Factors Associated With Successful Postoperative Day One Discharge After Anatomic Lung Resection

There are no criteria to estimate the risk of early discharge after anatomic lung resection. We hypothesized that demographic, clinical, and surgical variables could be used to predict successful postoperative day 1 (POD1) discharge after anatomic lung resection.

Patients with POD1 discharge after anatomic lung resection were identified in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database from 2012 to 2018. Discharges were categorized as successful based on freedom from complications, readmission, or death. A multivariable model identified variables from univariate analysis and was further optimized using stepwise selection. This model was used to create a risk score of success.

Among 62,785 patients who underwent anatomic lung resection, 2480 (3.9%) were discharged on POD1. Of the 2480 patients, 2129 (85.8%) had successful discharge and 351 (14.2%) had failed discharge due to postoperative complication (282; 11.3%), readmission (151; 6.1%), or death (9; 0.4%). In univariable analysis, successful POD1 discharge was associated with younger age, female sex, video-assisted thoracic surgery, higher forced expiratory volume in 1 second and diffusion capacity of lung for carbon monoxide, shorter operating room times, and lower rates of comorbidities. A risk model for successful discharge incorporated sex, age, body mass index, operative lobe, Zubrod score, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, video-assisted thoracic surgery approach, and operating room time. Using this model, a risk score created, and derived estimated proportion of successful POD1 discharge varied from 75.6% to 92.9%.

Demographic, clinical, and surgical variables are associated with successful POD1 discharge. This analysis suggests that a combination of demographic factors is associated with failed early discharge, and this understanding can be used in conjunction with clinical judgment to facilitate decisions regarding appropriateness of POD1 discharge.