Kaare Terp Fjederholt1, Lars Bo Svendsen2, Frank Viborg Mortensen3. 1. Department of Surgery, Section for Upper Gastrointestinal and Hepato-pancreato-biliary Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. Electronic address: kaafje@rm.dk. 2. Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Transplantation, Rigshospitalet, Denmark. 3. Department of Surgery, Section for Upper Gastrointestinal and Hepato-pancreato-biliary Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of blood transfusions on the risk of anastomotic leakage (AL) in patients with gastro-esophageal-junction (GEJ) cancer. BACKGROUND: The incidence of GEJ cancer is increasing in the western world. Surgery is the curative treatment of choice. AL increases mortality and morbidity, and increases the risk cancer reoccurrence. In colo-rectal surgery a relation between AL and blood transfusions have been demonstrated. METHOD: The risk of AL in relation to blood transfusions was investigated in a cohort study. 253 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for GEJ cancer was included. Data was based on a prospective maintained database and analyzed using logistic regressions models adjusting for multiple confounders. RESULTS: We found an increased risk of AL when blood was transfused OR: 3.47, (1.51; 7.99). This relation was consistent after adjustment for multiple confounders OR: 4.60, (1.29; 16.4). Increasing number of blood units did not increase risk of AL further. CONCLUSION: We present data demonstrating a strong correlation between receiving blood transfusions and the risk of AL after surgery in GEJ cancers patients.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of blood transfusions on the risk of anastomotic leakage (AL) in patients with gastro-esophageal-junction (GEJ) cancer. BACKGROUND: The incidence of GEJ cancer is increasing in the western world. Surgery is the curative treatment of choice. AL increases mortality and morbidity, and increases the risk cancer reoccurrence. In colo-rectal surgery a relation between AL and blood transfusions have been demonstrated. METHOD: The risk of AL in relation to blood transfusions was investigated in a cohort study. 253 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for GEJ cancer was included. Data was based on a prospective maintained database and analyzed using logistic regressions models adjusting for multiple confounders. RESULTS: We found an increased risk of AL when blood was transfused OR: 3.47, (1.51; 7.99). This relation was consistent after adjustment for multiple confounders OR: 4.60, (1.29; 16.4). Increasing number of blood units did not increase risk of AL further. CONCLUSION: We present data demonstrating a strong correlation between receiving blood transfusions and the risk of AL after surgery in GEJ cancerspatients.