Intraoperative Pathology Assessment May Lead to Overtreatment of the Axilla in Clinically Node-Negative Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Upfront Mastectomy.

BACKGROUND: Randomized trials have established the safety of observation or axillary radiation (AxRT) as an alternative to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with limited nodal disease who undergo upfront surgery. Variability remains in axillary management strategies in cN0 patients undergoing mastectomy found to have one to two positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). We examined the impact of intraoperative pathology assessment in axillary management in a national cohort of AMAROS-eligible mastectomy patients. METHODS: The National Cancer Database was used to identify AMAROS-eligible cT1-2N0 breast cancer patients undergoing upfront mastectomy and SLN biopsy (SLNB) and found to have one to two positive SLNs, from 2018 to 2019. We constructed a variable defining intraoperative pathology as 'not performed/not acted on' if ALND was either not performed or performed at a later date than SLNB, or 'performed/acted on' if SLNB and ALND were completed on the same day. Adjusted multivariable analysis examined predictors of treatment with both ALND and AxRT. RESULTS: Overall, 8222 patients with cT1-2N0 disease underwent upfront mastectomy and had one to two positive SLNs. Intraoperative pathology was performed/acted on in 3057 (37.2%) patients. These patients were significantly more likely to have both ALND and AxRT than those without intraoperative pathology (41.0% vs. 4.9%; p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, the strongest predictor of receiving both ALND and AxRT was use of intraoperative pathology (odds ratio 8.99, 95% confidence interval 7.70-10.5; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We advocate that consideration should be made for omission of routine intraoperative pathology in mastectomy patients likely to be recommended postmastectomy radiation to minimize axillary overtreatment with both ALND and AxRT in appropriate patients.

Racial Disparities in Locoregional Recurrence in Postmenopausal Patients with Stage I-III, Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Enrolled in the NSABP B-42 Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data examining racial disparities in locoregional recurrence (LRR) among women with access to high-quality care. We aimed to examine differences in late LRR by race in patients with stage I-IIIA, hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer enrolled in the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel (NSABP) B-42 trial. METHODS: From 2006 to 2010, 3966 postmenopausal women with stage I-IIIA HR+ breast cancer who were disease-free after 5 years of endocrine therapy were randomized to an additional 5 years of endocrine therapy or placebo. Patients were excluded if multi-racial or if race was unknown. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate 6-year LRR from the time of trial registration and according to race. Cox proportional hazards models were used for adjusted survival analyses. RESULTS: Overall, 3929 NSABP B-42 patients were included: 3688 (93.9%) White, 151 (3.8%) Black, and 90 (2.3%) Asian patients. Median follow-up was 75.2 months. Overall estimated 6-year LRR from trial registration was 1.8% and differed by race: LRR rates were 1.7% in White women, 4.9% in Black women, and 0% in Asian women (p = 0.046). Adjusted Cox proportional hazards analysis found Black race to be independently associated with LRR (hazard ratio [HzR] 2.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-5.49; p = 0.047). Node-positivity was also associated with increased LRR (HzR 1.75, 95% CI 1.07-2.86; p = 0.025). Adjusted Cox analysis found LRR (HzR 2.32, 95% CI 1.33-4.06; p = 0.003) to be associated with increased overall mortality; however, race was not independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Among postmenopausal patients with stage I-IIIA HR+ breast cancer in the NSABP B-42 trial, racial differences in late LRR were present, with the highest LRR in Black women.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Outcomes After Breast-Conserving Therapy and Endocrine Therapy for DCIS: A Post-Hoc Analysis of the NSABP B-35 Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes after treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to examine breast cancer outcomes by race and ethnicity in the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) B-35 clinical trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The NSABP B-35 trial randomized postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive DCIS treated with breast-conserving therapy to 5 years of tamoxifen or anastrozole. In total, 3104 women were enrolled between 2003 and 2006. For this analysis, patients without complete self-reported race and ethnicity or with immediate trial dropout were excluded. Kaplan-Meier curves and adjusted Cox-proportional hazards models were used for analyses. RESULTS: Of the 3061 women included, 2614 (85.4%) were non-Hispanic white (NHW), 255 (8.3%) were non-Hispanic Black (NHB), 95 (3.1%) were Hispanic, and 96 (3.1%) were Asian or Pacific Islander (API). Endocrine therapy assignment and duration were well balanced between racial and ethnic groups. Median follow-up was 9 years; unadjusted Kaplan-Meier curves did not show any racial differences in disease events. Adjusted Cox-proportional hazards models found API (versus NHW) race to be associated with higher local recurrence [hazard ratio (HzR) 2.45, p = 0.035] and NHB race to be associated with higher distant recurrence (HzR 5.03, p = 0.020) and breast cancer mortality (HzR 3.83, p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Despite similar locoregional treatments and standard endocrine therapy in a clinical trial population, racial and ethnic disparities exist in long-term outcomes for hormone-receptor-positive DCIS. These findings suggest that factors outside of access and treatment may impact DCIS outcomes by race and ethnicity.

