Limitations
The current study has several limitations. This study was retrospective and observational in nature, and as such, may be subject to selection bias. We did find higher rates of preoperative comorbidity and other associated complications in patients that experienced GI complications, which may bias some of the study’s findings. In order to account for such possible confounding and selection bias, we did perform multivariable modeling to adjust for such preoperative risk factors, as well as performing propensity-matched sub-analysis to account for the possibility of confounding baseline variables. However, it is possible that there may be some unmeasured confounders that remain despite these measures. The study findings also demonstrate an association between GI complications and higher mortality but do not necessarily translate into causality as the temporal relation of GI and other complications was not evaluated, nor was the ultimate cause of death.