Postoperative Pneumonia After Esophagectomy and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the association between post-esophagectomy pneumonia and the presence of pathogenic organisms in the sputum or pharynx and postoperative systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 98 patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer who had undergone esophagectomy. RESULTS: Postoperative pneumonia was observed in 24 patients (24.5%). Of the total 98 patients, 45 (45.9%) were tested positive for pathogenic organisms preoperatively, and 16 of those (35.6%) developed postoperative pneumonia; postoperative pneumonia occurred at a higher rate in these patients compared to pathogenic organism-negative patients (p=0.019). Postoperative SIRS was observed in 62 patients (63.3%), and 21 of these (33.9%) developed postoperative pneumonia, a significantly higher rate compared to patients without SIRS (p=0.007). CONCLUSION: Postoperative pneumonia was significantly associated with the presence of pathogenic organisms in the sputum or pharynx and postoperative SIRS.