Leveraging the Incidence, Burden, and Fiscal Implications of Unplanned Hospital Revisits for the Prioritization of Prevention Efforts in Pediatric Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize procedure-level burden of revisit-associated resource utilization in pediatric surgery with the goal of establishing a prioritization framework for prevention efforts. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Unplanned hospital revisits are costly to the health care system and associated with lost productivity on behalf of patients and their families. Limited objective data exist to guide the prioritization of prevention efforts within pediatric surgery. METHODS: Using the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database, 30-day unplanned revisits for the 30 most commonly performed pediatric surgical procedures were reviewed from 47 children's hospitals between January 1, 2012 and March 31, 2015. The relative contribution of each procedure to the cumulative burden of revisit-associated length of stay and cost from all procedures was calculated as an estimate of public health relevance if prevention efforts were successfully applied (higher relative contribution = greater potential public health relevance). RESULTS: 159,675 index encounters were analyzed with an aggregate 30-day revisit rate of 10.8%. Four procedures contributed more than half of the revisit-associated length of stay burden from all procedures, with the highest relative contributions attributable to complicated appendicitis (18.4%), gastrostomy (13.4%), uncomplicated appendicitis (13.0%), and fundoplication (9.4%). Four procedures contributed more than half of the revisit-associated cost burden from all procedures, with the highest relative contributions attributable to complicated appendicitis (18.8%), gastrostomy (14.6%), fundoplication (10.4%), and uncomplicated appendicitis (10.2%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A small number of procedures account for a disproportionate burden of revisit-associated resource utilization in pediatric surgery. Gastrostomy, fundoplication, and appendectomy should be considered high-priority targets for prevention efforts within pediatric surgery.

Extended Versus Narrow-spectrum Antibiotics in the Management of Uncomplicated Appendicitis in Children: A Propensity-matched Comparative Effectiveness Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of extended versus narrow spectrum antibiotics in preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) and hospital revisits in children with uncomplicated appendicitis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There is a paucity of high-quality evidence in the pediatric literature comparing the effectiveness of extended versus narrow-spectrum antibiotics in the prevention of SSIs associated with uncomplicated appendicitis. METHODS: Clinical data from the ACS NSQIP-Pediatric Appendectomy Pilot Project were merged with antibiotic utilization data from the Pediatric Health Information System database for patients undergoing appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis at 17 hospitals from January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015. Patients who received piperacillin/tazobactam (extended spectrum) were compared with those who received either cefoxitin or ceftriaxone with metronidazole (narrow spectrum) after propensity matching on demographic and severity characteristics. Study outcomes were 30-day SSI and hospital revisit rates. RESULTS: Of the 1389 patients included, 39.1% received piperacillin/tazobactam (range by hospital: 0% to 100%), and the remainder received narrow-spectrum agents. No differences in demographics or severity characteristics were found between groups following matching. In the matched analysis, the rates of SSI were similar between groups [extended spectrum: 2.4% vs narrow spectrum 1.8% (odds ratio, OR: 1.05, 95% confidence interval, 95% CI 0.34-3.26)], as was the rate of revisits [extended spectrum: 7.9% vs narrow spectrum 5.1% (OR: 1.46, 95% CI 0.75-2.87)]. CONCLUSIONS: Use of extended-spectrum antibiotics was not associated with lower rates of SSI or hospital revisits when compared with narrow-spectrum antibiotics in children with uncomplicated appendicitis. Our results challenge the routine use of extended-spectrum antibiotics observed at many hospitals, particularly given the increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant organisms.

