PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare postoperative complications for single-stage surgery after mechanical bowel preparation in patients who experienced obstruction and those who did not. METHODS: From 2000 to 2011, 1,224 patients underwent a single-stage operation for left colorectal cancer after bowel preparation. Nonobstruction (NOB) and obstruction (OB) colorectal cancer patients were 1,053 (86.0%) and 171 (14.0%), respectively. Postoperative morbidity and mortality were compared between groups. RESULTS: The OB group had poor preoperative conditions (age, white blood cell, hemoglobin, albumin level, and advanced tumor stage) compared with the NOB group (P < 0.05). Mean on-table lavage time for the OB group was 17.5 minutes (range, 14-60 minutes). Mean operation time for the OB group was statistically longer than that of the NOB group (OB: 210 minutes; range, 120-480 minutes vs. NOB: 180 minutes; range, 60-420 minutes; P < 0.001). Overall morbidity was similar between groups (NOB: 19.7% vs. OB: 23.4%, P = 0.259). Major morbidity was more common in the OB group than in the NOB group, but the difference was without significance (OB: 11.7% vs. NOB: 7.6%, P = 0.070). Postoperative death occurred in 16 patients (1.3%), and death in the OB group (n = 7) was significantly higher than it was in the NOB group (n = 9) (4.1% vs. 0.9%, P = 0.001). Twelve patients had surgical complications, which were the leading cause of postoperative death: postoperative bleeding in five patients and leakage in seven patients. CONCLUSION: Postoperative morbidity for a single-stage operation for obstructive left colorectal cancer is comparable to that for NOB, regardless of poor conditions of the patient.
Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications* ; Therapeutic Irrigation

BACKGROUND: Advanced age alone should not be a serious deterrent to surgery. Preoperative evaluation of concomitant illness, operation time, accurate and minimal, but adequate surgery will serve to minimize morbidity and mortality in elderly patients. METHODS: The total number of surgical patients admitted to Kwang Hye Hospital, Pusan, from March 1994 to August 1996 was 3211, and the number of surgical geriatric patients admitted during the same period was 214. Operations were performed on 139 patients. We recorded information about age, sex, anesthesia type, operation time, non malignancy vs malignancy, emergency vs elective "Surgery", coexisting disease, and APACHE II score, and we examined the patients for results affecting postoperative morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Postoperative complications occured in 55 cases (39.6%), and the operative mortality was 2.2%. The significant factors affecting postoperative morbidity were emergency operation, malignancy and APACHE II score. The operation time and coexisting diseases were not significant. Age had little effect on the postoperative prognosis CONCLUSIONS: Performance of elective surgery and preoperative evaluation of the APACHE II score are important factors.
Aged ; Anesthesia ; APACHE ; Busan ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Prognosis

A clinical analysis was performed on 61 cases of patent ductus arteriosus experienced at Yeungnam University Hospital during 3 years period from April, 1984 to December, 1986. Of the 61 patient of PDA, 13 patients were male and 48 patient were female and age ranged 2 months to 26 years old with the average age of 9.4 years. The chief complaints on admission were frequent URI and dyspnea on exertion. diagnostic procedure were Doppler echocardiogram (in 53 among 61). Three postoperative complication were developed, but there was no operative mortality.
Ductus Arteriosus, Patent* ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at comparing the rate of decrease in preoperative serum bilirubin after biliary drainage and the postoperative complication rate in patients with distal common bile duct (CBD) cancer. METHODS: Forty six patients who had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy due to distal CBD cancer were included in this study. The patients were divided into the complicated and uncomplicated groups. For the patients who underwent preoperative biliary drainage, the preoperative bilirubin level and the rate of decrease in serum bilirubin were measured and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The postoperative complication and mortality rates were 43.4% (20/46) and 6.5% (3/46), respectively. The complication rates were not different between the drainage and non-drainage groups (p=0.48). The preoperative serum bilirubin levels were also not different between the complicated and uncomplicated groups (p=0.214). In the uncomplicated group, the rate of decrease in the serum total bilirubin level tended to be higher than in the complicated group, but this was not statistically significant (mean: 0.82 vs 0.27 mg/dl/day, respectively, p=0.117). Patients with a higher preoperative bilirubin decrease rate showed a larger bilirubin decrease in the immediate postoperative period (from POD 1 to POD 7, r=0.371, p=0.05). CONCLUSION: The preoperative biliary drainage and the serum bilirubin level were not correlated with the postoperative complication rate. Patients with higher preoperative bilirubin decrease rates showed a larger bilirubin decrease in the immediate postoperative period, which can be interpreted as having a faster recovery of their liver function. Further study with a larger number of cases is required to see if the preoperative bilirubin decrease rate could be used as a prognostic indicator after pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Bilirubin* ; Common Bile Duct* ; Drainage* ; Humans ; Liver ; Mortality ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Postoperative Complications* ; Postoperative Period

