Intensive care unit utilisation post-oesophagectomy

Oesophagectomy is a complex operation, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Traditional post-operative care often involves admission to an intensive care unit, however with advancing surgical and anaesthetic techniques this may not be routinely required. The objective of this study is to investigate the utilisation of intensive care-specific resources following oesophagectomy in a New Zealand tertiary hospital.

All patients undergoing oesophagectomy over a five-year period at Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand were identified and data collected. Utilisation of ICU-specific resources and the occurrence of complications in relation to ICU discharge were recorded.

Fifty-two patients underwent oesophagectomy between 1 January 2015 and 31 May 2019. The majority (75%) were extubated prior to admission to ICU, and only 8% required non-invasive positive pressure ventilation after extubation. Haemodynamic support with inotropic or vasopressor agents was required in 48% of patients. Most complications were managed in a non-ICU setting. The ICU readmission rate was 16%-all but one of these readmissions was following reoperation.

This study shows a large proportion of post-operative oesophagectomy patients do not require ICU level support, however in the absence of a reliable pre-operative predictive tool, post-operative ICU care is still required in our setting. An individualised post-operative approach could be explored to help divert stable patients, potentially up to half of the group, away from ICU.