Readmission following pancreatectomy: what can be improved?

BACKGROUND: Readmissions after pancreatectomy, largely for the management of complications, may also occur as a result of failure to thrive or for diagnostic endeavours. Potential mechanisms to reduce readmission rates may be elucidated by assessing the adequacy of the initial disposition and the real necessity for readmission. METHODS: Using previously identified categories of readmission following pancreatectomy, details of reasons for and results of readmissions were scrutinized using a root cause analysis approach. RESULTS: Of 658 patients subjected to pancreatectomy between 2001 and 2010, 121 (18%) were readmitted within 30 days. The clinical course in 30% of readmitted patients was found to deviate from the pathway assumed on the initial admission. Patients were readmitted at a median of 9 days (range: 1-30 days) after initial discharge and had a median readmission length of stay of 7 days (mode = 4). Postoperative complications accounted for most readmissions (n = 77, 64%); 17 patients (14%) were readmitted for failure to thrive and 16 (13%) for diagnostics. Root cause analysis detailed subtextual reasons for readmission, including, for example, the initiation of new medications that could potentially have been ordered in an outpatient setting. CONCLUSIONS: More than one quarter of readmissions after pancreatectomy occurred in the setting of failure to thrive or for diagnostic evaluation alone. Root cause analysis revealed potentially avoidable readmissions. The development of a system for stratifying patients at risk for readmission or the failure of the initial disposition, along with an alternative means of efficiently evaluating patients in an outpatient setting, could limit unnecessary readmissions and resource utilization.

Geographic Reach of Surgery Residency Applicants During In-Person and Virtual Interviews.

Background Virtual interviews for surgery residency may improve interview opportunities for applicants from underrepresented in medicine (UIM) and lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Objective To compare the geographic reach of surgical residency applicants during in-person versus virtual interviews. Methods This study compared applicants for the 2019 (in-person) and 2020 (virtual interviews) application cycle for surgery residency. Geographic reach (GR) was defined as the distance between applicants' current location and the program. Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council's website supplied socioeconomic data using applicants' geographic locations. Applicant demographics, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores, and geographic distance to program were collected. Multivariable analyses examined GR with interaction terms between interview type, UIM status, and socioeconomic status, while controlling for USMLE scores. Results A total of 667 (2019) and 698 (2020) National Resident Matching Program applications were reviewed. Overall, there was no difference in GR for applicants during in-person and virtual interviews in multivariable testing. UIM status had no association with GR for in-person interviews, but virtual interviews were associated with an increased GR for UIM applicants compared to non-UIM applicants (235.17; 95% CI 28.87-441.47; P=.02). For in-person interviews, applicants living in communities with poverty levels ≥7% had less GR vs those in communities with levels <7% (-332.45; 95% CI -492.10, -172.79; P<.001), an effect not observed during virtual interviews. Conclusions There was no difference in overall GR, or the proportion of UIM applicants or those from higher poverty level communities, but virtual survey interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with increased GR for UIM and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds applicants.

An effective multi-modality model for single-session cricothyroidotomy training for trainees.

