Time-to-operation delays and in-hospital complications in operative facial trauma: A national analysis.

BACKGROUND: Management of facial fractures is variable. Understanding how time to operative management impacts outcomes can help standardize practice. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the ACS Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) database between 2016 and 2019. Adult patients with operative facial fractures were isolated by ICD-10 procedure codes, and further stratified by fracture location, including the mandible, orbit, maxilla, zygoma, and frontal bone. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to predict in-hospital complications (both surgical and systemic complications) adjusting for time-to-operation, comorbidities, fracture location, AIS, and demographics. RESULTS: 1678 patients with operative facial fractures were identified. The median time-to-operation was 2 days (IQR 1.0-2.0 days). Most patients only had one operative fracture (95 %) and orbital fracture was the most common (44 %). The overall complication rate was higher for those operated after 2 days compared to those operated between 1 and 2 days and within 24 h (2.8 % vs 0.6 % vs 0.7 %; p < 0.001). Patients who were operated on after 48 h exhibited an increased risk of any complication (OR 4.72, 95 % CI 1.49-16.6, p = 0.010) on multivariable models. CONCLUSION: Delays in the management of facial fractures are associated with more in-hospital complications. However, the incidence of short-term postoperative complications remains low. Injury characteristics are the primary predictor of delays in operation, however Hispanic patients independently experienced delays in care.

Epidemiology, management, and clinical outcomes of extrapulmonary Mycobacterium abscessus complex infections in heart transplant and ventricular assist device recipients.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria are emerging pathogens, yet data on the epidemiology and management of extrapulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria infections in orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) and ventricular assist device (VAD) recipients are scarce. We retrospectively reviewed records of OHT and VAD recipients who underwent cardiac surgery at our hospital and developed Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC) infection from 2013 to 2016 during a hospital outbreak of MABC linked to heater-cooler units. We analyzed patient characteristics, medical and surgical management, and long-term outcomes. Ten OHT patients and 7 patients with VAD developed extrapulmonary M. abscessus subspecies abscessus infection. The median time from presumed inoculation during cardiac surgery to the first positive culture was 106 days in OHT and 29 days in VAD recipients. The most common sites of positive cultures were blood (n = 12), sternum/mediastinum (n = 8), and the VAD driveline exit site (n = 7). The 14 patients diagnosed when alive received combination antimicrobial therapy for a median of 21 weeks, developed 28 antibiotic-related adverse events, and underwent 27 surgeries. Only 8 (47%) patients survived longer than 12 weeks after diagnosis, including 2 patients with VAD who experienced long-term survival after an explantation of infected VADs and OHT. Despite aggressive medical and surgical management, OHT and VAD patients with MABC infection experienced substantial morbidity and mortality.

Variation in Hemodynamic Assessment and Interpretation: A Call to Standardize the Right Heart Catheterization.

BACKGROUND: Invasive hemodynamic measurement via right heart catheterization has shown divergent data in its role in the treatment of patients with heart failure (HF) and cardiogenic shock. We hypothesized that variation in data acquisition technique and interpretation might contribute to these observations. We sought to assess differences in hemodynamic acquisition and interpretation by operator subspecialty as well as level of experience. METHODS AND RESULTS: Individual-level responses to how physicians both collect and interpret hemodynamic data at the time of right heart catheterization was solicited via a survey distributed to international professional societies in HF and interventional cardiology. Data were stratified both by operator subspecialty (HF specialists or interventional cardiologists [IC]) and operator experience (early career [≤10 years from training] or late career [>10 years from training]) to determine variations in clinical practice. For the sensitivity analysis, we also look at differences in each subgroup. A total of 261 responses were received. There were 141 clinicians (52%) who self-identified as HF specialists, 99 (38%) identified as IC, and 20 (8%) identified as other. There were 142 early career providers (54%) and late career providers (119 [46%]). When recording hemodynamic values, there was considerable variation in practice patterns, regardless of subspecialty or level of experience for the majority of the intracardiac variables. There was no agreement or mild agreement among HF and IC as to when to record right atrial pressures or pulmonary capillary wedge pressures. HF cardiologists were more likely to routinely measure both Fick and thermodilution cardiac output compared with IC (51% vs 29%, P < .001), something mirrored in early career vs later career cardiologists. CONCLUSIONS: Significant variation exists between the acquisition and interpretation of right heart catheterization measurements between HF and IC, as well as those early and late in their careers. With the growth of the heart team approach to management of patients in cardiogenic shock, standardization of both assessment and management practices is needed.

