Defining Subclinical Acute Kidney Injury Within 72 Hours After Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy in Prone Position and Its Association With Outcomes: An Exploratory Study

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the effects of slight increases in the serum creatinine concentration (sCr) postoperatively that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for acute kidney injury (AKI) on outcomes in patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) in the prone position. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was carried out on patients who underwent MIE between January 2010 and December 2024. Patients who underwent MIE were categorized into three groups: those diagnosed with AKI based on the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes creatinine criteria within 72 hours after surgery (AKI group); those with a postoperative percentage increase in serum creatinine (ΔsCr%) of 30% or more compared with baseline (subclinical AKI group); and those with a ΔsCr%