Anesthesia management and outcomes of gynecologic oncology surgery

This study assessed postoperative mortality, morbidity, and complications associated with anesthesia administration for gynecologic oncology abdominal surgery and investigated the risk factors for the development of these complications.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study analyzing the data of patients who underwent elective gynecologic oncology surgery between 2010 and 2017. The demographic data; comorbidities; preoperative anemia; Charlson Comorbidity Index; anesthesia management; complications; preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods; mortality; and morbidity were investigated. The patients were classified as surviving or deceased. Subgroup analyses of patients with endometrial, ovarian, cervical, and other cancers were performed.

We analyzed 416 patients; 325 survived and 91 were deceased. The postoperative chemotherapy rates (p < 0.001), and postoperative blood transfusion rates (p = 0.010) were significantly higher in the deceased group, while the preoperative albumin levels were significantly lower in the deceased group (p < 0.001). Infused colloid amount was higher in the deceased group of endometrial (p = 0.018) and ovarian cancers (p = 0.017).

Perioperative patient management for cancer surgery requires a multidisciplinary approach led by an anesthesiologist and surgeon. Any improvement in the duration of hospital stay, morbidity, or recovery rate depends on the success of the multidisciplinary team.