Disparities in thoracic surgical oncology.

Disparities in access and outcomes of thoracic surgical oncology are long standing. This article examines the patient, population, and systems-level factors that contribute to these disparities and inequities. The need for research and policy to identify and solve these problems is apparent. As leaders in the field of thoracic oncology, surgeons will be instrumental in narrowing these gaps and moving the discipline forward.

Chest Trauma Management in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Trauma is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and disproportionately affects those in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, two-thirds of injured patients sustain trauma to the thoracic cavity. Further research, capacity building, and increased awareness are needed to limit the high thoracic trauma-associated morbidity and mortality in LMICs.

Postoperative Symptom Burden in Patients Undergoing Lung Cancer Surgery.

CONTEXT: Previous studies on quality of life (QOL) after lung cancer surgery have identified a long duration of symptoms postoperatively. We first performed a systematic review of QOL in patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer. A subgroup analysis was conducted focusing on symptom burden and its relationship with QOL. OBJECTIVE: To perform a qualitative review of articles addressing symptom burden in patients undergoing surgical resection for lung cancer. METHODS: The parent systematic review utilized search terms for symptoms, functional status, and well-being as well as instruments commonly used to evaluate global QOL and symptom experiences after lung cancer surgery. The articles examining symptom burden (n = 54) were analyzed through thematic analysis of their findings and graded according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine rating scale. RESULTS: The publication rate of studies assessing symptom burden in patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer have increased over time. The level of evidence quality was 2 or 3 for 14 articles (cohort study or case control) and level of 4 in the remaining 40 articles (case series). The most common QOL instruments used were the Short Form 36 and 12, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score. Thematic analysis revealed several key findings: 1) lung cancer surgery patients have a high symptom burden both before and after surgery; 2) pain, dyspnea, cough, fatigue, depression, and anxiety are the most commonly studied symptoms; 3) the presence of symptoms prior to surgery is an important risk factor for higher acuity of symptoms and persistence after surgery; and 4) symptom burden is a predictor of postoperative QOL. CONCLUSION: Lung cancer patients undergoing surgery carry a high symptom burden which impacts their QOL. Measurement approaches use myriad and heterogenous instruments. More research is needed to standardize symptom burden measurement and management, with the goal to improve patient experience and overall outcomes.

Selection of parenchymal preserving or total pancreatectomy with/without islet cell autotransplantation surgery for patients with chronic pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: The selection of surgery between parenchymal preserving (PPS) and total pancreatectomy (TP) with/without islet cell autotransplantation (IAT) for chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients varies based on multiple factors with a scarcity in literature addressing both at the same time. The aim of this manuscript is to present an algorithm for the surgery selection based on dominant area of disease, ductal dilatation, and glycemic control and compare outcomes. METHODS: From 2017 to 2021, CP patients offered surgery at a single institution were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: 51 patients underwent surgery (20 [39.2%] TPIAT, 4 [7.8%] TP, and 27 [52.9%] PPS - 9 Whipple procedures, 15 distal pancreatectomies, and 3 duct drainage procedures). No significant difference was observed in baseline characteristics or perioperative outcomes except median length of stay (8 days [IQR 6-10] vs. 13 days [IQR 9-15.5], p < 0.001), attributed to insulin requirement and education for TPIAT group. No differences in postoperative complications, such as clinically significant leak and intrabdominal fluid collection (3 [11.1%] vs 2 [10%], p = 1.0), hemorrhage (0 vs. 2 [10.0%], p = 0.2), delayed feeding (1 [3.7%] vs. 5 [25.0%], p = 0.07), or wound infection (4 [14.8%] vs. 0, p = 0.1) between PPS and TPIAT groups, respectively, were observed nor requirement of long-acting insulin at discharge (2 [15.4%] vs. 7 [43.8%], p = 0.1) for pre-operatively non-diabetic patients. No significant difference in weaning off narcotics and no mortality observed. CONCLUSION: The most appropriate selection of surgery based on the algorithm yields good and comparable outcomes.

Racial and ethnic disparities in withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment after non-head injury trauma.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about potential disparities in end-of-life care in trauma. We examined racial/ethnic differences in withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (WLST) in non-head injury trauma. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the National Trauma Databank (2017-2018), including patients ≥ 18 years without head injury. We performed a bivariate analysis by WLST status and used logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds of WLST by racial/ethnic group. RESULTS: Of 942,914 identified, 20,052 (2.1%) died. Of those who died, WLST occurred in 29.9%. The adjusted odds of WLST were lower in Blacks (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.41-0.57) and Hispanics (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.57-0.89) than Whites. The predicted probability of WLST in Black patients remained lower than Whites at 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Among non-head injured dying patients, Blacks and Hispanics are less likely to utilize WLST than Whites. Further investigation into the socio-cultural norms and institutional distrust influencing these differences is imperative.