BACKGROUND: We piloted a curriculum combining a flipped classroom with two-stage narration, role-play, and partial task trainer simulation to teach this critical skill to trainees. METHODS: This "flipped classroom" module (2012-2018) for open and percutaneous cricothyroidotomy (OC and PC) required participants to watch two 4 min training videos for OC and PC. The simulation session consisted of a 45-min hands-on simulation of OC and PC in which participants rotated between the roles of operator, narrator, and critiquer. Median performance scores were calculated. RESULTS: 103 trainees were evaluated. The median performance score was 14 out of maximum 14 (range: 9-14) across all trainees for OC. The median performance score was 13 out of maximum 13 (range: 3-13) across all trainees for PC. CONCLUSION: A multi-modality approach including the flipped classroom, role-play, and partial task trainer simulation is an efficient and effective method for teaching trainees proficiency in short, single operator procedures.

Influence of Time to Appendectomy and Operative Duration on Hospital Cost in Children with Uncomplicated Appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to examine the influence of time to appendectomy (TTA) and operative duration (OD) on hospital cost as surrogate measures of perioperative efficiency. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of 2,116 children undergoing appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis at 16 children's hospitals from January 2013 to December 2014. Time to appendectomy (emergency department presentation to incision) and OD were obtained from the NSQIP Pediatric Appendectomy Pilot Database and merged with cost data from the Pediatric Health Information System Database. Multivariate regression was used to examine the influence of TTA and OD (categorized by quartiles of hospital-level means) on hospital cost, adjusting for patient and hospital-level characteristics. RESULTS: Median TTA and OD across all patients was 7.3 hours (interquartile range 4.4 to 12.4 hours) and 36 minutes (interquartile range 26 to 49 minutes), respectively. The longest quartile of OD was associated with 38% higher total cost ($2,512/case; rate ratio [RR] 1.38; 95% CI 1.27 to 1.5; p < 0.001) and 27% higher operating room-associated cost ($960/case; RR 1.27; 95% CI 1.22 to 1.34; p < 0.001) compared with the shortest quartile. The longest quartile of TTA was associated with 23% higher total cost ($1,589/case; RR 1.23; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.32; p < 0.001) and 53% higher room-associated cost ($906/case; RR 1.53; 95% CI 1.35 to 1.74; p < 0.001) compared with the shortest quartile. The influence of TTA and OD were independent but potentiating effects, with median cost for hospitals in both the longest quartiles of TTA and OD being 79% higher than those in the shortest quartiles. CONCLUSIONS: Longer TTA and OD were independently associated with increased hospital cost, with OD being the most significant driver of cost variation across hospitals. Identification of best practices from high-efficiency hospitals might provide a high-yield strategy for improving value in appendicitis care.

Quantifying the Burden of Interhospital Cost Variation in Pediatric Surgery: Implications for the Prioritization of Comparative Effectiveness Research.

