Individualization of risk factors for postoperative complication after lung cancer surgery: a retrospective study

The risk factors for postoperative complications after pulmonary resection in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been elucidated.

Clinical data of 956 patients with NSCLC were analyzed. Patient factors such as sex, age, comorbidities, smoking history, respiratory function, and the lobe involved in lung cancer and operative factors such as operative approach and operative procedures were collected and analyzed.

Male sex (odds ratio [OR]: 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-2.75, p = 0.01), coexistence of asthma (OR 2.68, 95% CI 1.19-6.02, p = 0.01), low percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.02-1.95, p = 0.03), and lobectomy or greater resection (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.66-3.68, p < 0.01) were identified as significant risk factors for postoperative complications. Male sex (OR 1.98; 95% CI 1.03-3.81, p = 0.03) and complete video-assisted thoracic surgery and robot-assisted thoracic surgery (OR 1.64; 95% CI 1.09-2.45; p = 0.01) were identified as significant risk factors for postoperative air leakage. Coexistence of asthma (OR 9.97; 95% CI 3.66-27.38; p < 0.01) was identified as a significant risk factor for postoperative atelectasis or pneumonia. Lobectomy or greater resection (OR 19.71; 95% CI 2.70-143.57; p < 0.01) was identified as a significant risk factor for postoperative arrhythmia.

Male sex, coexistence of asthma, low percentage of FEV₁, and operative procedure were significant risk factors for postoperative complications. Furthermore, risk factors varied according to postoperative complications.