Assessment and remedial clinical education of surgeons in California.
Arch Surg. 2011 Dec;146(12):1411-5
Authors: Cosman BC, Alverson AD, Boal PA, Owens EL, Norcross WA
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS: Assessment and remedial clinical education of practicing surgeons is feasible and possibly beneficial.
DESIGN: Retrospective series.
SETTING: Urban academic medical center.
PARTICIPANTS: Licensed surgeons.
INTERVENTIONS: Structured assessment and remedial clinical education based on resident-education models.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Assessment and clinical education results.
RESULTS: Forty-seven general, general/vascular, and colorectal surgeons were assessed by the University of California, San Diego, Physician Assessment and Clinical Education program in 2000 to 2010. Forty-six (98%) were male (mean [SD] age, 54 [11] years; range, 34-80 years). Thirty-three (70%) came from state medical board actions: 25 from California’s disciplinary division, 2 from California’s licensing division, 3 from other state boards, and 3 self-referred during other state board actions. Fourteen (30%) came from health care organizations: 8 from California hospitals, 3 from hospitals in other states, 2 self-referred during hospital proceedings, and 1 self-referred during a medical group investigation. Twenty-three (49%) underwent a 2-day assessment only, including a 1-hour mock oral board examination: 8 “passed” with no recommendations; 6, with minor recommendations; 6 had major recommendations; and 3 “failed.” Twenty-four surgeons (51%) also completed 26 five-day clinical education programs, with 20 “passes,” 1 minor recommendation, 3 major recommendations, and 2 “fails.”
CONCLUSION: A program of assessment and remedial clinical education of surgeons designed to meet the needs of one medical board is being used by nongovernmental organizations as well, and it seems to meet the needs of some individual surgeons. This type of program may play a role in the profession’s self-regulation.
HYPOTHESIS: Current literature evaluating radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for treatment of colorectal liver metastases describes high-risk surgical candidates or patients with unresectable disease. This creates bias when comparing RFA and hepatic resection. A Markov analysis would define theoretical outcomes necessary for RFA to demonstrate equivalence to resection.
DESIGN: A multistate Markov decision analytic model was constructed. Second-order Monte Carlo analysis was used to simulate a randomized controlled trial. Sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the projected outcomes necessary for RFA to achieve equivalence with resection.
SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital.
PATIENTS: A systematic review of published literature was performed, identifying studies involving patients with colorectal liver metastases treated with RFA or resection. Data were also included from a prospective database of patients undergoing laparoscopic RFA at our institution.
INTERVENTIONS: Percutaneous or laparoscopic RFA and hepatic resection.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality-adjusted life expectancy and quality of life-adjusted survival.
RESULTS: The base-case analysis (60-year-old man) demonstrated a mean ± SD quality-adjusted life expectancy of 5.67 ± 0.71 years and a 5-year survival of 38.2% following resection. Based on current literature, the mean ± SD quality-adjusted life expectancy for RFA was 3.61 ± 0.49 years, with a 5-year survival of 27.2%. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that RFA becomes the preferred strategy if the median disease-free survival reaches 1.42 years. When limited to patients from our institution with resectable lesions, the quality-adjusted life expectancy for RFA improved to a mean ± SD of 5.72 ± 0.50 years.
CONCLUSIONS: Classical Markov analysis demonstrates that based on current literature, resection is superior to RFA in the treatment of colorectal liver metastases. When input is limited to laparoscopic RFA in patients with resectable lesions, projected 5-year survival is superior to that of hepatic resection.
Deep venous thrombosis after general surgical operations at a university hospital: two-year data from the ACS NSQIP.
Arch Surg. 2011 Dec;146(12):1424-7
Authors: Smith BR, Diniz S, Stamos M, Nguyen NT
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the location, incidence, and timing of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after general surgical procedures.
DESIGN: Retrospective data review.
SETTING: University hospital.
PATIENTS: Of 2189 patients who underwent general surgical operation, 35 (1.6%) developed DVT afterward.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main outcome measures included patient characteristics, location of DVT (lower vs upper), time of DVT diagnosis from the index operation (days), time of diagnosis according to discharge (inpatient vs outpatient), any associated pulmonary embolism, and mortality.
