OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence of and reasons for early (0-30 days) and late (31-90 days) readmissions after enhanced recovery video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected consecutive VATS lobectomy data in an institutional database from January 2019 through December 2020. All reasons for readmission with complete follow-up were individually evaluated. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to assess predictors.

RESULTS

In total, 508 patients were included; the median length of stay after the operation was 3 days. There were 77 (15%) early and 54 (11%) late readmissions, respectively. There were 33 (7%) multiple readmissions during postoperative days 0-90 ; pneumonia (19.8%) and pneumothorax (18.3%) were the dominant reasons for early readmissions, and the side effects of adjuvant chemotherapy (22.0%), for late readmissions. In multivariable analyses, current smoking (P = 0.001), alcohol abuse (P = 0.024) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P = 0.019) were predictors of early readmissions, whereas Clavien-Dindo I-II grade gastrointestinal complications predicted late readmissions (P = 0.006) and multiple readmissions (P = 0.007). Early discharge (< 3 days) was not a predictor of readmissions. Early readmission did not increase late readmission.

CONCLUSIONS

Early and late readmissions after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy are frequent even when enhanced recovery programmes are followed. Pulmonary complications and adjuvant chemotherapy are the most predominant reasons for early and late readmissions.