Importance: Practice variation is believed to be a driver of excess health care spending, although few objective data exist to guide the prioritization of comparative effectiveness research (CER) in pediatric surgery. Objective: To identify high-priority general pediatric surgical procedures for CER on the basis of the following 2 complementary measures: the magnitude of interhospital cost variation as a surrogate for the need for and potential effect of CER at the patient level and the cumulative fiscal burden of this cost variation when considering the case volume from all hospitals as a surrogate for public health relevance. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a cohort study of patients undergoing 1 of the 30 most costly pediatric surgical operations at 45 children's hospitals between January 1, 2014, and September 30, 2015. Cost data were extracted from the Pediatric Health Information System database and adjusted for differences in unit-based costing at the hospital level and for differences in case mix and disease severity at the patient level. Main Outcomes and Measures: First, the width of the interquartile range (WIQR) of the adjusted procedure-specific median cost across hospitals. Second, the procedure-specific cost variation burden, which was calculated as the aggregate sum of absolute cost differences between the overall adjusted median cost derived from all patients treated at all hospitals and the adjusted cost of each individual patient treated at all hospitals. Results: A total of 92 535 encounters were analyzed. The median number of encounters per hospital was 2011 (interquartile range [IQR], 1224-2619), and the median number of encounters per procedure was 610 (IQR, 442-2610). In the final cohort, 66.9% (n = 61 933) of the patients were male, and the median age was 7 years (IQR, 1.9-12.3 years). Cost variation at the hospital level was greatest for gastroschisis (WIQR, $48 471; median, $111 566 [IQR, $91 195-$139 936]), congenital diaphragmatic hernia (WIQR, $43 948; median, $154 730 [IQR, $129 764-$173 712]), tracheoesophageal fistula/esophageal atresia (WIQR, $39 206; median, $105 259 [IQR, $87 335-$126 541]), and total colectomy for ulcerative colitis (WIQR, $24 497; median, $34 910 [IQR, $28 815-$53 312]). The following 5 diagnoses accounted for 52.5% of the cumulative cost variation burden from all 30 conditions: uncomplicated appendicitis (18.0% [$66 205 117]), complicated appendicitis (14.1% [$51 702 402]), gastroschisis (9.5% [$34 940 331]), gastrostomy (5.8% [$21 227 436]), and small-intestinal atresia (5.1% [$18 840 546]). Neonatal cases contributed 3.6% of the case volume and accounted for 26.8% of the cumulative cost variation burden from all 30 conditions. Conclusions and Relevance: A small number of procedures account for most of the cost variation burden in pediatric surgery, with some demonstrating wide cost variation among hospitals. Gastroschisis and small-intestinal atresia may be particularly high-yield targets for multidisciplinary CER efforts, while the management of appendicitis and gastrostomy should be considered high-priority conditions among pediatric surgeons.

Time to Appendectomy and Risk of Complicated Appendicitis and Adverse Outcomes in Children.

Importance: Management of appendicitis as an urgent rather than emergency procedure has become an increasingly common practice in children. Controversy remains as to whether this practice is associated with increased risk of complicated appendicitis and adverse events. Objective: To examine the association between time to appendectomy (TTA) and risk of complicated appendicitis and postoperative complications. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this retrospective cohort study using the Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement Program appendectomy pilot database, 2429 children younger than 18 years who underwent appendectomy within 24 hours of presentation at 23 children's hospitals from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2014, were studied. Exposures: The main exposure was TTA, defined as the time from emergency department presentation to appendectomy. Patients were further categorized into early and late TTA groups based on whether their TTA was shorter or longer than their hospital's median TTA. Exposures were defined in this manner to compare rates of complicated appendicitis within a time frame sensitive to each hospital's existing infrastructure and diagnostic practices. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was complicated appendicitis documented at operation. The association between treatment delay and complicated appendicitis was examined across all hospitals by using TTA as a continuous variable and at the level of individual hospitals by using TTA as a categorical variable comparing outcomes between late and early TTA groups. Secondary outcomes included length of stay (LOS) and postoperative complications (incisional and organ space infections, percutaneous drainage procedures, unplanned reoperation, and hospital revisits). Results: Of the 6767 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 2429 were included in the analysis (median age, 10 years; interquartile range, 8-13 years; 1467 [60.4%] male). Median hospital TTA was 7.4 hours (range, 5.0-19.2 hours), and 574 patients (23.6%) were diagnosed with complicated appendicitis (range, 5.2%-51.1% across hospitals). In multivariable analyses, increasing TTA was not associated with risk of complicated appendicitis (odds ratio per 1-hour increase in TTA, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.97-1.02). The odds ratios of complicated appendicitis for late vs early TTA across hospitals ranged from 0.39 to 9.63, and only 1 of the 23 hospitals had a statistically significant increase in their late TTA group (odds ratio, 9.63; 95% CI, 1.08-86.17; P = .03). Increasing TTA was associated with longer LOS (increase in mean LOS for each additional hour of TTA, 0.06 days; 95% CI, 0.03-0.08 days; P < .001) but was not associated with increased risk of any of the other secondary outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance: Delay of appendectomy within 24 hours of presentation was not associated with increased risk of complicated appendicitis or adverse outcomes. These results support the premise that appendectomy can be safely performed as an urgent rather than emergency procedure.

