Comparative Effectiveness of Perioperative Antibiotic Regimens to Prevent Surgical Site Infections in Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a common complication in liver transplant (LT) recipients. Lack of pediatric prophylaxis guidelines results in variation in preventative antibiotic regimens. METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study of LT recipients <18 years old using a merged data set that included data from the Pediatric Health Information System and the United Network for Organ Sharing between 2006 and 2017. The exposure was defined as the antibiotic(s) received within 24 hours of LT, with 6 categories, ranging from narrow (category 1: cefazolin), to broad). The primary outcome was presence or absence of SSI in the index admission. Mixed-effects logistic regression compared the effectiveness of each category in preventing SSI, relative to category 1. RESULTS: Of the 2586 LT, 284 (11%) met SSI criteria. The SSI rate was higher in the younger subcohort (16.2%) than in the older (8.6%), necessitating a stratified analysis. Antibiotics from category 5 were most commonly used. In the younger subcohort, the adjusted risk was increased in all categories compared with the reference, most notably in category 3 (odds ratio [OR], 2.58 [95% confidence interval: .69-9.59]) and category 6 (2.76 [.66-11.56]). In the older subcohort, estimated ORs were also increased for each category, most notably in category 4 (2.49 [95% confidence interval: .99-6.27]). None of the ORs suggested benefit from broader-spectrum prophylaxis. Our E-value assessment suggests that it's unlikely there is unmeasured confounding by indication to the degree necessary to revert ORs to protective. CONCLUSIONS: There was wide variation in antibiotic prophylaxis. Adjusted analyses did not reveal a protective benefit of broader-spectrum prophylaxis in either subcohort, suggesting that narrower regimens may be adequate.

Top advances of the year: Perioperative therapy for lung cancer.

Emerging data supporting the rise of perioperative immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as a standard of care in the treatment of early stage, surgically resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) dominated the NSCLC news in 2023. Adjuvant pembrolizumab became the second adjuvant ICI to receive US Food and Drug Administration approval in early 2023 after the 2021 approval of adjuvant atezolizumab and the 2022 approval of neoadjuvant nivolumab with chemotherapy. Subsequently in 2023, multiple phase 3 trials examining perioperative ICIs were positive and demonstrated clinically meaningful outcomes by prolonging event-free survival, improving pathologic complete response rates, and trending toward improved overall survival in most. Perioperative pembrolizumab became the first ICI to attain US Food and Drug Administration approval in this setting through the KEYNOTE-671 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03425643), which also demonstrated a definitive overall survival benefit in the entire study population. However, questions remain regarding patient selection for either approach and how we can optimize biomarkers to determine who needs adjuvant therapy after surgery.

REDISCOVER International Guidelines on the Perioperative Care of Surgical Patients With Borderline-resectable and Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The REDISCOVER consensus conference aimed at developing and validating guidelines on the perioperative care of patients with borderline-resectable (BR-) and locally advanced (LA) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). BACKGROUND: Coupled with improvements in chemotherapy and radiation, the contemporary approach to pancreatic surgery supports the resection of BR-PDAC and, to a lesser extent, LA-PDAC. Guidelines outlining the selection and perioperative care for these patients are lacking. METHODS: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) methodology was used to develop the REDISCOVER guidelines and create recommendations. The Delphi approach was used to reach a consensus (agreement ≥80%) among experts. Recommendations were approved after a debate and vote among international experts in pancreatic surgery and pancreatic cancer management. A Validation Committee used the AGREE II-GRS tool to assess the methodological quality of the guidelines. Moreover, an independent multidisciplinary advisory group revised the statements to ensure adherence to nonsurgical guidelines. RESULTS: Overall, 34 recommendations were created targeting centralization, training, staging, patient selection for surgery, possibility of surgery in uncommon scenarios, timing of surgery, avoidance of vascular reconstruction, details of vascular resection/reconstruction, arterial divestment, frozen section histology of perivascular tissue, extent of lymphadenectomy, anticoagulation prophylaxis, and role of minimally invasive surgery. The level of evidence was however low for 29 of 34 clinical questions. Participants agreed that the most conducive means to promptly advance our understanding in this field is to establish an international registry addressing this patient population ( https://rediscover.unipi.it/ ). CONCLUSIONS: The REDISCOVER guidelines provide clinical recommendations pertaining to pancreatectomy with vascular resection for patients with BR-PDAC and LA-PDAC, and serve as the basis of a new international registry for this patient population.

