Postoperative Pneumonia After Esophagectomy and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the association between post-esophagectomy pneumonia and the presence of pathogenic organisms in the sputum or pharynx and postoperative systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

This retrospective study included 98 patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer who had undergone esophagectomy.

RESULTS

Postoperative pneumonia was observed in 24 patients (24.5%). Of the total 98 patients, 45 (45.9%) were tested positive for pathogenic organisms preoperatively, and 16 of those (35.6%) developed postoperative pneumonia; postoperative pneumonia occurred at a higher rate in these patients compared to pathogenic organism-negative patients (p=0.019). Postoperative SIRS was observed in 62 patients (63.3%), and 21 of these (33.9%) developed postoperative pneumonia, a significantly higher rate compared to patients without SIRS (p=0.007).

CONCLUSION

Postoperative pneumonia was significantly associated with the presence of pathogenic organisms in the sputum or pharynx and postoperative SIRS.