This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Brian T. Pelczar, MD; Harrison G. Weed, MD; David E. Schuller, MD; Donn C. Young, PhD; Thomas E. Reilley, DO

Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1993;119(8):861-864.

Abstract
• Patients from the Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, who were undergoing major head and neck oncologic surgery were prospectively studied to determine predictors of postoperative medical complications and wound infection. Of 119 patients studied, 28 (24%) had at least one postoperative medical complication. The strongest predictors of medical complication were poor functional capacity as assessed by the Specific Activity Scale questionnaire and alcohol abuse. Thirteen patients (11%) developed wound infections. The strongest predictors of wound infection were an elevated preoperative platelet count and prolonged surgery. Wound infection was the strongest correlate of prolonged hospital stay. These findings suggest that the Specific Activity Scale questionnaire identifies patients at risk for medical complication, that alcohol abuse should be managed aggressively, and that thrombocytosis identifies patients at risk for wound infection.

(Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1993;119:861-864)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Otolaryngology (Drs Pelczar and Schuller), Internal Medicine (Dr Weed), and Anesthesiology (Dr Reilley), and the Comprehensive Cancer Center, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute (Drs Schuller and Young), Ohio State University, Columbus.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication December 11, 1992.

Presented at the Third International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer, San Francisco, Calif, July 28, 1992.

Reprint requests to 456 W 10th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210 (Dr Schuller).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Complications in Head and Neck Surgery: A Meta-analysis of Postlaryngectomy Pharyngocutaneous Fistula
Paydarfar and Birkmeyer
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2006;132:67-72.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Comorbidity as a Major Risk Factor for Mortality and Complications in Head and Neck Surgery
Ferrier et al.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2005;131:27-32.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Perioperative Complications, Comorbidities, and Survival in Oral or Oropharyngeal Cancer
Ribeiro et al.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003;129:219-228.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Predictors of Perioperative Complications in Head and Neck Patients
Farwell et al.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002;128:505-511.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Risk Factors for Postoperative Complications in Oral Cancer and Their Prognostic Implications
de Melo et al.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2001;127:828-833.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Benchmarks for Mortality, Morbidity, and Length of Stay for Head and Neck Surgical Procedures
Bhattacharyya and Fried
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2001;127:127-132.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Identifying High-Risk Surgical Patients by Poor Self-Reported Exercise Tolerance
Weed et al.
Arch Intern Med 2000;160:1539-1539.
FULL TEXT