The Effect of Perioperative Dexamethasone on Postoperative Complications After Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of perioperative dexamethasone on postoperative complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy. BACKGROUND: The glucocorticoid dexamethasone has been shown to improve postoperative outcomes in surgical patients, but its effects on postoperative complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy are unclear. METHODS: This multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted in four Chinese high-volume pancreatic centers. Adults undergoing elective pancreaticoduodenectomy were randomized to receive either 0.2 mg/kg dexamethasone or a saline placebo as an intravenous bolus within 5 minutes after anesthesia induction. The primary outcome was the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) score within 30 days after the operation, analyzed using the modified intention-to-treat principle. RESULTS: Among 428 patients for eligibility, 300 participants were randomized and 265 were included in the modified intention-to-treat analyses. One hundred thirty-four patients received dexamethasone and 131 patients received a placebo. The mean (SD) CCI score was 14.0 (17.5) in the dexamethasone group and 17.9 (20.3) in the placebo group (mean difference: -3.8; 95% CI: -8.4 to 0.7; P = 0.100). The incidence of major complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III; 12.7% vs 16.0%, risk ratio: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.44 to 1.43; P = 0.439) and postoperative pancreatic fistula (25.4% vs 31.3%, risk ratio: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.55 to 1.19; P = 0.286) were not significantly different between the two groups. In the stratum of participants with a main pancreatic duct ≤3 mm (n = 202), the CCI score was significantly lower in the dexamethasone group (mean difference: -6.4; 95% CI: -11.2 to -1.6; P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative dexamethasone did not significantly reduce postoperative complications within 30 days after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Quantified Metrics of Gastric Emptying Delay by Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Agonists: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis With Insights for Periprocedural Management.

INTRODUCTION: Divergent recommendations for periprocedural management of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications rely on limited evidence. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide quantitative measures of gastric emptying relevant to mechanisms of weight loss and to periprocedural management of GLP-1 RA. We hypothesized that the magnitude of gastric emptying delay would be low and of limited clinical significance to procedural sedation risks. METHODS: A protocolized search identified studies on GLP-1 RA that quantified gastric emptying measures. Pooled estimates using random effects were presented as a weighted mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Univariate meta-regression was performed to assess the influence of GLP-1 RA type, short-acting vs long-acting mechanism of action, and duration of treatment on gastric emptying. RESULTS: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Five studies (n = 247) utilized gastric emptying scintigraphy. Mean T 1/2 was 138.4 minutes (95% CI 74.5-202.3) for GLP-1 RA vs 95.0 minutes (95% CI 54.9-135.0) for placebo, with a pooled mean difference of 36.0 minutes (95% CI 17.0-55.0, P < 0.01, I2 = 79.4%). Ten studies (n = 411) utilized the acetaminophen absorption test, with no significant delay in gastric emptying measured by T max , area under the curve (AUC) 4hr , and AUC 5hr with GLP-1 RA ( P > 0.05). On meta-regression, the type of GLP-1 RA, mechanism of action, and treatment duration did not impact gastric emptying ( P > 0.05). DISCUSSION: While a gastric emptying delay of ∼36 minutes is quantifiable on GLP-1 RA medications, it is of limited magnitude relative to standard periprocedural fasting periods. There were no substantial differences in gastric emptying on modalities reflective of liquid emptying (acetaminophen absorption test), particularly at time points relevant to periprocedural care.

