Long-term morbidity after staging laparotomy for Hodgkin lymphoma

Background A large cohort of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors exist. With patients transitioning from pediatric to adult care, practitioners should be aware of potential complications. The aim of this study was to describe the long-term complications of patients who had staging laparotomy for the treatment of HL. Methods After institutional review board approval, a retrospective review of hospital records at our institution was performed. Data extracted included demographics, treatment course and long-term postoperative complications. Results 24 patients with HL underwent staging laparotomy from 1971 to 1994 with median follow-up of 27.9 years. Six (33%) had intraabdominal disease. Three patients (17%) required four repeat laparotomies for bowel obstruction. Of these, one had radiation to the inguinal region for local control, one had mantle radiation. Five patients developed a second malignancy. There were no documented cases of postsplenectomy sepsis. Other late effects that were unlikely related to surgery included pulmonary fibrosis (4), heart failure (2), hypothyroidism (4), and dysphagia (3). One patient died of metastatic adenocarcinoma. Conclusions Long-term follow-up of patients who underwent staging laparotomy for HL revealed an increased incidence of repeat laparotomy and secondary malignancy. This underscores the importance of a high index of suspicion and screening in this population. Level of Evidence Level III.