The Prevalence of Benign Pathology Following Major Pulmonary Resection for Suspected Malignancy.

BACKGROUND: In the era of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography, there is concern that high false-positive rates may lead to an increase in nontherapeutic lung resection. The aim of this study is to determine the current rate of major pulmonary resection for ultimately benign pathology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-institution, retrospective analysis of all patients > 18 y who underwent major pulmonary resection between 2013 and 2018 for suspected malignancy and had benign final pathology was performed. RESULTS: Of 394 major pulmonary resections performed for known or presumed malignancy, 10 (2.5%) were benign. Of these 10, the mean age was 61.1 y (SD 14.6). Most were current or former smokers (60%). Ninety percent underwent a fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan. Median nodule size was 27 mm (IQR 21-35) and most were in the right middle lobe (50%). Preoperative biopsy was performed in four (40%) but were nondiagnostic. Video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (70%) was the most common surgical approach. Final pathology revealed three (30%) infectious, three (30%) inflammatory, two (20%) fibrotic, and two (20%) benign neoplastic nodules. Two (20%) patients had perioperative complications, both of which were prolonged air leaks, one (10%) patient was readmitted within 30 d, and there was no mortality. CONCLUSIONS: A small percentage of patients (2.5% in our series) may undergo major pulmonary resection for unexpectedly benign pathology. Knowledge of this rate is useful to inform shared decision-making models between surgeons and patients and evaluation of thoracic surgery program performance.

Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring for evaluation of hypoglycemia pre- and post-operatively for patients undergoing Total Pancreatectomy with Autologous Islet Cell Transplant.

INTRODUCTION: Total pancreatectomy with autologous islet transplant (TPAIT) is indicated for patients with chronic pancreatitis to improve quality of life while reducing complications from hypoglycemia. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was used to assess overall islet function and the incidence of hypoglycemia pre- and post-operatively. METHODS: Nineteen patients who underwent TPAIT at a single center from 2018 to 2020 were included. Pre-operatively, patients were defined by diabetic status. HbA1c, stimulated C-peptide, and CGM were used to characterize glycemic function. RESULTS: Pre-operatively, three patients had diabetes, and 16 patients did not have diabetes. Eight out of 16 non-diabetic patients were insulin independent (50%). Of six non-diabetic patients with > 10% hypoglycemia on pre-operative CGM, 33% were insulin-independent post-operatively (P = .3). Of non-diabetic patients with ≥ 80% time in the euglycemic range, 62% were insulin-independent post-operatively (P = .2). For patients without diabetes, the median percent time in hypoglycemic range was reduced from 8% to 1% (P = .001). Delta C-peptide had a positive correlation with islet yield (P = .03). DISCUSSION: Conventional evaluation of TPAIT patients assesses primarily beta cell function. As pancreatogenic diabetes is concerning principally for the risk of hypoglycemia, assessment of alpha cell function can improve the quality of care. CGM better captures islet function and increases the identification of hypoglycemia.

Characterization of extracellular vesicle miRNA identified in peripheral blood of chronic pancreatitis patients.

Plasma-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) can serve as markers of cell damage/disease but can also have therapeutic utility depending on the nature of their cargo, such as miRNA. Currently, there are challenges and lack of innovations regarding early diagnosis and therapeutic options within different aspects of management of patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis (CP). Use of EV as biomarkers for pancreatic health and/or as adjuvant therapy would make a difference in management of these patients. The aim of this study was to characterize the miRNA cargo of EV purified from the plasma of CP patients and compared to those of healthy participants. EVs were isolated from plasma of 15 CP patients and 10 healthy controls. Nanoparticle tracking analysis was used to determine frequency and size, while NanoString technology was used to characterize the miRNA cargo. Relevant clinical parameters were correlated with EV miRNA cargo. ~ 30 miRNA species were identified to have significantly (p < 0.05) different expression in EV from individuals with CP compared to healthy individuals; ~ 40 miRNA were differentially expressed in EV from pre-diabetic versus non-diabetic CP patients. miR-579-3p, while exhibiting significantly lower (~ 16-fold) expression in CP compared to healthy and lower (~ 24-fold) in CP narcotic users compared to the non-users, is actually enriched (~ 32-fold) within EV in pre-diabetic CP patients compared to non-diabetic CP patients. A unique pattern was identified in female CP patients. These data support the prospect of using a plasma-derived EV cargo to assess pancreatic health and its therapeutic potential in CP patients.