Impact of perioperative low-molecular-weight heparin therapy on clinical events of elderly patients with prior coronary stents implanted > 12 months undergoing non-cardiac surgery: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the safety and efficacy of discontinuing antiplatelet therapy via LMWH bridging therapy in elderly patients with coronary stents implanted for > 12 months undergoing non-cardiac surgery. This randomized trial was designed to compare the clinical benefits and risks of antiplatelet drug discontinuation via LMWH bridging therapy. METHODS: Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive subcutaneous injections of either dalteparin sodium or placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was cardiac or cerebrovascular events. The primary safety endpoint was major bleeding. RESULTS: Among 2476 randomized patients, the variables (sex, age, body mass index, comorbidities, medications, and procedural characteristics) and percutaneous coronary intervention information were not significantly different between the bridging and non-bridging groups. During the follow-up period, the rate of the combined endpoint in the bridging group was significantly lower than in the non-bridging group (5.79% vs. 8.42%, p = 0.012). The incidence of myocardial injury in the bridging group was significantly lower than in the non-bridging group (3.14% vs. 5.19%, p = 0.011). Deep vein thrombosis occurred more frequently in the non-bridging group (1.21% vs. 0.4%, p = 0.024), and there was a trend toward a higher rate of pulmonary embolism (0.32% vs. 0.08%, p = 0.177). There was no significant difference between the groups in the rates of acute myocardial infarction (0.81% vs. 1.38%), cardiac death (0.24% vs. 0.41%), stroke (0.16% vs. 0.24%), or major bleeding (1.22% vs. 1.45%). Multivariable analysis showed that LMWH bridging, creatinine clearance < 30 mL/min, preoperative hemoglobin < 10 g/dL, and diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of ischemic events. LMWH bridging and a preoperative platelet count of < 70 × 109/L were independent predictors of minor bleeding events. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the safety and efficacy of perioperative LMWH bridging therapy in elderly patients with coronary stents implanted > 12 months undergoing non-cardiac surgery. An alternative approach might be the use of bridging therapy with half-dose LMWH. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN65203415.

Optimizing perioperative treatment for potentially resectable stage III squamous cell lung carcinoma: promising results of a condensed four-cycle regimen with tislelizumaband chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The standard care for resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) involves perioperative therapy combining chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors, typically lasting 6 to 12 months. However, the optimal treatment strategies for potentially resectable squamous cell lung carcinoma (SCC) remain unclear. This Phase 2 trial aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a condensed four-cycle perioperative treatment regimen with tislelizumab combined with chemotherapy in patients with potentially resectable stage III SCC. METHODS: Patients with potentially resectable stage IIIA-IIIB (N2) SCC received intravenous tislelizumab, albumin-bound paclitaxel, and carboplatin for up to four cycles. The primary endpoints were major pathologic response (MPR) and incidence of treatment-related adverse events. Safety and potential biomarkers for efficacy prediction were also assessed. RESULTS: Among 35 enrolled patients, 32 underwent surgery with R0 resection achieved in all cases. MPR was achieved in 24 patients and pathological complete response (pCR) in 14 patients. Radiographic objective response was observed in 31 patients. The 12-month and 24-month event-free survival rate was 85.7 and 61.0%, respectively. Four patients experienced grade 3 or 4 adverse events. Tumor tissue based next-generation sequencing revealed the potential associations between several biomarkers and pathological response, including tumor neoantigen burden score, 18-gene expression profile score, CD8 + T cells, M1/M2 macrophages ratio and interferon-gamma expression level. Besides, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) dynamics and concentration were also associated with pathological response and the presence of ctDNA at postoperative month 1 was a strong predictor for disease relapse. Furthermore, metagenomic sequencing in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid demonstrated Streptococcus was the most abundant genus in the pCR group. CONCLUSIONS: A condensed four-cycle perioperative treatment regimen of tislelizumab combined with chemotherapy demonstrated promising efficacy and manageable toxicities in potentially resectable stage III SCC. Specific biomarkers showed potential for predicting treatment efficacy and the mechanism of superior antitumor response of pCR patients was preliminarily and indirectly explored. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05024266. Registered August 27, 2021.

Detection and Management of Perioperative Hyperglycemia at a Tertiary Cancer Center.

