Evaluating Prostate Cancer: The Diagnostic Impact of MRI and Its Relationship With Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS)-Guided Biopsy.

Background Prostate disorders, including benign enlargement and malignancy, are commonly evaluated through imaging techniques. Historically, transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) has been used for prostate imaging and biopsy. However, multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), which integrates structural and functional imaging methods, offers enhanced diagnostic capabilities. This study evaluates the effectiveness of mpMRI, including its grading via Prostate Imaging - Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) or Likert scoring, in distinguishing between benign and malignant prostatic conditions and compares these findings with TRUS outcomes. Methodology This prospective study enrolled 30 male patients aged 45 to 75 years (mean age 60 years), selected based on prostatic abnormalities, elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (>4 ng/dL), or palpable nodules detected via digital rectal examination. MRI, including PI-RADS or Likert scoring, was utilized to assess prostatic lesions, and results were compared with histopathological data obtained from TRUS-guided biopsies. Results Among the 30 patients, common symptoms included urinary retention (60%) and painful urination (53.3%). Malignant tumors were diagnosed in 12 patients (40%). MRI identified eight cases with enlarged transitional zones and irregular signals in peripheral zones (benign prostatic hyperplasia with tumor) and four cases with irregular signals in both zones (sarcoma). Concordance between MRI T2-weighted (T2W) observations and biopsy results showed 60% malignancy detection. Sensitivity assessments revealed MRI detected 15 true-positives (50%), TRUS detected six true positives (20%), and multivoxel spectroscopic analysis (MVS) identified 14 true-positives (46.7%). PI-RADS or Likert scoring of mpMRI was correlated with TRUS outcomes, highlighting its enhanced diagnostic accuracy compared to TRUS alone. Conclusion While TRUS remains a standard diagnostic tool, it is limited by significant sampling errors and complications. The integration of mpMRI, with its grading system, significantly improves diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning. Although mpMRI alone has limitations, its combination with contrast-enhanced MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging, and MR spectroscopy offers a comprehensive approach to enhanced prostate cancer detection.

Addressing AI Algorithmic Bias in Health Care.

This Viewpoint discusses the bias that exists in artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms used in health care despite recent federal rules to prohibit discriminatory outcomes from AI and recommends ways in which health care facilities, AI developers, and regulators could share responsibilities and actions to address bias.

Comparison of estimated glomerular filtration rate using five equations to predict acute kidney injury following hip fracture surgery.

BACKGROUND: Decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) following hip fracture surgery. Delaying surgery for preoperative treatment of comorbidities is controversial in this patient population. The purpose of this study was 1) to assess differences in demographics and comorbidities between AKI and non-AKI groups, 2) to analyze equations used in calculating eGFR, and 3) to identify the equation which best predicts the development of AKI following hip fracture surgery. We hypothesize that one of the equations used to calculate eGFR will be superior to the others. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 124,002 cases of hip fracture surgery were performed from 2012 to 2019, based upon a query of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). Preoperative eGFR was calculated using the following: Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) II, re-expressed MDRD II, Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration, Mayo quadratic, and Cockcroft-Gault equations. Independent associations between preoperative eGFR and postoperative renal failure were evaluated using multivariate regression analysis. The predictive ability of each equation was determined using the Akaike information criterion (AIC). RESULTS: AKI was diagnosed in 584 (0.71%) out of the 82,326 patients following hip fracture surgery. The AKI and no AKI cohorts differed significantly by patient sex (p = <0.001), race (p = <0.001), BMI (p = < 0.001), preoperative hematocrit (p = <0.001), preoperative albumin (p = <0.001), diabetes mellitus (p = <0.001), hypertension (p = <0.001), and congestive heart failure (p = <0.001). The Mayo equation (84.0 ± 23.7) was the equation with the highest calculated mean eGFR, followed by the CKD-EPI equation (83.6 ± 20.0), MDRD II equation (83.0 ± 38.9), CG equation (74.7 ± 35.5), and finally the re-expressed MDRD II equation (68.5 ± 36.0) which had the lowest calculated mean eGFR.. All five equations detected that a decrease in preoperative eGFR was associated with an increased risk of postoperative AKI. Lower preoperative eGFR, as calculated by each of the five equations, was significantly associated with an increased risk of AKI following surgical fixation of hip fracture. The AIC was the lowest in the Mayo equation, demonstrating the best fit of the equations to predict postoperative AKI CONCLUSIONS: We propose that using the equation that best identifies those at risk of developing postoperative AKI may help with perioperative decision making and treatment to improve outcomes, which we found to be the Mayo equation. The risk of postoperative AKI was independently associated with decreased preoperative eGFR. The results of this study may warrant further investigation utilizing prospective studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III; retrospective cohort study.

