Determinants of re-operation for bleeding in head and neck cancer surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Post-operative bleeding in the head and neck area is potentially fatal. This 'real world' study sought to assess factors that increase the risk of re-operation for post-operative bleeding in head and neck cancer surgery. METHODS: A total of 456 patients underwent surgery for head and neck cancer (591 operations). The primary endpoint was re-operation for bleeding. RESULTS: The rate of re-operation for bleeding was 5 per cent of all operations. Re-operation for bleeding was an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality (odds ratio = 5.27, p = 0.014). Risk factors for re-operation because of bleeding included excessive (more than 4000 ml) fluid administration (over 24 hours) (p < 0.001), heavy alcohol consumption (p = 0.014), pre-operative oncological treatment (p = 0.017), advanced disease stage (p = 0.020) and higher tumour (T) classification (p = 0.034). Operations with more excessive bleeding (700 ml or more) were associated with an increased risk (p = 0.001) of re-operation for post-operative bleeding. Moreover, the risk of re-operation was significantly higher in patients undergoing microvascular surgery compared to those who had no oncological treatment pre-operatively (18 vs 6 per cent, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The 30-day mortality risk increased over 5-fold in patients undergoing re-operation for bleeding.

Incidence and predictors of 30-day cardiovascular complications in patients undergoing head and neck cancer surgery.

Incidence and predictors of peri-operative or post-operative cardiovascular complications in head and neck cancer surgery remain poorly elucidated. In this retrospective study, we investigated the rate and pre-operative risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications. This study included all patients (n = 456) operated for head and neck cancer between 1999 and 2008. Patients' medical records were reviewed and the adjudication of endpoints was performed by adjudication committee. The 30-day incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications was 7.2 %. Cardiac mortality at 30 days was 1.0 %. Univariate predictors of MACCE (major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events) at the 30-day follow-up were history of myocardial infarction (OR 4.56, 95 % CI 1.73-11.97, p = 0.002); history of heart failure (OR 4.14, 95 % CI 1.32-13.02, p = 0.015); pre-existing coronary artery disease (OR 3.98, 95 % CI 1.75-9.06, p = 0.001); prior aspirin medication (OR 3.73, 95 % CI 1.81-7.71, p < 0.001); prior betablocker medication (OR 3.67, 95 % CI 1.79-7.51, p < 0.001); hypertension (OR 2.55, 95 % CI 1.25-5.19, p = 0.010); and increasing age (OR 1.08, 95 % CI 1.05-1.12, p < 0.001). In a multivariate model, independent predictors of MACCE were pre-existing coronary artery disease (OR 2.45, 95 % CI 1.03-5.80, p = 0.042) and increasing age (OR 1.08, 95 % CI 1.04-1.11, p < 0.001). Patients having surgery for head and neck cancer are at high (>5 %) risk of developing vascular complications. Prior coronary artery disease and increasing age are independent risk factors for MACCE.