Increased incidence of venous thromboembolism associated with inferior vena cava filter placement in patients diagnosed with isolated calf deep vein thrombosis after intracranial hemorrhage or intracranial operation.

In this study, we sought to investigate the effectiveness of inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement in reducing the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients diagnosed with isolated calf deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after an intracranial hemorrhage or intracranial operation. A retrospective chart review (January 2000-December 2019) was performed to identify patients diagnosed with calf DVT after intracranial hemorrhage or intracranial operation. A total of 100 patients met the study criteria and were divided into groups based on treatment: IVC filter placement (n = 22), prophylactic anticoagulation (n = 42), or imaging surveillance (n = 36). Treatment-related complications were identified, and differences between groups in the primary endpoint (VTE occurrence after DVT diagnosis) were assessed using logistic regression. VTE occurred in 15 patients after calf DVT diagnosis. The rate of VTE was higher in the IVC filter group (9/22; 41%) than in the anticoagulation (2/42; 5%; p = 0.002) and surveillance (4/36; 11%; p = 0.013) groups. These treatment effects remained significant after adjustments were made for baseline characteristics (IVC filter vs anticoagulation, p = 0.009; IVC filter vs surveillance, p = 0.019). There was a single occurrence of pulmonary embolism in the surveillance group (3%). A single case of IVC filter thrombus was identified; no anticoagulation-related complications were reported. The findings of this study do not support IVC filter placement as a primary and solitary treatment for isolated calf DVT occurring after intracranial hemorrhage or intracranial operation.

Open Preservation Rhinoplasty.

Preservation of native nasal structures in rhinoplasty has aesthetic and functional benefits. This ideology can be implemented within open surgical approaches and in the context of structural modifications of the nose, particularly the nasal tip (structural preservation). In addition, modifications of preservation techniques and hybrid approaches to the osseocartilaginous vault have resulted in expanded indications for preservation of the nasal dorsum. These modifications and indications, as well as septal management in preservation cases, are discussed here in the context of an open approach. Importantly, patient-reported measures suggest that both preservation and structural approaches can yield excellent outcomes. An understanding and integration of both techniques offer great versatility for the rhinoplasty surgeon.

State of the Evidence for Preservation Rhinoplasty: A Systematic Review.

Preservation rhinoplasty encompasses a number of techniques that minimize disruption of the native cartilaginous and soft tissue nasal architecture. These techniques have gained popularity resulting in an increase in publications relevant to preservation rhinoplasty. However, many studies that present patient outcomes are of low-level evidence and do not incorporate validated patient-reported outcome measures. While these studies do consistently report positive outcomes, there are few high-level comparative studies that support the theoretical benefits of preservation relative to structural rhinoplasty. As contemporary preservation rhinoplasty techniques will continue to evolve and become incorporated into clinical practice, there will be the need for parallel emphasis on robust clinical studies to delineate the value of these methods.

State of the Evidence for Facial Skin Cancer Reconstruction.

This review provides a comprehensive presentation of the evidence available in facial reconstruction post-Mohs micrographic surgery. Given the large diversity in post-Mohs reconstruction, there are limited guidelines in the management of defects. The aim of the present work is to provide a review of the best evidence as it pertains to several considerations in facial reconstruction. Data suggests that Mohs micrographic surgery and many reconstructive procedures can be performed as outpatient procedures under local anesthesia, with narcotic pain medication only given in certain patient populations following a minority of reconstructive procedures. Perioperative and topical antibiotics are generally not indicated. Aspirin and warfarin can generally be continued for most reconstructive procedures, but clopidogrel and novel anticoagulants may predispose to increased bleeding complications. Delayed reconstruction appears to be safe, although data are discordant on this topic. No specific wound closure technique or suture choice appears to be consistently superior. Given the lack of robust comparative studies, consistent methodology, and variable defect sizes/locations, no robust evidence-based guidelines can be generated for reconstruction techniques of facial subsites.

