Predictive factors for major postoperative complications related to gastric conduit reconstruction in thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer: a case control study

BACKGROUND Regardless of developments in thoracoscopic esophagectomy (TE), postoperative complications relative to gastric conduit reconstruction are common after esophagectomy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the predictive factors of major complications related to gastric conduit after TE. METHODS From 2006 to 2015, 75 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent TE were evaluated to explore the predictive factors of major postoperative complications related to gastric conduit. RESULTS Patients with major complications related to gastric conduit had a significantly longer postoperative hospital stay than patients without these complications (P <  0.01). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that three-field lymph node dissection (3FLND) and high serum levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and C-reactive protein (CRP) at 1 postoperative day (1POD) after TE were significant predictive factors of major complications related to gastric conduit [odds ratio (OR) 5.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.41-24.33, P = 0.02; OR 5.40, 95% CI 1.60-20.20, P <  0.01; OR 5.07, 95% CI 1.47-20.25, P = 0.01, respectively]. The incidence rates of major complications related to gastric conduit for 0, 1, 2, and 3 predictive factors were 5.3%, 18.8%, 58.8%, and 85.7%, respectively (P <  0.01). CONCLUSIONS Two or more factors in 3FLND and the high levels of CPK and CRP at 1POD after TE were identified as the risk model for major complications related to gastric conduit after TE. TRIAL REGISTRATION UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, ID: UMIN000024436 , Registered date: Oct/17/2016.