INTRODUCTION: To improve the detection and management of perioperative hyperglycemia at our tertiary cancer center, we implemented a glycemic control quality improvement initiative. The primary goal was to decrease the percentage of diabetic patients with median postoperative glucose levels > 180 mg/dL during hospitalization by 15% within 2 years. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team standardized preoperative screening, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative hyperglycemia management. We included all patients undergoing nonemergent inpatient and outpatient operations. We used a t test, rank sum, chi-square, or Fisher's exact test to assess differences in outcomes between patients at baseline (BL) (10/2018-4/2019), during the first phase (P1) (10/2019-4/2020), second phase (P2) (5/2020-12/2020), and maintenance phase (M) (1/2021-10/2022). RESULTS: The analysis included 9891 BL surgical patients (1470 with diabetes), 8815 P1 patients (1233 with diabetes), 10,401 P2 patients (1531 with diabetes) and 30,410 M patients (4265 with diabetes). The percentage of diabetic patients with median glucose levels >180 mg/dL during hospitalization decreased 32% during the initiative (BL, 20.1%; P1, 16.9%; P2, 12.1%; M, 13.7% [P < .001]). We also saw reductions in the percentages of diabetic patients with median glucose levels >180 mg/dL intraoperatively (BL, 34.0%; P1, 26.6%; P2, 23.9%; M, 20.3% [P < .001]) and in the postanesthesia care unit (BL, 36.0%; P1, 30.4%; P2, 28.5%; M, 25.8% [P < .001]). The percentage of patients screened for diabetes by hemoglobin A1C increased during the initiative (BL, 17.5%; P1, 52.5%; P2, 66.8%; M 74.5% [P < .001]). CONCLUSIONS: Our successful initiative can be replicated in other hospitals to standardize and improve glycemic control among diabetic surgical patients.

Impacts of Perioperative Comprehensive Nursing Intervention on Postoperative Urinary Incontinence and Quality of Life of Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy.

To evaluate the impact of perioperative comprehensive nursing intervention on postoperative urinary incontinence, various aspects of patient well-being were assessed. The comprehensive group, that received the nursing intervention, demonstrated significant improvements in self-care skills, health knowledge level, self-care responsibility, and self-concept compared to the standard group. The findings indicate that perioperative comprehensive nursing intervention has a remarkable effect on patients undergoing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. This nursing intervention not only effectively improves postoperative urinary incontinence and alleviates negative emotions, such as anxiety and depression. Therefore, the implementation of this nursing intervention model is highly recommended for clinical practice and wider application.

Closing the care gap: combining enhanced recovery with minimally invasive valve surgery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Patients with advanced age and frailty require interventions for structural heart disease at an increasing rate. These patients typically experience higher rates of postoperative morbidity, mortality and prolonged hospital length of stay, loss of independence as well as associated increased costs to the healthcare system. Therefore, it is becoming critically important to raise awareness and develop strategies to improve clinical outcomes in the contemporary, high-risk patient population undergoing cardiacprocedures. RECENT FINDINGS: Percutaneous options for structural heart disease have dramatically improved the therapeutic options for some older, frail, high-risk patients; however, others may still require cardiac surgery. Minimally invasive techniques can reduce some of the physiologic burden experienced by patients undergoing surgery and improve recovery. Enhanced Recovery After Cardiac Surgery (ERAS Cardiac) is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, evidence-based approach to perioperative care. It has been shown to improve recovery and patient satisfaction while reducing complications and length of stay. SUMMARY: Combining minimally invasive cardiac surgery with enhanced recovery protocols may result in improved patient outcomes for a patient population at high risk of morbidity and mortality following cardiac surgery.

Comparative effectiveness of perioperative physical activity in older adults with lung cancer and their family caregivers: design of a multicenter pragmatic randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: With a median age at diagnosis of 70, lung cancer remains a significant public health challenge for older Americans. Surgery is a key component in treating most patients with non-metastatic lung cancer. These patients experience postoperative pain, fatigue, loss of respiratory capacity, and decreased physical function. Data on quality of life (QOL) in older adults undergoing lung cancer surgery is limited, and few interventions are designed to target the needs of older adults and their family caregivers (FCGs). The primary aim of this comparative effectiveness trial is to determine whether telephone-based physical activity coaching before and after surgery will be more beneficial than physical activity self-monitoring alone for older adults and their FCGs. METHODS: In this multicenter comparative effectiveness trial, 382 older adults (≥ 65 years) with lung cancer and their FCGs will be recruited before surgery and randomized to either telephone-based physical activity coaching or physical activity self-monitoring alone. Participants allocated to the telephone-based coaching comparator will receive five telephone sessions with coaches (1 pre and 4 post surgery), an intervention resource manual, and a wristband pedometer. Participants in the self-monitoring only arm will receive American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) physical activity information and wristband pedometers. All participants will be assessed at before surgery (baseline), at discharge, and at days 30, 60, and 180 post-discharge. The primary endpoint is the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) at 30 days post-discharge. Geriatric assessment, lower extremity function, self-reported physical function, self-efficacy, and QOL will also be assessed. DISCUSSION: The trial will determine whether this telephone-based physical activity coaching approach can enhance postoperative functional capacity and QOL outcomes for older adults with lung cancer and their FCGs. Trial results will provide critical findings to inform models of postoperative care for older adults with cancer and their FCGs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06196008.