Matched Cohort Comparison of Dorsal Preservation and Conventional Hump Resection Rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Structural preservation techniques (SPR) minimize disruption of the dorsal aesthetic lines, with potential aesthetic and functional benefits over conventional hump resection techniques (CHR). The goal of this study is to compare patient reported outcomes between these techniques. METHODS: This study was a retrospective matched cohort analysis of patients undergoing rhinoplasty with dorsal hump reduction using patient-reported outcomes measures: Standardized Cosmesis and Health Nasal Outcomes Survey (obstructive: SCHNOS-O, cosmetic: SCHNOS-C) and visual analog scale (functional: VAS-F, cosmetic: VAS-C). A cohort of patients undergoing SPR were matched to a cohort undergoing CHR based on age, gender, and preoperative SCHNOS scores. Intraoperative techniques and patient-reported outcomes were compared between groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the dorsal height between groups. While radix grafting was more common in SPR, dorsal onlay grafting and midvault reconstructive techniques (e.g. autospreader flaps) were more common in CHR. Within both groups, post-operative SCHNOS and VAS improved significantly at short- and long-term follow-up. There were no differences between SCHNOS or VAS scores preoperatively. Post-operative SCHNOS-O and SCHNOS-C scores were similar between groups at both short-term and long-term follow-up. Post-operative VAS-F scores were not different; however, VAS-C scores at short-term follow-up were statistically greater in the SPR group compared to the CHR group (8.92 vs 8.20, p = 0.03). At long-term follow-up, the difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: While there are theoretical functional and aesthetic benefits of SPR techniques, the patient reported benefits may be minimal when compared to CHR techniques with appropriate midvault reconstruction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

The Safety and Efficacy of Spreader Grafts and Autospreaders in Rhinoplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the evidence of surgical outcomes and complications of spreader grafts and autospreader flaps in the context of middle vault reconstruction after dorsal hump removal. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were based on the population, intervention, comparison, and outcome (PICO) framework. Medline (via PubMed), EMBASE, Cinahl, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for Clinical and observational studies published in peer-reviewed academic journals with abstracts available that reported rhinoplasty employing either spreader graft or autospreader flap techniques and were published prior to March, 2021. RESULTS: Fifty-two of 1129 relevant studies were included in the qualitative analysis. Thirty-four studies (65.4%) were related to spreader graft (SG), 10 (21.1%) studies of autospreader flap (AF) alone and 8 (13.5%) studies involving both grafts. Meta-analysis was performed on 17 studies reporting change in NOSE scores, with pooled effect of - 23.9 (95% CI, - 26.7 to - 21.1) points. High heterogeneity with I2 = 99%. Summary data showed no differences between groups, AF group versus no graft (p = 0.7578), AF versus SF group (p = 0.9948), and SG group versus no graft (p = 0.6608). CONCLUSION: Based on available data, change in NOSE scores after rhinoplasty was similar in procedures that used spreader graft only or autospreader flap only. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Preservation Rhinoplasty: Evolution and Current State of Practice in the United States.

Classic Joseph hump reduction techniques have been a hallmark of current rhinoplasty practice and teaching. Recently, there has been a renewed global interest in preservation rhinoplasty techniques, although these techniques are not new. The work and techniques of innovative surgeons including Goodale, Lothrop, and Cottle describing preservation concepts from the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century were not as prevalently adopted as open structural approaches. As such, there has been a relative paucity in both research and teaching of preservation techniques-particularly in the United States. A survey of members of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and The Rhinoplasty Society (145 respondents) demonstrates that while 15 (10%) of surgeons are not at all familiar with dorsal preservation surgery, 130 (90%) were. In the group that was familiar with dorsal preservation, the majority were only somewhat familiar (84, 65%) with these techniques. Only 11 respondents received any formal training in dorsal preservation techniques during residency or fellowship. 61 (42%) had attended a course or conference in which dorsal preservation techniques were discussed. One-hundred twenty-two survey respondents (84.1%) do not currently implement preservation techniques into their rhinoplasty practice. Twelve (8%) respondents implement it in <25% of cases, 5 (3%) in 25 to 50% of cases, and 6 (4%) in >50% of cases. As research and formal training in preservation rhinoplasty grow, familiarity and implementation of these techniques will likely also grow in the United States.

