• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.61-65
• /
• 1999

Introduction: The surgical treatment of Graves' disease has several advantage such as rapid and long lasting therapeutic effect, relatively low incidence of postoperative hypothyroidism and recurrence. Because of less frequent but serious postoperative complications, the operation have not been casually used for treatment of Graves' disease. Hypoclacemia, hoarseness and hematomas are common complications after operative treatment. However, the causative mechanisms of these complications have not been well explained. Objective: We aimed to analyze the risk factors affecting the occurance of complications in surgical treatment for Graves' disease and to evaluate what are the causative mechanisms of postoperative complications. Patients and Methods: From January 1985 to December 1998, a total of 668 surgically treated patients for Graves' disease were enrolled in this study. The incidence of postoperative complications were analyzed in relation to types of surgery, preoperaive preparation, specimen weight, bleeding amount and remnant weight. Results: Postoperative complication was developed in 108(16.2%) of 668 patients. The most common complication was transient hypocalcemia in 85 cases(12.7%). Other complications were: Hematoma in 9 cases(1.3%), transient hoarseness in 5 cases(0.7%), permanent hypocalcemia in 6 cases(0.9%), permanent hoarseness in 3 case(0.4%). The important etiologic factors affecting the occurance of complications were preoperative preparation, perioperative thyroid weight, and remnant thyroid weight. Since 1993, the incidence of complication was more decreased than that in before. Conclusion: To decrease the incidence of postoperative complications of Graves' disease, the patients should be selected carefully, sufficient preoperative preparation should be achieved, and the operation should be performed by well-experienced surgeons.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.47-51
• /
• 2013

Background: Postoperative complications after esophagectomy can lead to considerable patient discomfort and prolonged length of hospital stay. Lack of physical activity can be one of the independent risk factors for postoperative complications because physical activity is closely related to physical function. The objective of this study was to determine whether physical activity among esophageal cancer patients decreases their risk of postoperative complications after esophagectomy. Materials and Methods: We investigated 51 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed resectable esophageal cancer who were scheduled to receive esophagectomy between January 2009 and November 2011. Demographic, clinicopathologic, and treatment information were recorded and physical function was measured. The last 7-days short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess physical activity before the operation. Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether preoperative physical activity is related to the risk of postoperative complications. Results: Male gender [OR 18.6, (95%CIs: 1.2-284.4); P=0.035], 3-field lymph node dissection (OR 9.6, [95%CIs: 1.4-66.6]; P=0.022), low-level physical activity (OR 28.3, [95%CIs: 3.5-227.7]; P=0.002), and preoperative comorbidities [OR 5.9, (95%CIs: 1.1-31.5); P=0.037] were found to be independently associated with postoperative complications. Conclusions: The present study shows that low-level physical activity, preoperative comorbidities, and 3-field lymph node dissection are independent and significant risk factors for postoperative complications after esophagectomy. Although further study is required, maintaining high-level physical activity preoperatively may decrease the risk of postoperative complications.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.35 no.6
• /
• pp.703-708
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Microtia is a congenital anomaly resulting from abnormal development of the branchial apparatus. Although significant modification and improvement of operative procedures for the reconstruction of the auricle with a natural appearance have been reported, postoperative complications, such as infection, flap necrosis and deformity, still remain serious problems in patients. Many studies with long-term results have focused mainly on operative procedures for an acceptable auricular shape without consideration of possible complications. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on postoperative complications at the recipient sites of 183 patients who underwent auricular reconstruction with autologous rib cartilage grafts from November 1987 to January 2007 at the Division of Pediatric Plastic Surgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital. Patients were analyzed in terms of the kinds and incidences of complications, and their treatment options. Results: Postoperative complications included wound dehiscence, flap necrosis, infection, hypertrophic scar, auricular deformity and absorption of rib cartilage grafts. The complications occurred in 47 patients with a complication rate of 25.7%. Fourteen patients were successfully managed with conservative treatment. However, surgical treatment was required in 51 reoperations(33 patients) of total 329 operations. Conclusion: Postoperative complications at the recipient sites of autologous rib cartilage grafts occurred with relatively high incidences and required long-term treatments and multiple surgeries. The results of this study may provide information on the causes and proper management of postoperative complications as well as safe procedures for the reconstruction of the auricle.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.43-50
• /
• 2016