Do all-cause revisit rates reflect the quality of pediatric surgical care provided during index encounters?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the relatedness of revisits to the index surgical encounter across different pediatric surgical procedures and to explore whether all-cause revisit rates are an accurate surrogate measure for related revisits in this cohort of children. METHODS: We reviewed all-cause revisits occurring within ninety days of the thirty most commonly performed pediatric surgical procedures at 44 children's hospitals between 1/1/2012 and 3/31/2015. For each condition, a team of four surgeons reviewed revisit diagnoses and reached consensus around relatedness to the index surgical encounter. Chi-squared tests were used to test for variation in all-cause and related revisits among procedures. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to measure the association between rankings of procedures by their all-cause and related revisit rates. RESULTS: 144,535 index encounters were analyzed with an overall revisit rate of 15.0% (21,732). Significant variation was found in both the rates of all-cause revisits among procedures (ranges: 7.6-68.4%, p<0.0001), and in the relative proportions of revisits related the index surgical encounter (range: 0% to 77%, p<0.0001). Poor correlation was found between procedure rankings based on all-cause revisit rates and revisit rates related to the index admission (r=0.33, p=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: The relative proportion of revisits related to the index encounter varies significantly across pediatric surgical conditions, and poor correlation exists at the procedure-level between all-cause and related revisits rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Overview and diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children.

Appendicitis represents the most common abdominal surgical emergency in the pediatric age group. Despite being a relatively common condition, the diagnosis of appendicitis in children can prove to be challenging in many cases. The goal of this article is to review the predictive utility for presenting signs and symptoms, laboratory tests, and imaging studies in the diagnostic work-up of appendicitis. Furthermore, we sought to explore the predictive utility of composite measures based on multiple sources of diagnostic information, as well as the utility of clinical pathways as a means to streamline the diagnostic process.

Rates and burden of surgical site infections associated with pediatric colorectal surgery: insight from the National Surgery Quality Improvement Program.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to characterize the rates of surgical site infections (SSI) associated with colorectal procedures in children and the relative burden of these events within the scope of pediatric surgical practice. METHODS: The NSQIP-Pediatric Public Use File was queried for all pediatric surgery procedures captured from 50 hospitals during 2012-2013. Rates of incisional and deep organ/space SSIs (ISSI and OSI, respectively) were calculated for all procedures, and the relative burden of SSIs from the entire dataset attributable to colorectal procedures was determined. RESULTS: Colorectal procedures accounted for 2.5% (2872/114,395) of the NSQIP-P caseload and contributed 7.1% of the SSI burden. The SSI rate for all colorectal procedures was 5.9% (ISSI:3.2%; OSI:2.7%), and the highest rates were associated with total abdominal colectomy (11.4%) partial colectomy (8.3%), and colostomy closure (5.0%). Inflammatory bowel disease contributed the greatest relative burden of SSIs among colorectal diagnoses (24.9%; ISSI:22%; OSI:28.6%), followed by Hirschsprung's Disease (14.2%; ISSI:15.4%; OSI:12.8%) and anorectal malformations (12.4%; ISSI:17.6%; OSI:6.4%). CONCLUSION: Colorectal procedures are responsible for a disproportionate burden of SSIs within pediatric surgery. The rate and relative burden of SSIs are particularly high for colostomy closure, partial colectomy, and procedures for inflammatory bowel disease. Efforts to reduce SSI burden may be best focused on this cohort of children.

