Predictors of Readmission Following Proctectomy for Rectal Cancer

Unplanned readmission after surgery negatively impacts surgical recovery. Few studies have sought to define predictors of readmission in a rectal cancer cohort alone. Readmission following rectal cancer surgery may be reduced by the identification and modification of factors associated with readmission.

This study seeks to characterize the predictors of 30-day readmission following proctectomy for rectal cancer.

This study is a retrospective analysis of prospectively gathered cohort data. Outcomes were compared between readmitted and nonreadmitted patients. Multivariate analysis of factors association with readmission was performed by using binary logistic regression.

This study was conducted at Beaumont Hospital, a nationally designated, publicly funded cancer center.

Two hundred forty-six consecutive patients who underwent proctectomy for rectal cancer between January 2012 and December 2015 were selected.

The primary outcomes measured were readmission within 30 days of discharge and the variables associated with readmission, categorized into patient factors, perioperative factors, and postoperative factors.

Thirty-one (12.6%) patients were readmitted within 30 days of discharge following index rectal resection. The occurrence of anastomotic leaks, high-output stoma, and surgical site infections was significantly associated with readmission within 30 days (anastomotic leak OR 3.60, p = 0.02; high-output stoma OR 11.04, p = 0.003; surgical site infections OR 13.39, p = 0.01). Surgical site infections and high-output stoma maintained significant association on multivariate analysis (surgical site infections OR 10.02, p = 0.001; high-output stoma OR 9.40, p = 0.02). No significant difference was noted in the median length of stay or frequency of prolonged admissions (greater than 24 days) between readmitted and nonreadmitted patients.

The institutional database omits a number of socioeconomic factors and comorbidities that may influence readmission, limiting our capacity to analyze the relative contribution of these factors to our findings.

An early postoperative care bundle to detect postoperative complications could prevent some unnecessary inpatient admissions following proctectomy. Key constituents should include early identification and management of stoma-related complications and surgical site infection. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A912.