Impact of infectious postoperative complications in the long term survival of patients gastrectomized for gastric carcinoma with curative intent

To determine the impact of postoperative infectious complications in the long term survival of patients gastrectomized for gastric carcinoma with curative intent. The present cohort study evaluated a series of 79 patients diagnosed with resectable advanced gastric carcinoma with curative intent. They were grouped in: Group A (N=28): patients with postoperative infectious complications and Group B (N=51): patients who did not develop postoperative infectious complications. The study covered the years 2008-2013. In group A, the survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years was 74%, 74% and 47.6% respectively. In group B, the survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years was 80.3%, 56% and 49.8% respectively (p=0.365). The main postoperative infectious complications not related to the surgical technique were pneumonia (20.3%), followed by urinary tract infection (3.8%). The main postoperative infectious complications related to surgical technique was sepsis (n=5), two of which were related to dehiscence esophagojejunal anastomosis, two bye gastroyeyunal fistula, another bye enterocutaneous fistula and one patient who presented abscess and necrosis peripancreatic's tissue. There was no impact on survival at 5 years in patients with postoperative infectious complications after gastrectomy with curative intent. However, further studies should be carried over.