Mortality after emergency abdominal operations in premature infants

Abstract Context/background To determine risk of 30-day mortality for premature infants undergoing abdominal operations during the first 2 months of life and to identify risk factors for perioperative mortality using available demographic and clinical variables of interest. Basic procedures Retrospective descriptive analysis of premature infants (gestational age less than or equal to 36weeks) undergoing abdominal operations during the first 2 months of life using the American College of Surgeon's National Surgical Quality Improvement Project Pediatric (NSQIP-P, 2012–2015) database. A stepwise logistic regression model incorporating multiple demographic and clinical factors was constructed to identify independent predictors of 30-day mortality. Findings A total of 1554 premature infants were identified who underwent abdominal operations during the first 2 months of life. Unadjusted 30-day mortality ranged from 31% for infants born Conclusions Premature infants undergoing abdominal operations during the first 2 months of life have expectedly high risk of 30-day mortality. Female sex, inotrope, and ventilator support are independently associated with increased risk of mortality and can be incorporated into a model where, if present, risk of mortality is greater than 14.2%. Level of evidence Level III