Patient selection: esophagectomy for esophageal cancer
Major morbidities may include: deep vein thrombosis with or without pulmonary embolus, tracheostomy, atrial fibrillation, acute myocardial infarction, blood transfusion, renal failure, sepsis, chylothorax, recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis
Predictors of complications with odds ratios >= 2:
(1) COPD/FEV1 < 60% of predicted
(2) congestive heart failure
(3) ASA status >= 3
Predictors of complications with odds ratios < 2:
(1) age >= 75 years
(2) Black race
(3) coronary artery disease
(4) peripheral vascular disease
(5) hypertension
(6) insulin-dependent diabetes
(7) cigarette smoker
(8) steroid use