Reviewing Ethical Guidelines for the Care of Patients with Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders after 30 Years: Rethinking Our Approach at a Time of Transition.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) opposes automatic reversal of do-not-resuscitate orders during the perioperative period, instead advocating for a goal-directed approach that aligns decision-making with patients' priorities and clinical circumstances. Implementation of ASA guidelines continues to face significant barriers including time constraints, lack of longitudinal relationships with patients, and difficulty translating goal-focused discussion into concrete clinical plans. These challenges mirror those of advance care planning more generally, suggesting a need for novel frameworks for serious illness communication and patient-centered decision-making. This review considers ASA guidelines in the context of ongoing transitions to serious illness communication and increasingly multidisciplinary perioperative care. It aims to provide practical guidance for the practicing anesthesiologist while also acknowledging the complexity of decision-making, considering limitations inherent to anesthesiologists' role, and outlining a need to conceptualize delivery of ethically informed care as a collaborative, multidisciplinary endeavor.

The Gathering Storm: The 2023 Rovenstine Lecture.

Anesthesiologists are currently in demand and highly compensated. What appears to be a great success from our perspective is considered problematic from every other healthcare perspective. Consequently, there are powerful healthcare forces seeking to improve anesthesia access and reduce service cost. They will try to impose solutions that may radically change operative anesthesia. The Rovenstine lecture, delivered on World Anesthesia Day 2023, identified substantial challenges our specialty faces and discusses solutions that might be forced on us. It also presented opportunities in perioperative care.

Perioperative Naltrexone Management: A Scoping Review by the Perioperative Pain and Addiction Interdisciplinary Network.

Substance use disorders, including alcohol use disorder, are a public health concern that affect more than 150 million people globally. The opioid antagonist naltrexone is being increasingly prescribed to treat opioid use disorder, alcohol use disorder, and chronic pain. Perioperative management of patients on naltrexone is inconsistent and remains a controversial topic, with mismanagement posing a significant risk to the long-term health of these patients. This scoping review was conducted to identify human studies in which the perioperative management of naltrexone was described. This review includes a systematic literature search involving Medline, Medline In-Process, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Seventeen articles that describe perioperative naltrexone management strategies were included, including thirteen guidelines, one case report, and three randomized trials. Despite its use in patients with alcohol use disorder and chronic pain, no clinical studies, case reports, or guidelines addressed naltrexone use in these clinical populations. All of the guideline documents recommended the preoperative cessation of naltrexone, irrespective of dose, indication, or route of administration. None of these guideline documents were designed on the basis of a systematic literature search or a Delphi protocol. As described by the primary studies, perioperative pain relief varied depending on naltrexone dose and route of administration, time since last naltrexone administration, and underlying substance use disorder. None of the studies commented on the maintenance of recovery for the patient's substance use disorder in the context of perioperative naltrexone management. The current understanding of the risks and benefits of continuing or stopping naltrexone perioperatively is limited by a lack of high-quality evidence. In patients with risk factors for return to use of opioids or alcohol, the discontinuation of naltrexone should have a strong rationale. Future studies and guidelines should seek to address both acute pain management and maintaining recovery when discussing perioperative naltrexone management strategies.

Perioperative and Postoperative Continuous Nutritional Counseling Improves Quality of Life of Gastric Cancer Patient Undergoing Gastrectomy.

