

RESULTS

A total of 424 complications occurred in 125 (60.7%) patients. The median CCI for the cohort was 20.9 (0-44.9). CD grade II was the most frequent among patients with complications (62/125; 49.6%). The CCI and the CDC have shown a strong correlation (r = 0.969, P < 0.01). Both scales strongly correlated with the parameters of hospitalization, but the CCI showed a stronger correlation to the intensive care unit length of stay (LOS; 0.670 versus 0.628, P < 0.001), postoperative LOS (0.652 versus 0.630, P = 0.041), and prolonged intensive care unit LOS (0.604 versus 0.555, P < 0.001). The median CCI and the highest CD grade were significantly different respective to the functional activity on discharge (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The CDC and the CCI are the effective methods for reporting of complications after major abdominal surgery. The CCI is a more accurate scale for use in high-risk patients and correlates better with the postoperative LOS.

A Comparison Between the Comprehensive Complication Index and the Clavien-Dindo Grading as a Measure of Postoperative Outcome in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Surgery-A Prospective Study

BACKGROUND

The Clavien-Dindo (CD) grading system reports the most severe of all the postoperative complications. The comprehensive complication index (CCI) sums up all the complications in postoperative period. We compared the CCI and CD to assess which of the two was a better measure of postoperative outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between June 2015 and December 2016, we recorded the complications using CD grading and CCI in 1000 consecutive patients in our gastrointestinal and hepatopancreaticobiliary surgery unit. The outcome variables studied were postoperative length of hospital stay (LOS), postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and time to normal activity. The results were expressed as strength of correlation and predictive accuracy of the outcome variables.

RESULTS

There were 600 males and 400 female patients, with a mean age of 50.3 y. A total of 788 (78.8%) elective and 212(21.2%) emergency procedures were performed. The overall 90-day/in-hospital mortality was 7.9%. Both CD and CCI showed a good correlation with LOS (r = 0.58; P = 0.001, r = 0.57; P = 0.001), ICU stay (r = 0.62; P = 0.002, r = 0.62; P = 0.001), and time to normal activity (r = 0.48; P = 0.01; r = 0.49; P = 0.01). The accuracy of CCI to predict the LOS (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.89; P < 0.001), ICU stay (AUC = 0.85; P < 0.001), and time to normal activity (AUC = 0.76; P < 0.001) was comparable to that of CD (AUC = 0.90; P < 0.001, AUC = 0.87; P < 0.001, AUC = 0.77; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Both CD and CCI were equally accurate in measuring the postoperative outcomes and in their ability to predict the same in patients undergoing gastrointestinal and hepatopancreaticobiliary surgeries. Considering the relative ease of determination of CD, it remains a more commonly used measure for assessing the severity of complications and outcomes compared to CCI.

Validation of comprehensive complication index in the general surgery department of a small-volume hospital: A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

The comprehensive complication index (CCI) was developed following the Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) to more properly reflect various complications that occur in one patient. In this study, we performed a prospective observational study to validate the usefulness of CCI in a small-volume hospital.

METHODS

From March 2017 to February 2018, among the patients who had scheduled surgery with general anesthesia in the Department of Surgery in St. Paul hospital in Korea, 240 patients were enrolled after informed consent. A minor-risk surgery, such as appendectomy, and surgery for inguinal hernia were excluded. The complications were estimated in both CDC and CCI in each patient. Patients were investigated with the EORCT-C30 quality of life questionnaire before and after surgery, and the relationship between CCI score and change in the quality of life was evaluated.

RESULTS

There were 26 (10.83%), 41 (17.08%), 8 (3.33%), 3 (1.25%), 4 (1.67%), and 2 (0.83%) patients who were classified as grades I, II, IIIa, IIIb, IVa, and IVb, respectively. The average CCI was 22.94 ± 12.79, and distribution ranged from 8.66 to 76.40. CCI was well distributed in patients with complications more than CDC grade. While there was no correlation between preoperative Charlson comorbidity index with CCI, pain scale, and cognitive scale were aggravated significantly when CCI increased.

CONCLUSION

CCI reflected the complication status with a more detailed distribution compared with CDC. Moreover, CCI had a significant relation with pain and the cognitive function scale. CCI might be a useful complication grading system in a small-volume surgical department.