Pulmonary infection after hepatic resection: Associated factors and impact on outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Postoperative pulmonary complications are frequent after hepatectomy. The aim of this retrospective study was to use preoperative and intraoperative data to establish specific factors associated with post-hepatectomy pneumonia (PHPN). METHODS: Patients underwent minor or major hepatectomy for cancer or non-cancer treatment. Surgical procedure was performed by laparoscopy or laparotomy. PHPN was defined as a new radiologic finding associated with fever, leucocytosis and purulent bronchial secretions. The incidence, associated factors and prognosis of PHPN were investigated. RESULTS: In 399 patients undergoing planned hepatectomy, 49 (12.3%) developed pneumonia. Of 81 patients (20.3%) with cirrhosis, 77 were Child-Pugh A and 4 were Child-Pugh B. Hepatectomy indication was cancer in 331 patients (of which metastasis in 213). Laparoscopy rate was 31.3%. In multivariate analysis, the main factors statistically associated with PHPN were: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (odds ratio [OR] = 4.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.60-10.84; P = 0.003), intraoperative blood transfusion (OR = 2.46; 95% CI 1.01-5.70; P = 0.001), laparotomy (OR = 3.01; 95% CI 1.09-8.27; P = 0.03), and nasogastric tube maintained at day 1 (OR = 2.09; 95% CI 1.03-4.22; P = 0.04). Length of stay was significantly different between groups without PHPN (10.2 days) versus with PHPN (26.4 days; P < 0.001). Intra-hospital and one-year mortality were greater in the PHPN group than the pneumonia-free group (8.16 vs 0% and 18.4 vs 3.4%, respectively; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: COPD, transfusion and laparotomy (versus laparoscopy) are factors associated with PHPN and impaired survival.