Purpose: It is well known that old age is a risk factor for postoperative complications. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the risk factors for poor postoperative surgical outcomes in elderly gastric cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2015, 247 elderly gastric cancer patients who underwent curative gastrectomy were reviewed. In this study, an elderly patient was defined as a patient aged ${\geq}65$ years. All possible variables were used to explore the risk factors for poor early surgical outcomes in elderly gastric cancer patients. Results: Based on multivariate analyses of preoperative risk factors, preoperative low serum albumin level (<3.5 g/dl) and male sex showed statistical significance in predicting severe postoperative complications. Additionally, in an analysis of surgery-related risk factors, total gastrectomy was a risk factor for severe postoperative complications. Conclusions: Our study findings suggest that low serum albumin level, male sex, and total gastrectomy could be risk factors of severe postoperative complications in elderly gastric cancer patients. Therefore, surgeons should work carefully in cases of elderly gastric cancer patients with low preoperative serum albumin level and male sex. We believe that efforts should be made to avoid total gastrectomy in elderly gastric cancer patients.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2022

The current, retrospective study aimed to assess the short-term prognosis and postoperative complications associated with the surgical correction of elongated soft palate using harmonic scalpel and to compare the postoperative complications associated with the application of harmonic scalpel and traditional surgery using Metzenbaum scissors. Harmonic scalpel was used to perform staphylectomy in 21 dogs. A total of ten dogs underwent sacculectomy; six dogs with harmonic scalpel and four dogs using Metzenbaum scissors. Stenotic nares were corrected by wedge resection. Postoperative complications were recorded through monitoring and radiographic examinations. Telephone interviews were conducted on the first, third, and seventh day after discharge and continued until the resolution of postoperative complications. Postoperative edema at the surgical site was identified and mitigated within a day or two. Snoring and dyspnea improved dramatically in the group that underwent staphylectomy alone. Moreover, three dogs presented with postoperative gastrointestinal complications, especially retching. The symptoms persisted for seven days and ten days in two dogs that underwent sacculectomy with harmonic scalpel and for two days in one dog that underwent sacculectomy with Metzenbaum scissors. The clinical signs and symptoms of brachycephalic syndrome disappeared without recurrence. Harmonic scalpel provides a hemostatic effect during staphylectomy, is convenient, and does not cause postoperative complications. Conversely, the use of harmonic scalpel during sacculectomy necessitated a longer period for the resolution of complications without any significant hemostatic efficacy, compared to traditional surgery.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.259-267
• /
• 2023

Background: Malnutrition and impaired immune responses significantly affect the clinical outcomes of patients with atherosclerotic stenosis. The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score has recently been utilized to evaluate perioperative immunonutritional status. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between immunonutritional status, indexed by CONUT score, and postoperative complications in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 188 patients who underwent elective CEA between January 2010 and December 2019. The preoperative CONUT score was calculated as the sum of the serum albumin concentration, total cholesterol level, and total lymphocyte count. The primary outcome was postoperative complications within 30 days after CEA, including major adverse cardiovascular events, pulmonary complications, stroke, renal failure, sepsis, wounds, and gastrointestinal complications. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to estimate the factors associated with postoperative complications during the 30-day follow-up period. Results: Twenty-five patients (13.3%) had at least one major complication. The incidence of postoperative complications was identified more frequently in the high CONUT group (12 of 27, 44.4% vs. 13 of 161, 8.1%; p<0.001). Multivariate analyses showed that a high preoperative CONUT score was independently associated with 30-day postoperative complications (hazard ratio, 5.98; 95% confidence interval, 2.56-13.97; p<0.001). Conclusion: Our results showed that the CONUT score, a simple and readily available parameter using only objective laboratory values, is independently associated with early postoperative complications.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.64 no.5
• /
• pp.808-817
• /
• 2021

