Predictive factors for post-operative respiratory infections after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer: outcome of randomized trial

Background: The first and only randomized trial comparing open esophagectomy (OE) with minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) showed a significant lower incidence of post-operative respiratory infections in the patients who underwent MIE. In order to identify which specific factors are related to a better respiratory outcome in this trial an additional analysis was performed. Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial. Eligible patients, with a resectable intrathoracic esophageal carcinoma, including the gastro-esophageal (GE) junction tumors and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group = 26 and OE were associated with a roughly threefold risk of developing a respiratory infection. Conclusions: Overweight patients and OE are independently associated with a significant higher incidence of post-operative respiratory infections, i.e., pneumoni