Post-gastrectomy syndrome (PGS) and body weight loss (BWL) decrease quality of life (QOL) and survival of the patient undergoing gastrectomy. We have introduced perioperative and post-discharge continuous nutritional counseling (CNC) to prevent BWL and improve QOL after gastrectomy. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of CNC on QOL using the Post-gastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45 (PGSAS-45). Eighty-three patients with gastric cancer (GC) who underwent curative gastrectomy between March 2018 and July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients received either pre-discharge nutritional counseling alone (control group, n = 45) or CNC (CNC group, n = 38) after gastrectomy. QOL at 12 months after gastrectomy was compared between the two groups. In QOL assessment, change in body weight (-7.98% vs. -12.77%, p = 0.0057), ingested amount of food per meal (7.00 vs. 6.07, p = 0.042) and ability for working (1.89 vs. 2.36, p = 0.049) were significantly better in CNC group than control group. Multiple regression analysis showed that CNC was a significantly beneficial factor for abdominal pain subscale (p = 0.028), diarrhea subscale (p = 0.047), ingested amount of food per meal (p = 0.012), Ability for working (p = 0.031) and dissatisfaction at the meal (p = 0.047). Perioperative and postoperative CNC could improve QOL in the patient undergoing gastrectomy in addition to preventing postoperative BWL.

Improving care in lung cancer surgery: a review of quality measures and evolving standards.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Pulmonary resection, in addition to perioperative systemic therapies, is a cornerstone of treatment for operable patients with early-stage and locoregional disease. In recent years, increased emphasis has been placed on surgical quality metrics: specific and evidence-based structural, process, and outcome measures that aim to decrease variation in lung cancer care and improve long term outcomes. These metrics can be divided into potential areas of intervention or improvement in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of care and form the basis of guidelines issued by organizations including the National Cancer Center Network (NCCN) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS). This review focuses on established quality metrics associated with lung cancer surgery with an emphasis on the most recent research and guidelines. RECENT FINDINGS: Over the past 18 months, quality metrics across the peri-operative care period were explored, including optimal invasive mediastinal staging preoperatively, the extent of intraoperative lymphadenectomy, surgical approaches related to minimally invasive resection, and enhanced recovery pathways that facilitate early discharge following pulmonary resection. SUMMARY: Quality metrics in lung cancer surgery is an exciting and important area of research. Adherence to quality metrics has been shown to improve overall survival and guidelines supporting their use allows targeted quality improvement efforts at a local level to facilitate more consistent, less variable oncologic outcomes across centers.

Patient experience and satisfaction after same-day discharge radical prostatectomy using a personalized, digital perioperative programme.

PURPOSE: To assess the patient experience and satisfaction after the implementation in routine of a personalized, digital programme before and after same-day discharge (SDD) robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). METHODS: The study is a pre/post-interventional, multi-surgeon, unicentre, prospective study. All consecutive patients undergoing SDD RARP were included during a 6-month period. After a pre-interventional assessment of the satisfaction rate (n = 26), all patients (n = 46) were introduced to the Betty. Care platform and followed the BETTY COACHING programme which included a specific radical prostatectomy module. The primary endpoint was patient satisfaction 6 weeks after SDD RARP. Secondary endpoints were hospital stay, readmission and complications rates, unplanned visits, and remote monitoring data. RESULTS: Median age and PSA were 66 years and 7.0 ng/ml. Lymph node-dissection and nerve-sparing procedures were performed in 41.3 and 87.0% of patients, respectively. Median operative time and blood loss were 80 min and 150 ml, respectively. The 90-day rates of unplanned visits, readmission and complications were improved after the digital tool implementation (2.2, 2.2, and 8.7%, respectively). Mean satisfaction score was 9.6 out of 10 (8.0 before implementation). Median duration of pain was 2 days after discharge, with median pain intensity of 2/10. Median duration of daily active use of remote monitoring was 34 days. The urinary continence rate was 91.3% 6 weeks after surgery in the postinterventional cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a personalized, surgery-specific, digital programme combining prehabilitation, patient education, rehabilitation, patient-reported outcome measurement and remote monitoring, improves patient experience and satisfaction and could help promoting early discharge even after a major surgery.