BACKGROUND: We compared the mid-term results of the Cox maze IV procedure using argon-based cryoablation with a procedure using N2O-based cryoablation. METHODS: From May 2006 to June 2012, 138 patients (mean age, 58.2+/-11.0 years) underwent the Cox maze IV procedure. Eighty-five patients underwent the maze procedure using an N2O-based cryoprobe (group N), and 53 patients underwent the maze procedure using an argon-based cryoprobe (group A). Bipolar radiofrequency ablation was concomitantly used in 131 patients. The presence of atrial fibrillation immediately, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery was compared. RESULTS: Early mortality occurred in 6 patients (4.3%). There were no differences in early mortality or postoperative complications between the two groups. Nineteen of 115 patients (16.5%) remained in atrial fibrillation at postoperative 12 months (14 of 80 patients (17.5%) in group N and 5 of 35 patients (14.3%) in group A, p=0.669). There were no differences in the number of patients who remained in atrial fibrillation at any of the time periods except in the immediate postoperative period. A multivariable analysis revealed that the energy source of cryoablation was not associated with the presence of atrial fibrillation at 1 year (p=0.862) and that a fine F wave (<0.1 mV) was the only risk factor predicting the presence of atrial fibrillation at 1 year (p<0.001, odds ratio=20.287). CONCLUSION: The Cox maze IV procedure using an argon-based cryoprobe was safe and effective compared with the maze procedure using an N2O-based cryoprobe in terms of operative outcomes and the restoration of sinus rhythm for up to 2 years after surgery.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Catheter Ablation ; Cryosurgery* ; Humans ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period ; Risk Factors

The geriatric surgical population experiences greater morbidity and mortality than the general surgical population. Understanding the characteristics of postoperative complications in elderly patients and carrying out adequate preventive measures and treatments are the best way to reduce postoperative complications in the geriatric surgical population. The proportion of the geriatric population has gradually increased in the Republic of Korea, and this is a worldwide trend. The postoperative care of elderly patients has drawn particular attention given the increasing interest in geriatric medicine. We introduce several postoperative complications that are closely associated with the elderly surgical population and the possible etiology of these complications, and discuss the differences between the general patient population and elderly patients.
Aged ; Frail Elderly ; Humans ; Mortality ; Postoperative Care* ; Postoperative Complications ; Republic of Korea

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Despite recent advances in liver surgery, complication and mortality rate in hepatectomy are still high compared to other abdominal surgeries. Intraoperative stress such as bleeding, vascular occlusion, excessive mobilization and prolonged operation time is the most important factor in postoperative complications. Anterior approach avoiding hepatic mobilization and vascular occlusion in right hepatic lobectomy is a useful method for decreasing intraoperative stress. We investigated the effectiveness of anterior approach in right hepatic lobectomy. METHODS: We studied 33 cases of right hepatic lobectomy for malignant tumor between January 1993 and June1997. Thre were 13 cases of Anterior approach (group A) and 20 cases of classic right hepatic lobectomy (group B). We analyzed liver function test, arterial ketone body ratio(AKBR), operation time, blood transfusion during operation, hospital stay, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Total bilirubin levels at first and seventh postoperative days were 2.1+/-0.6mg/dl, 0.9+/-0.2mg/dl in group A and 2.7+/-1.3mg/dl, 1.0+/-0.3mg/dl in group B. AST were 189+/-65.3 IU/L, 43+/-13.5 IU/L in group A and 325+/-67.8 IU/L, 51+/-18.2 IU/L in group B. ALT were 169+/-30.5 IU/L, 52+/-17.4 IU/L in group A and 295+/-70.3 IU/L, 52+/-16.6 IU/L in group B. AKBR at intraoperative and immediate postoperative period were 0.58+/-0.06, 0.62+/-0.03 in group A and 0.38+/-0.04, 0.40+/-0.08 in group B. Neither operation time (in group A : 380.5+/-61.1 minutes, in group B : 342.9+/-54.8 minutes), transfusion volume during operation (group A : 1222+/-802cc, group B : 1410+/-476cc), nor hospital stay (group A : 22.8+/-3.5 days, group B : 19.1+/-1.4 days) were different between the two groups. Complication rate was lower in group A compared to that of group B (30.8% vs. 40.0%). There was 1 mortality in group B and no mortality in group A. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that right hepatic lobectomy through the anterior approach is a useful surgical procedure to reduce intraoperative surgical stress and postoperative complications.
Bilirubin ; Blood Transfusion ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatectomy ; Length of Stay ; Liver ; Liver Function Tests ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period