The Compelling Need for Shared Responsibility of AI Oversight: Lessons From Health IT Certification.

This Viewpoint highlights the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) health care tools to introduce unintended patient harm; calls for an efficient, rigorous approach to AI testing and certification that is the shared responsibility of developers and users; and makes recommendations to inform such an approach.

Interventions to Reduce Surgical Waste Burden: A Systematic Review.

Background: Operating suites are significant drivers of waste, pollution, and costs. Surgeons can help fight the climate crisis by implementing innovative strategies aimed at mitigating the environmental impact of surgical procedures and decreasing operational costs, and moving toward a more sustainable healthcare system. This study aims to review the literature describing interventions that reduce surgical waste. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase were searched. Studies reporting interventions to reduce operative waste, including emissions, energy, trash, and other, were included. Case reports, opinion-based reports, reviews, and meta-analyses were excluded. Study quality was rated using MINORS and Jadad scales. Data were extracted from each study to calculate waste on a per case basis. Narrative review of studies was performed rather than meta-analysis. Results: The search yielded 675 unique hits, of which 13 (level of evidence: I-III) met inclusion criteria. Included studies were categorized by intervention type in relation to the operating and procedure room. Three studies evaluated provider education initiatives, three evaluated setup of instruments, two evaluated single-use items, four evaluated technique changes, and one evaluated surgical venue. Seven studies reported significant reductions in disposable surgical waste throughput, and seven reported significant reductions in cost. Conclusions: The results of this systemic review demonstrated the effectiveness of surgical waste reduction initiatives in reducing waste volume, cost, and carbon emissions. Within plastic surgery, minimal surgical packs resulted in reduced gross waste and cost while promoting patient satisfaction in hand surgery, supporting the continued development and implementation of such initiatives in a surgical context.

Interactive iPad-Based Education for Parents of Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of an interactive iPad-based educational module (cleft iBook) in enhancing parent/caregiver education related to cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CL/P) care. DESIGN: A prospective study involving pre- and post-intervention surveys. SETTING: The study was conducted at a craniofacial clinic in a dedicated children's hospital specifically during initial consultations for CL/P care. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two participants (parents/legal guardians/caregivers) ≥18 years of age, English and/or Spanish-speaking, and attending with a child with CL/P. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were provided with iPads and engaged with the interactive iPad-based educational module. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The survey assessed the understanding of a CL/P diagnosis and management and usability of the iBook. Survey responses were graded on a 5-point Likert scale. Total scores for pre- and post-intervention surveys were compared. RESULTS: Utilizing the cleft iBook module before consultation significantly enhanced comprehension in multiple domains: prenatal development of CL/P, dento-facial molding, surgical techniques, steps after the initial consultation, postoperative care, and the necessity of long-term care for affected children (P < .01). Cumulative survey scores increased by 10.2 points, reflecting significantly improved responses regarding overall comprehension (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The interactive, iPad-based cleft educational module emerges as a viable, digital strategy for providing education and empowerment to parents and caregivers navigating the challenges of caring for a child with CL/P. The cleft iBook serves as a readily accessible resource, fostering connections among the child, caregivers, and care team.

Mandibular Distraction in Dual Syndromic Diagnosis.

Mandibular distraction has variable outcomes in Treacher-Collins syndrome. Dual syndromic diagnosis is a rare occurrence that complicates management. Here, the authors present a patient with Treacher-Collins syndrome and severe retrognathia requiring tracheostomy who failed repeat mandibular distraction and decannulation. A genetic workup later revealed Angelman syndrome with severe developmental delay. We discuss explanations for difficulties encountered during mandibular distraction as well as surgical options for patients with Treacher-Collins who fail multiple attempts at decannulation. Overall, patients with dual diagnoses can exhibit an underlying problem in bone formation and mineralization, which challenges any attempt at craniofacial manipulation.

Optimizing Readability of Patient-Facing Hand Surgery Education Materials Using Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT) 3.5.

PURPOSE: To address patient health literacy, the American Medical Association and the National Institutes of Health recommend that readability of patient education materials should not exceed an eighth grade reading level. However, patient-facing materials often remain above the recommended average reading level. Current online calculators provide readability scores; however, they lack the ability to provide text-specific feedback, which may streamline the process of simplifying patient materials. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT) 3.5 as a tool for optimizing patient-facing hand surgery education materials through reading level analysis and simplification. METHODS: The readability of 18 patient-facing hand surgery education materials was compared by a traditional online calculator for reading level and ChatGPT 3.5. The original excerpts were then entered into ChatGPT 3.5 and simplified by the artificial intelligence tool. The simplified excerpts were scored by the same calculators. RESULTS: The readability scores for the original excerpts from the online calculator and ChatGPT 3.5 were similar. The simplified excerpts' scores were lower than the originals, with a mean of 7.28, less than the maximum recommended 8. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ChatGPT 3.5 for the purpose of simplification and readability analysis of patient-facing hand surgery materials is efficient and may help facilitate the conveyance of important health information. ChatGPT 3.5 rendered readability scores comparable with traditional readability calculators, in addition to excerpt-specific feedback. It was also able to simplify materials to the recommended grade levels. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: By confirming ChatGPT3.5's ability to assess and simplify patient education materials, this study offers a practical solution for potentially improving patient comprehension, engagement, and health outcomes in clinical settings.

Accounting for taste: preferences mediate the relationship between documentation time and ambulatory physician burnout.

OBJECTIVES: Physician burnout in the US has reached crisis levels, with one source identified as extensive after-hours documentation work in the electronic health record (EHR). Evidence has illustrated that physician preferences for after-hours work vary, such that after-hours work may not be universally burdensome. Our objectives were to analyze variation in preferences for after-hours documentation and assess if preferences mediate the relationship between after-hours documentation time and burnout. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We combined EHR active use data capturing physicians' hourly documentation work with survey data capturing documentation preferences and burnout. Our sample included 318 ambulatory physicians at MedStar Health. We conducted a mediation analysis to estimate if and how preferences mediated the relationship between after-hours documentation time and burnout. Our primary outcome was physician-reported burnout. We measured preferences for after-hours documentation work via a novel survey instrument (Burden Scenarios Assessment). We measured after-hours documentation time in the EHR as the total active time respondents spent documenting between 7 pm and 3 am. RESULTS: Physician preferences varied, with completing clinical documentation after clinic hours while at home the scenario rated most burdensome (52.8% of physicians), followed by dealing with prior authorization (49.5% of physicians). In mediation analyses, preferences partially mediated the relationship between after-hours documentation time and burnout. DISCUSSION: Physician preferences regarding EHR-based work play an important role in the relationship between after-hours documentation time and burnout. CONCLUSION: Studies of EHR work and burnout should incorporate preferences, and operational leaders should assess preferences to better target interventions aimed at EHR-based contributors to burnout.

Plastic Surgery or Facial Plastic Surgery: Can the Public Tell the Difference?

Background: Social media and online advertising are increasingly used by plastic surgeons (PSs) to educate patients and obtain referrals, but it remains unclear whether the general public can distinguish the difference in training and accreditation among medical professionals advertising online. Our study elucidates the public's expectations regarding the distinction between plastic surgery and facial plastic surgery. Methods: A survey was distributed via MTurk, an Amazon surveying service, to collect information about demographics and assumptions that would be made solely based on the terminology "facial PS" (FPS) and "PS." Participants were restricted to those residing in the United States. Results: A total of 253 responses were collected. Based on the term FPS, respondents on average moderately to strongly agreed that they would expect an FPS to have completed a plastic and reconstructive surgery residency program (mean = 1.81; scale from 1= strongly agree to 5= strongly disagree) and would feel moderately to strongly misled if they visited an FPS for a consultation and later learned that the provider did not complete a plastic and reconstructive surgery residency (mean = 3.62; scale from 1 = not misled at all to 5 = extremely misled). Conclusions: Despite increasing advocacy by professional societies and the member societies of the American Board of Medical Specialties, this study demonstrated that the lay public is unaware of factually different training and certification pathways given similarity in nomenclature. This study was notably not designed to draw conclusions or imply superiority of one specialty, certifying board, or training model over the other.

Safe and Equitable Pediatric Clinical Use of AI.

This Viewpoint provides recommendations and stakeholder actions to support safe and equitable use of artificial intelligence (AI) in pediatric clinical settings.

Development and Evaluation of Patient Safety Interventions: Perspectives of Operational Safety Leaders and Patient Safety Organizations.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to understand how patient safety professionals from healthcare facilities and patient safety organizations develop patient safety interventions and the resources used to support intervention development. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with patient safety professionals at nine healthcare facilities and nine patient safety organizations. Interview data were qualitatively analyzed, and findings were organized by the following: patient safety solutions and interventions, use of external databases, and evaluation of patient safety solutions. RESULTS: Development of patient safety interventions across healthcare facilities and patient safety organizations was similar and included literature searches, internal brainstorming, and interviews. Nearly all patient safety professionals at healthcare facilities reported contacting colleagues at other healthcare facilities to learn about similar safety issues and potential interventions. Additionally, less than half of patient safety professionals at healthcare facilities and patient safety organizations interviewed report data to publicly available patient safety databases. Finally, most patient safety professionals at healthcare facilities and patient safety organizations stated that they evaluate the effectiveness of patient safety interventions; however, they mentioned methods that may be less rigorous including audits, self-reporting, and subjective judgment. CONCLUSIONS: Patient safety professionals often utilize similar methods and resources to develop and evaluate patient safety interventions; however, many of these efforts are not coordinated across healthcare organizations and could benefit from working collectively in a systematic fashion. Additionally, healthcare facilities and patient safety organizations face similar challenges and there are several opportunities for optimization on a national level that may improve patient safety.

Network pharmacology prediction and molecular docking-based strategy to explore the potential mechanism of squalene against inflammation.

Squalene (SQ) has been documented in the past for its ability to reduce inflammation, but its mechanism needs more information. In this study, we investigated squalene as an anti-inflammatory drug candidate and the framework involved in treating inflammation (INF) using the network pharmacology concept. The molecular targets of SQ and INF that are available in databases and the overlaps between these targets were demonstrated using InteractiVenn. The protein-protein networks were generated that in turn revealed several key targets and were further processed with Cytoscape. The gene ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) studies were performed. We also performed molecular docking tests that validated the binding affinity of molecular targets and drugs. A total of 100 SQ targets and 11,417 INF-related targets yielded 93 overlapping targets. Seven core targets, CRHR1, EGFR, ERBB2, HIF1A, SLC6A3, MAP2K1, and F2R were found to be relevant with respective to SQ's anti-inflammatory activity. The underlying mechanism of SQ with regard to INF was interpreted by analyzing various enrichment analyses along with the KEGG pathway. In conclusion, SQ played a vital role in the management of INF by regulating CRHR1, EGFR, ERBB2, HIF1A, SLC6A3, MAP2K1, and F2R. The research outcomes are crucial as they offer significant insights into the use of SQ for combating inflammation. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-024-00217-0.

Cleft Summit 2022: The Impact of a Unified Voice.

OBJECTIVE: The inaugural Cleft Summit aimed to unite experts and foster interdisciplinary collaboration, seeking a collective understanding of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) management. DESIGN: An interactive debate and conversation between a multidisciplinary cleft care team on VPI management. SETTING: A two-hour discussion within a four-day comprehensive cleft care workshop (CCCW). PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two global leaders from various cleft disciplines. INTERVENTIONS: Cleft Summit that allows for meaningful interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ability to reach consensus on a unified statement for VPI management. RESULTS: Participants agreed that a patient with significant VPI and a dynamic velum should first receive a surgery that lengthens the velum to optimize patient outcome. A global, multicenter prospective study should be done to test this hypothesis. CONCLUSION: The 1st Cleft Summit successfully distilled global expertise into actionable best-practice guidelines through iterative discussions, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and paving the way for a transformative multi-center prospective study on VPI care.

Telemedicine and In-Person Visit Modality Mix and Electronic Health Record Use in Primary Care.

This cross-sectional study investigates the association between day-to-day changes in telemedicine share and clinician time spent on electronic health record (EHR) use.

Reading Room Interruptions are Less Disruptive When Using Asynchronous Communication Methods.

Radiologist interruptions, though often necessary, can be disruptive. Prior literature has shown interruptions to be frequent, occurring during cases, and predominantly through synchronous communication methods such as phone or in person causing significant disengagement from the study being read. Asynchronous communication methods are now more widely available in hospital systems such as ours. Considering the increasing use of asynchronous communication methods, we conducted an observational study to understand the evolving nature of radiology interruptions. We hypothesize that compared to interruptions occurring through synchronous methods, interruptions via asynchronous methods reduce the disruptive nature of interruptions by occurring between cases, being shorter, and less severe. During standard weekday hours, 30 radiologists (14 attendings, 12 residents, and 4 fellows) were directly observed for approximately 90-min sessions across three different reading rooms (body, neuroradiology, general). The frequency of interruptions was documented including characteristics such as timing, severity, method, and length. Two hundred twenty-five interruptions (43 Teams, 47 phone, 89 in-person, 46 other) occurred, averaging 2 min and 5 s with 5.2 interruptions per hour. Microsoft Teams interruptions averaged 1 min 12 s with only 60.5% during cases. In-person interruptions averaged 2 min 12 s with 82% during cases. Phone interruptions averaged 2 min and 48 s with 97.9% during cases. A substantial portion of reading room interruptions occur via predominantly asynchronous communication tools, a new development compared to prior literature. Interruptions via predominantly asynchronous communications tools are shorter and less likely to occur during cases. In our practice, we are developing tools and mechanisms to promote asynchronous communication to harness these benefits.

Validation of ChatGPT 3.5 as a Tool to Optimize Readability of Patient-facing Craniofacial Education Materials.

Background: To address patient health literacy, the American Medical Association recommends that readability of patient education materials should not exceed a sixth grade reading level; the National Institutes of Health recommend no greater than an eigth-grade reading level. However, patient-facing materials in plastic surgery often remain at an above-recommended average reading level. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ChatGPT 3.5 as a tool for optimizing patient-facing craniofacial education materials. Methods: Eighteen patient-facing craniofacial education materials were evaluated for readability by a traditional calculator and ChatGPT 3.5. The resulting scores were compared. The original excerpts were then inputted to ChatGPT 3.5 and simplified by the artificial intelligence tool. The simplified excerpts were scored by the calculators. Results: The difference in scores for the original excerpts between the online calculator and ChatGPT 3.5 were not significant (P = 0.441). Additionally, the simplified excerpts' scores were significantly lower than the originals (P < 0.001), and the mean of the simplified excerpts was 7.78, less than the maximum recommended 8. Conclusions: The use of ChatGPT 3.5 for simplification and readability analysis of patient-facing craniofacial materials is efficient and may help facilitate the conveyance of important health information. ChatGPT 3.5 rendered readability scores comparable to traditional readability calculators, in addition to excerpt-specific feedback. It was also able to simplify materials to the recommended grade levels. With human oversight, we validate this tool for readability analysis and simplification.

Patient Safety and Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Care.

This Viewpoint offers 3 recommendations for health care organizations and other stakeholders to consider as part of the Health and Human Services' artificial intelligence safety program.