Risk Factors for Postoperative Anastomosis Leak After Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

Background/Aim: The present study aimed to identify risk factors for anastomosis leak (AL) after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Patients and Methods: One-hundred twenty-two patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer between 2008 and 2018 were included. The rate of AL was measured based on the definition of leak as adapted from the Surgical Infection Study Group. To identify the risk factors for AL, logistic regression analysis was used. Results: AL was found in 44 of the 122 patients (36.1%). Among the factors examined, the lymph node dissection status (p=0.007) and preoperative serum albumin level (p=0.022) were significant independent risk factors for AL. The incidence of AL was 26.7% (20 of 75) among patients who received 2-field lymph node dissection and 51.1% (24 of 47) among those who received 3-field lymph node dissection. The incidence of AL was 29.9% (23 of 77) in the preoperative serum albumin levels >= 4.0 g/dl group and 46.7% (21 of 45) in the serum albumin levels <4.0 g/dl group. Conclusion: Lymph node dissection status and preoperative serum albumin levels were risk factors for AL in patients who received esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.