Understanding Mortality as a Quality Indicator After Esophagectomy

There are clinically meaningful differences between postoperative mortality definitions after esophagectomy. Thirty-day mortality significantly underestimates a patient's true risk of death because this number more than doubles at 90 days in this elderly, Medicare population. Although neither 90-day nor 30-day mortality are adequate quality measures after esophagectomy, 90-day mortality is a better outcome measure because it provides a better understanding of true death risk for the surgeon and patient.