Preoperative risk assessment of pancreatic surgery for pancreatic cancer by the surgical Apgar score.

419 Background: Postoperative morbidity is high after pancreatic surgery. Numerous studies have evaluated factors to predict the patients at risk. Recently, a simple and easy-to-use surgical complication prediction system, the surgical Apgar score (SAS) calculated using three intraoperative parameters (estimated blood loss, lowest mean arterial pressure and lowest heart rate) has been proposed for general surgery. In this study, we evaluated the predictability of the SAS for severe complications after pancreatic surgery for pancreatic cancer. Methods: We investigated 189 patients who underwent pancreatic surgery at Kanagawa Cancer Center between 2005 and 2014. Clinicopathological data, including the intraoperative parameters, were collected retrospectively. In this study, the patients with postoperative morbidities classified as Clavien-Dindo grade II or more were classified as having severe complications. Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for morbidity. Results: Postoperative complications were identified in 73 patients, and the overall morbidity rate was 38.6%. The results of both univariate and multivariate analyses of various factors for overall operative morbidity showed that a SAS of 0-4 points and a body mass index > 25 kg/m 2 were significant independent risk factors for overall morbidity (P=0.024 and P=0.014, respectively). The rate of abdominal abscess formation was significantly higher in the patients with a SAS of 0-4 points, while the occurrence of a pancreatic fistula was significantly higher in the patients with a body mass index > 25 kg/m 2 . Conclusions: The SAS was a significant risk factor for surgical complications after pancreatic surgery for pancreatic cancer. Careful attention is required for these patients in order to help prevent complications and treat them as soon as they develop.