RESULTS: There were 22 men and 13 women with a mean age of 58 years. The index general surgical operations included pancreatic surgery (n = 10), esophagogastric surgery (n = 8), intestinal/colorectal surgery (n = 13), and other (n = 5). Diagnosis of DVT was based on symptoms in 94.3% of cases and based on routine duplex screening in 5.7% of cases. Upper extremity DVTs occurred in 40%; lower extremity DVTs occurred in 45.7%; and combined upper and lower extremity DVTs occurred in 14.3% of patients. The mean time between diagnosis of DVT and the index operation was 8.6 days with 29 of 35 patients (83%) with DVT diagnosed as an inpatient and 17% diagnosed in the outpatient setting. Catheter-associated DVT occurred in 21 of 35 patients (60%); 19 patients had an upper extremity catheter and 2 patients had a femoral catheter. Twenty-two of 35 patients (62.9%) with postoperative DVT had other concomitant complications such as ventilator dependency, sepsis, renal failure, surgical site infection, and pneumonia. Deep venous thrombosis with concomitant pulmonary embolism occurred in 4 of 35 patients (11.4%), with 1 of these 4 patients having only upper extremity DVT. The 30-day mortality in this study cohort was 14.2%.
CONCLUSIONS: In the presence of prophylaxis, the incidence of DVT after general surgical operation is low, with more than 80% of cases diagnosed in the inpatient setting. Since more than half of the DVTs are catheter induced, efforts for DVT prevention should include more attention to the need for a central catheter, limiting the amount of time of a central catheter, and possibly the use of anticoagulation in the presence of a central catheter.
Safety of carbon dioxide digital subtraction angiography.
Arch Surg. 2011 Dec;146(12):1428-32
Authors: Moos JM, Ham SW, Han SM, Lew WK, Hua HT, Hood DB, Rowe VL, Weaver FA
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Reports of fatality following carbon dioxide digital subtraction angiography (CO2-DSA) have raised concerns regarding its safety. This study reviews the safety of CO2-DSA.
DESIGN: Single-institution retrospective review.
SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital in Los Angeles, California.
PATIENTS: A total of 951 patients who underwent 1007 CO2-DSA procedures during a 21-year period.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Preprocedure and postprocedure creatinine values and periprocedural morbidity and mortality.
RESULTS: A total of 632 arterial CO2-DSA were performed; 527 were aortograms with or without extremity runoff; 100, extremity alone; and 5, pulmonary. Venous CO2-DSA included 187 inferior vena cavagrams, 182 hepatic or visceral, 5 extremity venograms, and 1 superior vena cavagram. Associated endovascular procedures were performed in 499 cases; 162 were arterial interventions including 62 endovascular aneurysm repairs, 53 visceral or renal percutaneous angioplasty with/without stent, 41 extremity percutaneous angioplasty with or without a stent, and 4 cases of thrombolysis or embolization; 176 caval filters, 98 transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts, 54 transjugular liver biopsies, and 9 other venous interventions. The mean preprocedure creatinine level was 2.1 mg/dL; postprocedure, 2.1 mg/dL (P = .56). There were a total of 61 (6.1%) procedural complications including 4 (0.4%) mortalities. Two were procedure-related complications: 1, suppurative pancreatitis following aortogram; and 2, hepatic bleed following failed transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts. Two were attributable to patient disease; 1, metastatic adenocarcinoma; and 2, refractory, end-stage cardiomyopathy.
CONCLUSION: Carbon dioxide digital subtraction angiography is a versatile technique that can be safely used for diagnostic and therapeutic endovascular procedures. Morbidity and mortality are acceptable with preservation of renal function. Thus, CO2-DSA is a safe alternative to iodinated contrast.
β-Blocker Continuation After Noncardiac Surgery: A Report From the Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program.