Elderly trauma mortality in a resource-limited setting: A benchmark for process improvement.

INTRODUCTION: As life expectancy improves globally, the burden of elderly trauma continues to increase. Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to have the most rapid growth in its elderly demographic. Consequently, we sought to examine the trends in characteristics and outcomes of elderly trauma in a tertiary care hospital in Malawi. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of adult patients in the trauma registry at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe, Malawi from 2011-2017. Patients were categorized into elderly (≥ 65 years) and non-elderly (18-64 years). Bivariate analysis compared the characteristics and outcomes of elderly vs. non-elderly patients. The elderly population was then examined over the study period. Poisson regression modeling was used to determine the risk of mortality among elderly patients over time. RESULTS: Of 63,699 adult trauma patients, 1,925 (3.0%) were aged ≥ 65 years. Among the elderly, the most common mechanism of injury was falls (n = 725 [37.7%]) whereas vehicle or bike collisions were more common in the non-elderly (n = 15,967 [25.9%]). Fractures and dislocations were more prevalent in the elderly (n = 808 [42.0%] vs. 9,133 [14.8%], p < 0.001). In-hospital crude mortality for the elderly was double the non-elderly group (4.8% vs. 2.4%, p < 0.001). Elderly transfers, surgeries, and length of stay significantly increased over the study period but mortality remained relatively unchanged. When adjusted for injury severity and transfer status, there was no significant difference in risk of in-hospital mortality over time. CONCLUSION: At KCH, the proportion of elderly trauma patients is slowly increasing. Although healthcare resource utilization has increased over time, the overall trend in mortality has not improved. As the quality of care for the most vulnerable populations is a benchmark for the success of a trauma program, further work is needed to improve the trend in outcomes of the elderly trauma population in Malawi.

What Is New with Total Pancreatectomy and Autologous Islet Cell Transplantation? Review of Current Progress in the Field.

Patients with chronic pancreatitis have benefited from total pancreatectomy and autologous islet cell transplantation (TPAIT) since the 1970s. Over the past few decades, improvements have been made in surgical technique and perioperative management that have led to improved success of islet cell function, insulin independence and patient survival. This article focuses on recent updates and advances for the TPAIT procedure that continue to expand and innovate the impact on patients with debilitating disease.

Self-inflicted injuries: The intersection of mental health and traumatic injury in Malawi.

Self-inflicted injury, the most common form of intentional injury, disproportionately affects low-income countries, but is poorly described in this setting. This retrospective review of the 2008-2018 trauma registry at a referral hospital in Malawi included all victims of intentional injury ≥10 years. Self-inflicted injuries were compared to assaults. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Common mechanisms of self-inflicted injuries were fall from height, poisoning, and penetrating injury. In-hospital mortality from self-inflicted injury was 8.8% vs. 1.9% for assault. Those who died from self-inflicted injury were more often older (median 34 vs. 26 years, p < 0.001), male (91.9% vs. 67.8%, p < 0.001), unemployed (32.8% vs. 6.4%, p < 0.001), and most commonly died by hanging (60%). The odds of in-hospital mortality after self-inflicted injury was four times assault (OR 4.0 [95% CI 1.4-11.5], p = 0.01). The trauma registry proved useful for describing self-inflicted injury in this setting.

Characteristic and outcomes of human and animal bites in Malawi.

INTRODUCTION: Bites are an important contributor to traumatic injury worldwide. In low- and middle-income countries, data regarding bite injuries outside of rabies is limited. Therefore, we sought to describe the injury characteristics and outcomes of bites in Lilongwe, Malawi, and determine risk factors for animals and human bites. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of the Kamuzu Central Hospital trauma registry from 2008-2018. We performed Bivariate analyses comparing bite to non-bite trauma and human to animal bites. Multivariable Poisson regression modeling then estimated risk factors for bites. RESULTS: A total of 124,394 patients were captured by the registry, of which 3,680 (3%) had a bite injury mechanism. Human bites accounted for 14.5% of bite injuries, and animals represented the remaining 85.5%. In rare cases, animal bite victims had serious complications, such as amputation (n = 6, 0.2%), orthopedic procedures (n = 5, 0.2%), and death (n = 7, 0.2%). Risk factors for an animal bite included being on a farm, field, or lake and being at home, whereas risk factors for a human bite included alcohol use and being at home. CONCLUSION: Animal bite injuries in Malawi can confer a risk of serious complications, such as amputation and, in rare cases, death. Alcohol-associated, in-home interpersonal violence is a significant risk factor for human bite injuries. Further studies are needed to identify risk factors for complications and mortality.

