Postoperative complications after gastrointestinal pediatric surgical procedures: outcomes and socio-demographic risk factors

Background Several socio-demographic characteristics are associated with complications following certain pediatric surgical procedures. In this comprehensive study, we sought to determine socio-demographic risk factors and resource utilization of children with complications after common pediatric surgical procedures. Methods We performed a population-based cohort study utilizing the 2016 Healthcare Cost and Use Project Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) to identify and characterize pediatric patients (age 0-21 years) in the United States with common inpatient pediatric gastrointestinal surgical procedures: appendectomy, cholecystectomy, colonic resection, pyloromyotomy and small bowel resection. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to identify socio-demographic predictors of postoperative complications. Length of stay and hospitalization costs for patients with and without postoperative complications were compared. Results A total of 66,157 pediatric surgical hospitalizations were identified. Of these patients, 2,009 had postoperative complications. Male sex, young age, African American and Native American race and treatment in a rural hospital were associated with significantly greater odds of postoperative complications. Mean length of stay was 4.58 days greater and mean total costs were $11,151 (US dollars) higher in the complication cohort compared with patients without complications. Conclusions Postoperative complications following inpatient pediatric gastrointestinal surgery were linked to elevated healthcare-related expenditure. The identified socio-demographic risk factors should be considered in the risk stratification before pediatric surgical procedures. Targeted interventions are required to reduce preventable complications and surgical disparities.

Automated summary

In this study, socio-demographic risk factors for complications following pediatric gastrointestinal surgery were identified. Male sex, young age, African American and Native American race, and treatment in a rural hospital were associated with a higher risk of postoperative complications. The study also found that patients with complications have a longer length of stay and higher hospitalization costs compared to those without complications.