Risk factors and outcomes of pancreatitis after open heart surgery.
BACKGROUND
We sought to analyze the risk factors and natural history associated with post-cardiac surgery acute pancreatitis.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of all patients having undergone cardiac surgery at our hospital between January 1, 1992, and October 1, 2001.


RESULTS
A total of 10,249 cardiac operations were performed. Thirty-nine (0.4%) patients developed postoperative pancreatitis. There was a higher incidence during the period spanning 1992 through 1996 than 1997 through 2001 (0.6% versus 0.2%, P< .05). Patients with pancreatitis had longer postoperative length of stay (51+/-5 days versus 10+/-1 days, P<.05) and a greater in-hospital mortality rate (28% versus 4%, P<.05) than patients who did not develop pancreatitis. A history of alcohol abuse, cardiac surgery performed during 1992 to 1996, increased cardiopulmonary bypass time, and increased cross-clamp time were independent risk factors for the development of pancreatitis. Multiple-organ failure was an independent predictor for death among patients with pancreatitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the frequency of post-cardiac surgery pancreatitis is diminishing, it is still associated with significant mortality.
Perez
Alexander
A
Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Ito
Hiromichi
H
Farivar
Robert S
RS
Cohn
Lawrence H
LH
Byrne
John G
JG
Rawn
James D
JD
Aranki
Sary F
SF
Zinner
Michael J
MJ
Tilney
Nicholas L
NL
Brooks
David C
DC
Ashley
Stanley W
SW
Banks
Peter A
PA
Whang
Edward E
EE
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors