Hospital readmission and 30-day mortality after surgery for oral cavity cancer: Analysis of 21,681 cases.

Background: Oral cavity squamous cell cancer (SCC) is treated primarily with surgery. Rates of 30-day hospital readmission and mortality after surgery for oral cavity SCC are unknown.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of postoperative 30-day unplanned readmission and mortality in patients with oral cavity SCC in the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB).
Results: Among 21,681 cases, the 30-day unplanned readmission rate was 3.2%, and the 30-day mortality rate was 1.0%. Male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.23; p = .02), stage T3 (OR = 1.55; p = .007), or T4 (OR = 1.52; p = .002), and neck dissection (OR = 1.37; p = .04) were independently associated with readmission. Age 76 to 85 years (OR = 4.80; p < .001), age >85 years (OR = 10.24; p < .001), comorbidity index ≥1 (OR = 2.31; p < .001), and stage T3 (OR = 3.02; p < .001) or T4 (OR = 3.24; p < .001) were associated with 30-day mortality.
Conclusion: Interventions aimed at decreasing hospital readmissions should target high-risk patients identified here. Factors associated with 30-day mortality reflect risk factors for overall mortality. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E221-E226, 2016.
(© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)