Racial Disparities in Perioperative Outcomes for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

To characterize the perioperative complications after ablative and reconstructive surgery in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) based on race. We conducted a retrospective study of the 2015-2020 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database. We compared the perioperative outcomes between White, Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaskan Native patients with bivariate analysis. Multivariate logistic regression assessed the independent association of race with perioperative complications. Black patients experienced longer surgeries (aβ, 43; 95% CI, 33, 53), longer hospital stays (aβ, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.1-2.1]), and were less likely to be discharged home (aOR, 0.64; [95% CI, 0.54, 0.76]). Black patients also had higher major complications risk (aOR, 1.38; [95% CI, 1.13-1.67]) with the most common being reintubation/ventilation (Black, 4.4% vs. White 2.7%; p = 0.003) and sepsis/septic shock (Black, 3.4% vs. White 1.8%; p =