Magnitude of surgical burden associated with pediatric intestinal failure: A multicenter cohort analysis

BackgroundPediatric intestinal failure (IF) patients require many surgical procedures over the course of their illness. The number and variety of surgical procedures, as well as patient characteristics associated with this burden of surgical procedures, remain largely unknown.MethodsData from a large, multicenter retrospective study of pediatric intestinal failure (PIFCON) were reviewed. Infants from 14 multidisciplinary IF programs were enrolled, with study entry defined as PN dependence for > 60 days.ResultsA total of 272 infants were followed for a median (IQR) of 33.5 (16.2, 51.5) months, during which time they underwent 4.0 (3.0, 6.0) abdominal surgical procedures. Intestinal resections were performed in 88/97 (92%) necrotizing enterocolitis patients versus 138/175 (80%) in non-NEC patients (P < 0.05). Patients who underwent ≥ 5 operations had more septic events, compared to those who underwent ≤ 2 operations (3 (1, 6) versus 1 (0, 3), respectively, P < 0.01). Patients treated at centers with transplantation capability had lower odds of undergoing > 2 abdominal operations [OR 0.37 (95% CI: 0.21, 0.65)] after multivariable adjustment.ConclusionsIndividual and center-specific characteristics may help determine surgical practices experienced by infants with IF. Further study may delineate additional details about the nature of these characteristics, with the goal of optimizing patient care and minimizing individual and overall healthcare burden.