The impact of standard postoperative opioid prescribing guidelines on racial differences in opioid prescribing: A retrospective review.

BACKGROUND: Racial disparities in opioid prescribing are widely documented, though few studies assess racial differences in the postoperative setting specifically. We hypothesized standard opioid prescribing schedules reduce total opioids prescribed postoperatively and mitigate racial variation in postoperative opioid prescribing. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of adult general surgery cases at a large, public academic institution. Standard opioid prescribing schedules were implemented across general surgery services for common procedures in late 2018 at various timepoints. Interrupted time series analysis was used to compare mean biweekly discharge morphine milligram equivalents prescribed in the preintervention (Jan-Jun 2018) versus postintervention (Jan-Jun 2019) periods for Black and White patients. Linear regression was used to compare mean difference in discharge morphine milligram equivalents among White and Black patients in each study period, while controlling for demographics, chronic opioid use, and procedure/service. RESULTS: A total of 2,961 cases were analyzed: 1,441 preintervention and 1,520 postintervention. Procedural frequencies, proportion of Black patients (17% Black), and chronic opioid exposure (7% chronic users) were similar across time periods. Interrupted time series analysis showed significantly lower mean level of morphine milligram equivalents prescribed postintervention compared with the predicted nonintervention trend for both Black and White patients. Adjusted analysis showed on average in 2018 Black patients received significantly higher morphine milligram equivalents than White patients (+19 morphine milligram equivalents, 95% confidence interval 0.5-36.5). There was no significant difference in 2019 (-8 morphine milligram equivalents, 95% confidence interval -20.5 to 4.6). CONCLUSION: Standard opioid prescribing schedules were associated with the elimination of racial differences in postoperative opioid prescribing after common general surgery procedures, while also reducing total opioids prescribed. We hypothesize standard opioid prescribing schedules may mitigate the effect of implicit bias in prescribing.

Appendicitis Mortality in a Resource-Limited Setting: Issues of Access and Failure to Rescue.

BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is one of the most common emergency surgery conditions worldwide, and the incidence is increasing in low- and middle-income countries. Disparities in access to care can lead to disproportionate morbidity and mortality in resource-limited settings; however, outcomes following an appendectomy in low- and middle-income countries remain poorly described. Therefore, we aimed to describe the characteristics and outcomes of patients with appendicitis presenting to a tertiary care center in Malawi. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) Acute Care Surgery database from 2013 to 2020. We included all patients ≥13 years with a postoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis. We performed bivariate analysis by mortality, followed by a modified Poisson regression analysis to determine predictors of mortality. RESULTS: We treated 214 adults at KCH for acute appendicitis. The majority experienced prehospital delays to care, presenting at least 1 week from symptom onset (n = 99, 46.3%). Twenty (9.4%) patients had appendiceal perforation. Mortality was 5.6%. The presence of a postoperative complication the only statistically significant predictor of mortality (RR 5.1 [CI 1.13-23.03], P = 0.04) when adjusting for age, shock, transferring, and time to presentation. CONCLUSIONS: Delay to intervention due to inadequate access to care predisposes our population for worse postoperative outcomes. The increased risk of mortality associated with resultant surgical complications suggests that failure to rescue is a significant contributor to appendicitis-related deaths at KCH. Improvement in barriers to diagnosis and management of complications is necessary to reduce further preventable deaths from this disease.

Portal flow dynamics after total pancreatectomy and autologous islet cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a serious complication of total pancreatectomy and autologous islet cell transplant (TPAIT); therefore, portal flow dynamics are monitored by Doppler ultrasound postoperatively. The practical value of scheduled Doppler ultrasound examinations and the relationship between portal vein velocity, liver function, and complications have not been clearly studied. METHODS: A retrospective review of 16 TPAIT was performed. Correlation analysis of portal vein velocity with indices of liver function, portal pressure, and volume of islet cells infused was conducted. RESULTS: There was no correlation between portal vein velocity and postoperative liver function tests (LFTs). Larger volume of islet cells infused and higher intraoperative portal pressure correlated with decreased postoperative portal flow. There was no significant difference in portal pressure, portal vein velocity, or LFTs between those with normal and abnormal pre-infusion liver histopathology. While no PVT occurred, there were two cases of postoperative bleeding related to anticoagulation. CONCLUSION: Segmental portal vein velocities are low in the setting of high tissue volume and portal pressure, but are not associated with variation in LFTs. Therefore, patient management in response to changes in velocities without clinical symptoms may be unnecessary.