Multicentre review of readmission rates within 30 days of discharge following lung cancer surgery.

Postoperative complications following curative lung cancer surgery are well recognised, but there is limited data on 30-day readmission rates. The UK Thoracic Surgery Group conducted a multicentre review over a 3-month period to assess readmission rates. Overall readmission among the 268 patients who had undergone primary lung cancer surgery was 30 (11%); 14/30 of readmissions occurred within 7 days of discharge, with 13/30 patients readmitted to a hospital that had not performed the surgery. The causes of readmission were mainly pulmonary related (16/30). Readmission was associated with being discharged with a pleural drain 11/30 (<0.01), having two or more postoperative complications 11/30 (<0.01) and a patient's readiness for discharge 9/30 (=0.001). There was a trend toward an association with smoking 13/30 (=0.18). The authors suggest that a greater focus on patients presenting with characteristics associated with readmission, and incorporating a patient's readiness for discharge, may reduce readmission, although more studies are needed.