Integrated management of stage III in nonsmall cell lung cancer: where do perioperative chemotherapy and immunotherapy fit?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Early-stage nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 30% of the total NSCLC, being the stage III a heterogeneous disease that represents a challenge in the management of these patients. Multidisciplinary approach is essential for an adequate treatment strategy, with surgery being the only curative treatment. Neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy has been the standard of care for a long period, with modest results. RECENT FINDINGS: Combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy has revolutionized the neoadjuvant setting of resectable NSCLC, improving pathologic complete responses and survival outcomes in this scenario. Furthermore, perioperative treatment with immunotherapy has also recently shown promising results in several phase III trials. SUMMARY: The landscape of early-stage resectable NSCLC has evolved in recent years, with an improvement in the survival of these patients since the incorporation of immunotherapy in this scenario.

Quality of life following perioperative optimization with nutritional supplements in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery for cancer: A randomized, placebo-controlled feasibility clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Up to two thirds of patients presenting for abdominal cancer surgery are malnourished pre-operatively. Perioperative nutritional supplementation has been proposed to improve surgical outcomes, though its effect on quality of life (QoL) is not yet understood. METHODS: A randomized controlled feasibility trial for perioperative nutrition among patients undergoing major abdominal cancer surgery was conducted. Participants in the intervention group received supplements for 30 days before surgery. Participants completed two QoL questionnaires (EORTC-QLQ-C-30 and FACT-G) at baseline, then 4 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Participants were compared between and within groups at baseline, Weeks 4, and 12 using t tests. Minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) were considered as a 10-point worsening from baseline. RESULTS: Sixty-six participants were available for analysis in this study, including 33 in the intervention and 30 in the control arms. Baseline demographics were balanced between groups except for different rates of pancreas cancer (36% intervention vs. 9% control) and colorectal cancer (19% intervention vs. 34% control). At baseline, participants in the intervention group had lower overall QoL (59% vs. 77%, p = 0.01), role functioning (72% vs 88%, p = 0.045), and cognitive functioning (79% vs 90%, p = 0.047). Following surgery, role and physical functioning worsened in the control group, without significant differences between groups. Role functioning was persistently worsened at 12 weeks in the control group. The rates of MCIDs were similar between both intervention and control groups. DISCUSSION: Perioperative nutrition was associated with preservation of QoL in the postoperative period following major abdominal cancer surgery compared to placebo. SUMMARY: Among patients undergoing surgery for cancer, the majority present at high risk for malnutrition. In this placebo-controlled randomized trial among patients undergoing major abdominal surgery for cancer, preoperative nutrition supplementation was associated with the preservation of QoL in the postoperative period.

Implementation of perioperative FLOT compared to ECX/EOX chemotherapy regimens in resectable esophagogastric adenocarcinomas: an analysis of real-world data.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Perioperative 5-FU, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel (FLOT) is recommended in resectable esophagogastric adenocarcinoma based on randomised trials. However, the effectiveness of FLOT in routine clinical practice remains unknown as randomised trials are subject to selection bias limiting their generalisability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of FLOT in real-world patients. METHODS: Retrospectively collected data were analysed in consecutive patients treated before or after the implementation of FLOT. The primary endpoint was complete pathological response (pCR) and secondary endpoints were margin-free resection (R0), overall survival (OS), relapse-free survival (RFS) tolerability of chemotherapy and surgical complications. RESULTS: Mean follow-up time for patients treated with FLOT (n = 205) was 37.7 versus 47.0 months for epirubicin, cis- or oxaliplatin, and capecitabine (ECX/EOX, n = 186). Surgical resection was performed in 88.0% versus 92.0%; pCR were observed in 3.8% versus 2.4%; and R0 resections were achieved in 78.0% versus 86.0% (p = 0.03) in the ECX/EOX and FLOT cohorts, respectively. Survival analysis indicated no significant difference in RFS (p = 0.17) or OS (p = 0.37) between the cohorts with a trend towards increased OS in performance status 0 (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50-1.04). More patients treated with ECX/EOX completed chemotherapy (39% vs. 28%, p = 0.02). Febrile neutropenia was more common in the FLOT cohort (3.8% vs. 11%, p = 0.0086). 90-days mortality (1.2% vs. 0%) and frequency of anastomotic leakage (8% vs. 6%) were equal and low. INTERPRETATION: Patients receiving FLOT did not demonstrate improved pCR, RFS or OS. However, R0 rate was improved and patients in good PS trended towards improved OS.