Background: Cytoreduction with intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) for treatment of peritoneal surface malignancies is increasingly utilized. However, the described morbidity and mortality rates are based predominantly on the experience at high-volume centers. We analyzed the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database for a nationwide perspective on morbidity and mortality associated with IPC.
Methods: The NSQIP database was queried for all patients undergoing IPC and cytoreduction from 2005 to 2011. Univariate and forward stepwise multivariate regression identified factors associated with 30-day death and morbidity.
Results: A total of 795 patients underwent IPC. Patients underwent a median of seven operative procedures (range 2-13). Median hospital stay was 9 days (range 2-79 days). A total of 521 complications occurred in 249 (31 %) patients, and there were 19 (2.3 %) mortalities. The most common complications were bleeding (15.1 %) and sepsis (14.6 %). Univariate analysis identified age ≥60 years, ascites, weight loss, recent prior operation, albumin <3 g/dl, bilirubin ≥2 mg/dl, hematocrit ≤30 %, colon, spleen, small bowel, liver, kidney, diaphragm, and gastric resections, wound classification, operative time, and intraoperative transfusion requirement as significantly associated with death and morbidity. By multivariate analysis, age ≥60 years, preoperative albumin <3 g/dl, gastrectomy, operative time, and intraoperative transfusion requirement remained significantly associated with death and morbidity. Particularly high death and morbidity rates were associated with preoperative albumin <3 g/dl (58 %), gastrectomy (62 %), and operative time of >500 min (46 %).
Conclusions: In this nationwide cohort, the death and morbidity rate associated with cytoreduction and IPC is consistent with other large series. Age ≥60 years, albumin <3 g/dl, gastrectomy, operative time, and intraoperative transfusion requirement were associated with 30-day death and morbidity. These factors may help guide patient selection, counseling, and preoperative optimization before IPC.