BACKGROUNDPostoperative hospital stay after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is relatively longer than after other gastrointestinal operations. The aim of the current study was to investigate the risk factors associated with prolonged hospital stay after PD.

METHODSPatients who had PD at the Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between December 2008 and November 2012 were selected for this retrospective study. Clinical and pathological data were collected and analyzed. The primary outcome was postoperative length of stay. Normal discharge or recovery was defined as a postoperative hospital stay of no more than 10 days; otherwise it was defined as delayed discharge or recovery (including hospital death).

RESULTSA total of 152 patients were enrolled in the present study. Postoperative hospital stay was (19.7 ± 7.7) days (range 7-57). Of the 152 patients, 67 were discharged within the normal time and 85 had delayed discharge. Postoperative complications occurred in 62.5% (95/152), and the mortality rate was 3.29% (5/152). Multiple regression analysis showed that delayed discharge was significantly associated with postoperative complications (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 10.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.58-30.22), age (adjusted OR 4.09, 95% CI 1.16-14.39), body mass index (BMI) (adjusted OR 4.40, 95% CI 1.19-16.23), surgical procedure (adjusted OR 26.14, 95% CI 4.94-153.19), blood transfusion (adjusted OR 7.68, 95% CI 2.09-28.27), and fluid input (adjusted OR 3.47, 95% CI 1.24-11.57).

CONCLUSIONSPostoperative complications increase the time to postoperative hospital discharge. The length of hospital stay after PD is also associated with age, BMI, blood transfusion, surgical procedure, and fluid input. Further studies with more patients are needed in future.