Predictors of never events in patients undergoing radical dissection of cervical lymph nodes

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify variables associated with infection-related never events in patients undergoing radical neck dissections for head and neck cancer.

Study design: All hospitalizations with head and neck cancer that underwent radical dissection of cervical lymph nodes were selected from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Predictor variables included patient and hospital-level factors. Outcome variable was occurrence of ≥1 never events. Association between predictor and outcome variables was examined by using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models.

Results: There were 10,660 hospitalizations. At least 1 never event occurred in 7.8% of hospitalizations. Teaching hospitals were associated with higher odds of having ≥1 never event compared with nonteaching hospitals (odds ratio 1.92; P = .02). Presence of comorbid conditions and race were other significant predictors of never events.

Conclusions: Teaching hospitals and presence of comorbid conditions were associated with higher odds of experiencing a never event.