Arch Surg. 2012 Jan 16;
Authors: Kwon S, Thompson R, Florence M, Maier R, McIntyre L, Rogers T, Farrohki E, Whiteford M, Flum DR,
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite limited evidence of effect, β-blocker continuation has become a national quality improvement metric. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of β-blocker continuation on outcomes in patients undergoing elective noncardiac surgery. Design, Setting, and PATIENTS: The Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program is a Washington quality improvement benchmarking initiative based on clinical data from more than 55 hospitals. Linking Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program data to Washington’s hospital admission and vital status registries, we studied patients undergoing elective colorectal and bariatric surgical procedures at 38 hospitals between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2009. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mortality, cardiac events, and the combined adverse event of cardiac events and/or mortality. RESULTS: Of 8431 patients, 23.5% were taking β-blockers prior to surgery (mean [SD] age, 61.9 [13.7] years; 63.0% were women). Treatment with β-blockers was continued on the day of surgery and during the postoperative period in 66.0% of patients. Continuation of β-blockers both on the day of surgery and postoperatively improved from 57.2% in the first quarter of 2008 to 71.3% in the fourth quarter of 2009 (P value <.001). After adjusting for risk characteristics, failure to continue β-blocker treatment was associated with a nearly 2-fold risk of 90-day combined adverse event (odds ratio, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.19-3.26). The odds were even greater among patients with higher cardiac risk (odds ratio, 5.91; 95% CI, 1.40-25.00). The odds of combined adverse events continued to be elevated 1 year postoperatively (odds ratio, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.08-2.55). CONCLUSIONS: β-Blocker continuation on the day of and after surgery was associated with fewer cardiac events and lower 90-day mortality. A focus on β-blocker continuation is a worthwhile quality improvement target and should improve patient outcomes.
PMID: 22249847 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Can We Safely State That Laparoscopic Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Is a Better Weight Loss Procedure Than Adjustable Band Gastroplasty?: Comment on “Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass vs Gastric Banding for Morbid Obesity”
Arch Surg. 2012 Jan 16;
Authors: Himpens J
PMID: 22249849 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass vs Gastric Banding for Morbid Obesity: A Case-Matched Study of 442 Patients.
Arch Surg. 2012 Jan 16;
Authors: Romy S, Donadini A, Giusti V, Suter M
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS: Gastric banding (GB) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) are used in the treatment of morbidly obese patients. We hypothesized that RYGBP provides superior results. DESIGN: Matched-pair study in patients with a body mass index (BMI) less than 50. SETTING: University hospital and regional community hospital with a common bariatric surgeon. PATIENTS: Four hundred forty-two patients were matched according to sex, age, and BMI. INTERVENTIONS: Laparoscopic GB or RYGBP. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Operative morbidity, weight loss, residual BMI, quality of life, food tolerance, lipid profile, and long-term morbidity. RESULTS: Follow-up was 92.3% at the end of the study period (6 years postoperatively). Early morbidity was higher after RYGBP than after GB (17.2% vs 5.4%; P < .001), but major morbidity was similar. Weight loss was quicker, maximal weight loss was greater, and weight loss remained significantly better after RYGBP until the sixth postoperative year. At 6 years, there were more failures (BMI > 35 or reversal of the procedure/conversion) after GB (48.3% vs 12.3%; P < .001). There were more long-term complications (41.6% vs 19%; P < .001) and more reoperations (26.7% vs 12.7%; P < .001) after GB. Comorbidities improved more after RYGBP. CONCLUSIONS: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is associated with better weight loss, resulting in a better correction of some comorbidities than GB, at the price of a higher early complication rate. This difference, however, is largely compensated by the much higher long-term complication and reoperation rates seen after GB.
PMID: 22249850 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Payer Status and Treatment Paradigm for Acute Cholecystitis.
Arch Surg. 2012 Jan 16;
Authors: Greenstein AJ, Moskowitz A, Gelijns AC, Egorova NN
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS: Medicaid recipients who present to the emergency department with acute cholecystitis (AC) would have reduced access to cholecystectomy compared with a similar population of private insurance carriers. DESIGN: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 1998 to 2008. PARTICIPANTS: Emergent hospitalizations (843 179) with AC as a primary diagnosis. INTERVENTIONS: Insurance type was analyzed against cholecystectomy in propensity score-matched cohorts. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgical intervention and surgical outcomes. RESULTS: Approximately 200 000 patients were in each matched cohort. The median age of the matched patients was 43.9 years, 76% were women, and the mean Charlson Comorbidity Index was 0.5. While 89% of the private insurance cohort underwent cholecystectomy during their hospitalization, only 83% of the Medicaid population received equivalent care (P < .001). The Medicaid cohort also had reduced rates of laparoscopic surgery (78% vs 69%; P < .001) and an increased conversion rate from laparoscopic to open surgery (3.9% vs 3.0%; P < .001). While disparities in the rates of laparoscopic surgery between the 2 groups sequentially narrowed during the 10-year period, overall disparities in surgical treatment remained constant over time. CONCLUSIONS: Medicaid payer status confers inferior access to surgical treatment for AC. While this finding may be due in part to patients’ health beliefs and physician preferences, the magnitude of difference suggests that health systems factors may provide a significant contribution toward clinical decision making in this entity.
PMID: 22249851 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