PURPOSE: Despite significant improvements in surgery, anesthesia, and postoperative critical care, the postoperative mortality rate of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) has remained at 40% to 50% for several decades. Therefore, we evaluated factors associated with the postoperative mortality of RAAA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1999 to December 2008, a retrospective study was performed with 34 patients who underwent open repair of RAAA. The preoperative factors included age, sex, smoking, comorbidities, serum creatinine, hemoglobin, shock, pulse rate, and time from emergency room to operation room. The intraoperative factors included blood loss, transfusion, aortic clamping site and time, aneurysmal characteristics, rupture type, graft type, hourly urine output (HUO), and operative time. The postoperative factors included inotropic support, renal replacement therapy (RRT), reoperation, bowel ischemia, multiple organ failure (MOF), and intensive care unit stay. The 2-day and the 30-day mortality rates were analyzed separately. RESULTS: The 2-day and the 30-day mortality rates were 14.7% and 41.2%, respectively. On univariate analysis, shock, transfusion, HUO, inotropic support and MOF for the 2-day mortality and serum creatinine, transfusion, aortic clamping site, HUO, inotropic support, RRT and MOF for the 30-day mortality were statistically significant. On multivariate analysis, shock, inotropic support and MOF for the 2-day mortality and aortic clamping site, RRT and MOF for the 30-day mortality were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: To decrease the postoperative mortality rate of RAAA, prevention of massive hemorrhage and acute renal failure with infrarenal aortic clamping, as well as prompt operative control of bleeding and maintenance of systemic perfusion are important.
Aged ; Aortic Rupture/*mortality/*surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications/*mortality ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo define the determinants of perioperative death and complications after cardiac valve replacement in 702 patients.

METHODSClinical data of the patients after cardiac valve replacement were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSPerioperative mortality and morbidity correlated significantly with some of the perioperative variables, such as higher NYHA functional class (III or IV), large left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (>/= 70 mm), C/T >/= 0.70, prolonged aortic cross-clamping time and cardiopulmonary bypass time, unsatisfactory myocardial protection.

CONCLUSIONSPerioperative mortality and morbidity correlate significantly with some of perioperative variables, such as higher NYHA functional class, unsatisfactory myocardial protection, inappropriate surgical procedure, improper therapy of some complications after cardiac valve replacement. To avoid the occurrence of these independent predictors or to correct them timely might effectively decrease the perioperative mortality and morbidity after cardiac valve replacement.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cause of Death ; Child ; Female ; Heart Valve Diseases ; mortality ; surgery ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; mortality

BACKGROUNDThere are increasing numbers of patients who survive more than one year after liver transplantation. Many studies have focused on the early mortality of these patients. However, the factors affecting long-term survival are not fully understood. This study aims to evaluate prognostic factors predicting long-term survival and to explore measures for improving the survival outcomes of patients who underwent liver transplantation for benign end-stage liver diseases.

METHODSThe causes of late death after liver transplantation and potential prognostic factors were retrospectively analyzed for 221 consecutive patients who underwent liver transplantation from October 2003 to June 2008. Twenty-seven variables were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and those variables found to be univariately significant at P < 0.10 were entered into a backward step-down Cox proportional hazard regression analysis to identify the independent prognostic factors influencing the recipients' long-term survival.

RESULTSTwenty-eight recipients died one year after liver transplantation. The major causes of late mortality were infectious complications, biliary complications, and Hepatitis B virus recurrence/reinfection. After Cox analysis, the five remaining co-variables were: age, ABO blood group, cold ischemia time, post-infection region, and biliary complications.

CONCLUSIONSThe major causes of late mortality were infection, biliary complications and Hepatitis B virus recurrence/reinfection. Five variables (Age, ABO blood group, cold ischemia time, infection, and biliary complications) had significant impacts on patient survival.

End Stage Liver Disease ; mortality ; surgery ; Hepatitis B ; mortality ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Postoperative Complications ; mortality ; Retrospective Studies