Objective : Cervical surgery in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and cerebral palsy (CP) is challenging owing to the complexities of the deformity. We assessed factors affecting postoperative complications and outcomes after CSM surgery in patients with CP. Methods : Thirty-five consecutive patients with CP and CSM who underwent cervical operations between January 2006 and January 2014 were matched to 35 non-cerebral palsy (NCP) control patients. Postoperative complications and radiologic outcomes were compared between the groups. In the CP group, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score; Oswestry neck disability index; modified Barthel index; and values for the grip and pinch, Box and Block, and Jebsen-Taylor hand function tests were obtained pre- and postoperatively and compared between those with and without postoperative complications. Results : Sixteen patients (16/35%) in the CP group and seven (7/35%) in the NCP group (p=0.021) had postoperative complications. Adjacent segment degeneration (p=0.021), postoperative motor weakness (p=0.037), and revisions (p=0.003) were significantly more frequent in the CP group than in the NCP group; however, instrument-related complications were not significantly higher in the CP group (7/35 vs. 5/35, p=0.280). The number of preoperative fixed cervical deformities were significantly higher in CP with postoperative complications (5/16 vs. 1/19, p=0.037). In the CP group, clinical outcomes were almost similar between those with and without postoperative complications. Conclusion : The occurrence of complications during the follow-up period was high in patients with CP. However, postoperative complications did not significantly affect clinical outcomes.

• Women's Health Nursing
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.42-51
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to compare postoperative complications, hospitalization days and treatment expenses to postoperative prophylactic antibiotics administrated to hysterectomy or not. Methods: A retrospective survey study was performed with 128 cases in which elective hysterectomy had undergone. They were divided into two groups by identifying whether postoperative prophylactic antibiotics was administered for hysterectomy: a) one group who received postoperative prophylactic antibiotics and; b) those who did not. Data were collected using the electric medical record at a hospital and analyzed by SPSS 23.0 for $x^2$ test, t-test and ANCOVA. Results:Postoperative complications including wound infection (p=1.000), pneumonia (p=.496), hematoma (p=.530), and pneumoperitoneum (p=.496) showed no significant differences between two groups. Hospitalization days for the prophylactic antibioticsadministrated group were significantly longer than the non-administered for prophylactic antibiotics (p=.004). The treatment expenses of the prophylactic antibiotics-administrated group were significantly higher than those of the non-administered prophylactic antibiotics (F=4.31, p=.040). Conclusion: These results can be provided for the evidence of administrating postoperative prophylactic antibiotics to hysterectomy. Additionally, it can contribute to decreasing the medication errors caused by infrequently administrating postoperative prophylactic antibiotics as well as to lessening likelihood of infection of intravenous injection site.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.584-597
• /
• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impact of different types of complications on long-term survival following total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 926 patients who underwent total gastrectomy between 2008 and 2016 were included. Patients were divided into the morbidity and no-morbidity groups, and long-term survival was compared between the 2 groups. The prognostic impact of postoperative morbidity was assessed using a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, which accounted for other prognostic factors. In the multivariate model, the effects of each complication on survival were analyzed. Results: A total of 229 patients (24.7%) developed postoperative complications. Patients with postoperative morbidity showed significantly worse overall survival (OS) (5-year, 65.0% vs. 76.7%, P<0.001) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (5-year, 74.2% vs. 83.1%, P=0.002) compared to those without morbidity. Multivariate analysis adjusting for other prognostic factors showed that postoperative morbidity remained an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.442; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.136-1.831) and CSS (HR, 1.463; 95% CI, 1.063-2.013). There was no significant difference in survival according to the severity of complications. The following complications showed a significant association with unfavorable long-term survival: ascites (HR, 1.868 for OS, HR, 2.052 for CSS), wound complications (HR, 2.653 for OS, HR, 2.847 for CSS), and pulmonary complications (HR, 2.031 for OS, HR, 1.915 for CSS). Conclusions: Postoperative morbidity adversely impacted survival following total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Among the different types of complications, ascites, wound complications, and pulmonary complications exhibited significant associations with long-term survival.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.9-13
• /
• 2012

Lung resection has various and commonly occurring postoperative complications. Pulmonary complication is well known as one of the most important among them, exerting a negative influence on the postoperative course and resulting in mortality. Thus, the prevention of pulmonary complication after lung resection is very important. To prevent postoperative pulmonary complication, the perioperative management must be optimal. Perioperative management begins long before the surgery and does not end until the patient leaves the hospital. The goal of perioperative management is to identify the high-risk patients, to provide appropriate intervention, to prevent postoperative complications, and to obtain the best outcomes.