Aorta Calcification Increases the Risk of Anastomotic Leakage After Gastrectomy in Gastric Cancer Patients

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether vascular calcification is a risk factor for anastomotic leakage after gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients. METHODS: Patients with confirmed gastric cancer were collected from the database of a single clinical center from January 2013 to January 2019. The calcification score and anastomotic leakage were recorded, and predictors of anastomotic leakage were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 856 patients were included in this study; 818 patients had no anastomotic leakage, and 38 patients had anastomotic leakage. The ratio of hypertension status (p=0.011), open gastrectomy (p=0.012), postoperative length of stay (p=0.000), aorta calcification score (p=0.000) and celiac axis calcification (p=0.000) were higher in the anastomotic leakage group than in the nonanastomotic leakage group. In multivariate analysis, aorta calcification (p=0.029, odds ratio =2.425, 95% CI=1.095–5.491) was an independent predictor of the anastomotic leakage. CONCLUSION: Aorta calcification is an independent risk factor for anastomotic leakage after gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients.