Medical costs of patients undergoing esophageal atresia repair: Mainly influenced by associated malformations.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal atresia (EA) is a rare disease requiring surgical repair, usually within the first days of life. Patients with EA require intensive postoperative care and often have comorbidities. There is a lack of data on the costs incurred by patients with EA during the first year of life. METHODS: Anonymised claims data were provided by the Techniker Krankenkasse (∼10.8 mio. clients). Data were extracted for patients who had an inpatient diagnosis of EA (ICD: Q39.0 or Q39.1) and a reconstruction of the esophageal passage in case of atresia (OPS 5-428.0 to 5-428.7, 5-316.1 or 5-431.0) during their first hospital stay. All patients were in their first year of life at initial hospitalisation (2016-2020) and were followed for one year. Costs, length of hospital stay and duration of mechanical ventilation and differentiated OPS services were analysed using descriptive statistics. Multiple linear regression was used to analyse the determinants of hospital costs. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients with EA were included (55.5% male). The mean cost of the one-year observation period was 89,736€±97,419€ (range 12,755€-640,154€). The increasing costs of the initial hospitalisation led to a disproportionate increase in the costs of the one-year observation period. The presence of an associated malformation combined with surgical complications was associated with almost 5-fold higher costs than in patients without an associated malformation and an uncomplicated course (193,103€±157,507€ vs 39,846€±33,473€). The mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 23.2±43.1 days and the mean length of hospital stay was 80.3±77.2 days. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the costs of EA patients in the first year of life. The presence of an associated malformation combined with surgical complications was associated with almost 5-fold higher costs than in patients without an associated malformation and an uncomplicated course.

Appendiceal Carcinoids in Children-Prevalence, Treatment and Outcome in a Large Nationwide Pediatric Cohort.

Background and Objectives: Appendiceal carcinoids are rare neuroendocrine tumors and mainly found incidentally during histopathological examination following appendectomy. This observational cohort study was performed to determine the prevalence, treatment modalities and outcomes in children diagnosed with an appendiceal carcinoid tumor. Materials and Methods: Data from the largest German statutory health insurance "Techniker Krankenkasse" were analyzed within an 8-year period: January 2010 to December 2012 and January 2016 to December 2020. Patient characteristics, surgical technique, type of surgical department, diagnostic management, and postoperative morbidity were analyzed. Results: Out of 40.499 patients following appendectomy, appendiceal carcinoids were found in 44 children, resulting in a prevalence of 0.11%. Mean age at appendectomy was 14.7 (±2.6) years. Laparoscopic approach was performed in 40 (91%) cases. Right-sided hemicolectomy was performed in 8 (18%) patients. Additional diagnostic work-up (CT and MRI) was recorded in 5 (11%) children. Conclusions: This large nationwide pediatric study shows that 1 in 1000 patients was found to have a neuroendocrine tumor of the appendix (prevalence 0.11%), emphasizing its low prevalence in the pediatric age group. The majority of patients were treated with appendectomy only. However, treatment modalities are still variable. Longer follow-up analyses are needed to evaluate published guidelines and recommendations to aim for a limited surgical approach.

Analysis of Pulmonary Surgery in Children and Adolescents in Germany: Who Is doing What?

INTRODUCTION: In Germany, pediatric surgery is organized in a decentralized manner. A nationwide clinical registry does not exist. The aim of this research is to analyze the current status of pulmonary surgery in the country in respect of children and adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Claims data have been extracted from two health insurance databases representing 34% of the German population. Operative diagnoses and procedures, as well as patients' characteristics, were recorded from 2016 to 2019. RESULTS: The incidence of the four index diagnoses investigated matched the current literature in three of four entities. The main indications <8 years were congenital lung malformations (61%) and spontaneous pneumothorax at age 8 to 17 years (77%). Furthermore, 1,668 pediatric pulmonary procedures (0-17 years) were identified (668 pulmonary resections). Two age peaks were identified: 13% of patients were operated on before 1 year old and 50% of patients were between 15 and 17 years old. Video-assisted-thoracoscopic-surgery (VATS) for pulmonary resections was applied in 62% of cases. 96% of pulmonary resections in patients <1 year and 70% of pulmonary resections in children between 1 and 14 years were performed by pediatric surgeons. Of patients between 15 and 17 years old, only 14% were operated on in pediatric surgery. The estimated average pulmonary resection caseload was 3.2 cases per year and per institution for pediatric surgery and 1.5 for adult surgery. CONCLUSION: Indications for pulmonary surgery in children arise from rare diagnoses. In total, 66% of lung resections are performed in patients <1 year and >14 years. The majority of lung resections are performed as VATS. Patients ≤14 years are predominantly operated on by pediatric surgeons. The accessibility of pediatric pulmonary surgery is acceptable, but there is a low caseload per center.

Province-Wide Stool Color Card Screening for Biliary Atresia in Lower-Saxony: Experiences with Passive Distribution Strategies and Results.

BACKGROUND: Stool color card (SCC) screenings for biliary atresia (BA) have shown to improve Kasai timing and outcome significantly. Both obligatory and non-obligatory screenings with passive distribution strategies have proven to be effective. Therefore, we have initiated a voluntary SCC program and aim to describe our experience. METHODS: Since 2017 we supply all maternity wards in Lower-Saxony with SCC. Attending pediatricians and parents of BA infants were contacted via questionnaires and asked for their evaluation of the SCC screening. RESULTS: 85.2% of attending pediatricians support the SCC screening, but only 78.1% considered the initiative useful. In their clinical routine, only 67% of visiting parents report to have received an SCC at the maternity hospital. In the group of parents of BA infants, only 54% (7/13) had received an SCC. Out of those seven parents, only one had referred their child to a children's hospital based on pathological SCC results. The lack of SCC education in the maternity hospitals was made responsible by parents. Within three years, only one infant with BA was identified through the SCC. CONCLUSIONS: Our voluntary SCC screening shows serious limitations with inacceptable distribution of SCCs and low acceptance of attending pediatricians. SCC programs in decentralized health care systems without educational campaigns, standardized diagnostic and treatment algorithms and the definition of reference centers are additional burdens for local health care providers without the promised benefit.

Surgical Management of Congenital Abdominal Wall Defects in Germany: A Population-Based Study and Comparison with Literature Reports.

Introduction We aimed to analyze for the first time the characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes in infants with congenital abdominal wall defects (CAWDs) in Germany and to compare the results with current literature reports. Patients and Methods Data of a health insurance covering approximately 10% of the German population were analyzed. Patients who had undergone CAWD closure during a period of nearly 6 years were included. Surgical approach was categorized into primary versus secondary closure. Complications were defined as any reintervention within 1 year after initial treatment. Results Patients with gastroschisis were treated in 24 centers, newborns with omphalocele in 34 centers. There was no mortality, and the type of surgical approach had no significant impact on the incidence of complications in both gastroschisis and omphalocele. Out of 39 patients with gastroschisis, 72% had undergone primary closure being associated with a shorter duration of ventilation (p = 0.003) and hospitalization (p < 0.001). Out of 54 patients with omphalocele, 54% had undergone secondary closure, whereas modality of management did not affect duration of ventilation and hospitalization. Although heterogeneous, data of the current literature were comparable to those of this study. Conclusion Unbiased data demonstrate for the first time that the quality of the current surgical management of newborns with CAWD across Germany is excellent. There was no correlation of complications with the method of closure in gastroschisis and omphalocele.