Gastrointestinal Complications Following Cardiac Surgery

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Abstract
Objective: To determine preoperative and perioperative risk factors for gastrointestinal (GI) complications following cardiac surgery. Design: A database including records of patients who underwent cardiac surgery was reviewed, with univariate analysis of several variables thought to be relevant to GI complications. Using a risk-adjusted model, preoperative stratification was used to fit a logistic regression model including operative features. Setting and Patients: All patients undergoing cardiac surgery from January 1, 1991, to December 31, 1994, at a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Main Outcome Measures: Incidence of GI complications, postoperative mortality, length of hospital stay, and relative risk of GI complications based on multivariate analyses. Results: Gastrointestinal complications occurred in 2.1% of patients and had an associated mortality of 19.4%; this was higher than the mortality in patients without GI complications (4.1%;P<.001). Length of hospital stay was significantly longer in patients with GI complications (43 vs 13.4 days;P<.001). In patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting only, cardiopulmonary bypass time was significantly longer in patients with GI complications (166 vs 138 minutes;P=.004). In patients who underwent valve replacement, bypass time was not associated with GI complications. Use of a left internal mammary artery graft was associated with a lower incidence of GI complications. Conclusions: Patients who have GI complications after cardiac surgery have a higher mortality and a longer hospital stay. The use of a left internal mammary artery seems to have a protective effect against GI complications. Based on these observations, patients may be stratified into low-, medium-, and high-risk groups. Arch Surg. 1997;132:352-357