Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Incidence of re-admission after colorectal cancer surgery and the parameters to define high-risk patients for its occurrence remain to be clarified.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective analysis of patients with colorectal cancer surgery using a prospective database. Readmission necessitating hospitalization within the first 30 days following discharge was regarded as major outcome.

RESULTS

Considering a total of 187 colorectal cancer patients, 17 (9%) with a mean age of 59.9±13.5 years were re-hospitalized after a mean of 11.6±8.2 days following discharge. Infective complications (n=5), evisceration (n=3), anastomotic problems (n=3) and intraabdominal hematoma/ascites (n=3) were the most commonly encountered surgical etiologies for readmission. There was a close relationship between readmission and male sex (p=0.033), conversion to open surgery (p=0.009), development of any type of complication during index admission (p=0.025), need for concurrent multi-organ resections of any type (p=0.048) and T stage (p=0.046). Logistic regression analysis showed that male sex (p=0.041) and need for concurrent multi-organ resections of any type (p=0.045) were significantly related with development of readmission.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Although male sex and need for concurrent multi-organ resections were shown to be related with development of readmission, more research is needed to individualize risk factors.