Malnutrition in Head and Neck Free Flap Reconstruction as a Predictor of Adverse Outcomes

Introduction Malnutrition is associated with increased mortality in patients with head and neck (H&N) cancer. Because albumin levels are used as a surrogate for nutritional status, the purpose of this study is to assess whether malnutrition is associated with adverse postoperative outcomes in H&N free flap reconstruction. Materials and Methods The 2006–2018 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database was queried for patients undergoing flap procedures of the H&N based on Current Procedure Terminology codes. Patients were included if they were operated on by an otolaryngologist or when the primary surgical site was H&N. Nutritional status was categorized as malnourished (preoperative albumin level <3.5 g/dL) or normal (preoperative albumin level ≥3.5 g/dL). Major complications included pulmonary complications, cardiac complications, deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism, and sepsis/septic shock. Minor complications included surgical infection, urinary tract infection, bleeding, and dehiscence. Data were analyzed via univariate chi-square and multivariate regression analyses. Results Of the patients, 2532 (83.3%) had normal albumin and 506 (16.7%) had hypoalbuminemia. Patients with hypoalbuminemia were more likely to have smoking history ( P = 0.008), pulmonary comorbidity ( P < 0.001), renal comorbidity ( P = 0.018), disseminated cancer ( P < 0.001), steroid use ( P < 0.001), recent weight loss ( P < 0.001), bleeding disorder ( P = 0.023), and preoperative transfusion ( P < 0.001). After adjustment for preoperative variance, malnourished patients were more likely to experience death ( P < 0.001), return to operating room ( P < 0.001), free flap failure ( P = 0.008), pulmonary complication ( P < 0.001), deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism ( P = 0.019), wound disruption ( P = 0.042), intraoperative transfusion ( P < 0.001), minor complication ( P < 0.001), major complication ( P < 0.001), and extended length of stay ( P < 0.001). Of the patients with normal albumin, 2.1% experienced flap failure compared with 6.3% of patients with hypoalbuminemia. It should be noted that malnourished patients were 3.370 times more likely to experience flap failure (95% confidence interval, 1.383–8.212; P = 0.008) and 3.975 times more likely to experience death (95% confidence interval, 1.700–9.626; P = 0.001) than those with normal albumin. Conclusion Malnutrition is associated with death, flap failure, minor complications, and other major complications following H&N free flap surgery, even after controlling for preoperative variance. Optimizing preoperative nutrition status before free flap procedures may ameliorate morbidity and mortality in H&N patients.