Beyond perforation: Influence of peritoneal contamination on clinical severity and resource utilization in children with perforated appendicitis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between the degree of peritoneal contamination and postoperative resource utilization in children with complicated appendicitis. METHODS: Intraoperative findings were collected prospectively at a single children's hospital from 2012 to 2014. The degree of peritoneal contamination was categorized as either "localized" (confined to the right lower quadrant and pelvis) or "extensive" (extending to the liver). Imaging utilization, postoperative length of stay (pLOS), hospital cost, and readmission rates were compared between groups. RESULTS: Of 88 patients with complicated appendicitis, 38% had extensive contamination. Preoperative characteristics were similar between groups. Patients with extensive contamination had higher rates of postoperative imaging (58.8% vs 27.7%, P<0.01), a 50% longer median pLOS (6days [IQR 4-9] vs 4days [IQR 2-5], P=0.003), a 30% higher median hospital cost ($17,663 [IQR $12,564-$23,697] vs $13,516 [IQR $10,546-$16,686], P=0.004), and a nearly four-fold higher readmission rate (20.6% vs 5.6%, P=0.04) compared to children with localized contamination. CONCLUSION: Extensive peritoneal contamination is associated with significantly higher resource utilization compared to localized contamination in children with complicated appendicitis. These findings may have important severity-adjustment implications for reimbursement and readmission rate reporting for hospitals that serve populations where late presentation is common.

Surgical wound assessment by sonography in the prediction of surgical wound infections.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are important sources of morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and readmissions, so they have become a major economic burden. We hypothesized that surgical wound assessment by sonography (SWATS) used at the bedside would detect wound fluid collections and that the presence of such collections would predict SSI better than standard clinical examination. If so, SWATS might be used to indicate early intervention that could prevent SSI morbidity. METHODS: A prospective, single-institution observational study was conducted on adult inpatients following open abdominal surgery for trauma, gastrointestinal pathology, or biliary pathology at high risk (>5%) for SSI using traditional wound classifications. After informed consent was obtained, SWATS was performed using a smartphone-based ultrasound system on postoperative Day 2 to 4 and again before discharge or at postoperative Day 30, whichever came first. Primary treating physicians delivered standard wound care and were blinded to SWATS. SSI was diagnosed if treatment was implemented for suspected or documented wound infection by the treating physician. Results were analyzed by χ test and two-sample pooled variance t test where appropriate, with significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients were studied. Nineteen patients had peri-incisional fluid collections found by SWATS. Eight of these patients went on to develop an SSI. SSI was significantly associated with the presence of fluid collections on SWATS (p = 0.009). SWATS had a sensitivity of 72.7% (0.43-0.92), a specificity of 71.1% (0.62-0.77), a positive predictive value of 42.1% (0.25-0.53), and a negative predictive value of 90.0% (0.79-0.97). CONCLUSION: SWATS has a high negative predictive value that may allow it be an effective screening tool for developing SSI in high-risk surgical wounds. SWATS has the potential to be a useful and cost-effective adjunct to the clinician by objectively suggesting need for early therapy. Further study with larger sample sizes and randomized, SWATS-based interventions are required to validate this small study and determine its place in clinical care. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic study, level IV.

Diagnostic imaging practices for children with suspected appendicitis evaluated at definitive care hospitals and their associated referral centers.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare rates of ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) for suspected appendicitis at hospitals able to provide definitive surgical care with those from their associated referral hospitals. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of children undergoing appendectomy using the Pediatric NSQIP Appendectomy Pilot Database (1/1/2013-8/31/2014) was performed. Imaging rates at the initial hospital of presentation were compared between groups after adjusting for differences in demographic characteristics. RESULTS: We identified 4859 patients from 28 definitive care hospitals, of which 35% underwent diagnostic imaging at a referral hospital prior to transfer (range: 20.3-70.4%). The overall odds of receiving a CT scan was 10.9-times greater (95% CI: 9.4-12.5) at referring hospitals compared to definitive care hospitals, and the odds were significantly higher for referral hospitals in 96% (27/28) of the geographic regions represented. The overall odds of an initial attempt at US prior to CT was 11.1 times greater (95% CI: 9.09-14.28), and the odds of receiving any ultrasound was 6.25-times greater (95% CI: 5.26-7.14) at definitive care hospitals compared to referral hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: Children initially evaluated for suspected appendicitis at referring hospitals are much more likely to receive a diagnostic CT, and those imaged with CT are much less likely to receive an US as the initial diagnostic test.