Impact of postoperative complications on clinical and economic consequences in pancreatic surgery

Patients who develop complications consume a disproportionately large share of available resources in surgery; therefore the attention of healthcare funders focuses on the economic impact of complications. The main objective of this work was to assess the clinical and economic impact of postoperative complications in pancreatic surgery, and furthermore to assess risk factors for increased costs.

In all, 161 consecutive patients underwent pancreatic resection. The costs of the treatment were determined and analyzed.

The overall morbidity rate was 53.4%, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 3.7%. The median of costs for all patients without complication was 3,963 Euro, whereas the median of costs for patients with at least one complication was significantly increased at 10,670 Euro (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis American Society of Anesthesiologists ≥ 3 (P = 0.006), multivisceral resection (P < 0.001) and any complication (P < 0.001) were independently associated with increased costs.

Postoperative complications are associated with an increase in mortality, length of hospital stay, and hospital costs. The treatment costs increase with the severity of the postoperative complications. Those factors that are known to increase the treatment costs in pancreatic resection should be considered when planning patients for surgery.