Risk of Venous Thromboembolism Following Rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Although prior studies have identified a low risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in rhinoplasty, these studies are limited by small samples and associated risk factors remain unknown. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to discern the incidence of VTE following rhinoplasty in a large patient population through analysis of a nationwide insurance claims database. METHODS: This study involved a population-based retrospective analysis of insurance claims made by patients who underwent rhinoplasty between 2007 and 2016. Established risk factors for VTE, demographic data, procedural details, and absolute incidence of VTE were collected. RESULTS: We identified a total of 55,287 patients who underwent rhinoplasty from 2007 to 2016. Mean age [standard error of the mean] was 38.74 [0.06] years (range, 18-74 years), and 54% were female. The overall incidence of VTE was 111, of which 70 were DVT and 41 were PE. From multivariate regression analysis, previous VTE (odds ratio [OR], 52.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 35.2-78.6; P < 0.0001), peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)/central line placement (OR, 19.6; 95% CI, 9.8-153; P < 0.05), rib graft (OR, 4.6; 95% CI, 2.3-8.5; P < 0.0001), age 41 to 60 years (OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.7-4.3; P < 0.01), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.0-5.5; P < 0.05), and age 61 to 74 years (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2-4.8; P < 0.05) were associated with an increased risk of VTE. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate a low overall incidence of VTE in rhinoplasty patients. Previous VTE, PICC/central line, advancing age, IBD, and intraoperative rib graft harvest were most strongly associated with VTE in this population cohort.

Using Nasal Self-Esteem to Predict Revision in Cosmetic Rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND: It would be useful if existing tools or outcomes measures could predict which patients are at greater risk of revision surgery following rhinoplasty. OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to determine if a single question assessing nasal self-esteem could be utilized to predict which patients are at greatest risk of revision surgery following rhinoplasty. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of 148 patients who underwent cosmetic rhinoplasty. Results of pre- and postoperative Standardized Cosmesis and Health Nasal Outcomes Survey questionnaires and rates of revision or patient-initiated revision discussions (RD) were collected. Patients were stratified based on answers to Standardized Cosmesis and Health Nasal Outcomes Survey question 5 (SQ5), "Decreased mood and self-esteem due to my nose." RESULTS: Of the 148 patients included in the analysis, 72.9% were women, and the mean age was 30.9 (15-59, standard deviation = 10.3) years. Those patients who selected 4 or 5 on SQ5 had an overall revision rate of 16.7% and 18.8%, respectively, and a RD rate of 27.8% and 31.25%, respectively. Those patients who selected 0 through 3 on SQ5 had an overall revision rate of 0% and an overall RD rate of 10.4%. Only SQ5 was predictive of revision and RD on logistic regression analysis (P = 0.0484 and P = 0.0257) after Bonferroni correction. CONCLUSIONS: SQ5 appears to offer a useful adjunct to guide surgical management of the cosmetic rhinoplasty patient. Those patients who reported worse nasal self-esteem and associated mood preoperatively were more likely to request and undergo revision.

Clinical applications of machine learning in the diagnosis, classification, and prediction of heart failure.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are generating significant attention in the scientific community and media. Such algorithms have great potential in medicine for personalizing and improving patient care, including in the diagnosis and management of heart failure. Many physicians are familiar with these terms and the excitement surrounding them, but many are unfamiliar with the basics of these algorithms and how they are applied to medicine. Within heart failure research, current applications of machine learning include creating new approaches to diagnosis, classifying patients into novel phenotypic groups, and improving prediction capabilities. In this paper, we provide an overview of machine learning targeted for the practicing clinician and evaluate current applications of machine learning in the diagnosis, classification, and prediction of heart failure.

Functionally Crippled Nose.

Nasal obstruction is a common presenting symptom of patients seen by primary care physicians, otolaryngologists, and facial plastic surgeons. A variety of treatment strategies, both surgical and nonsurgical, have been used with success in improving nasal obstruction and quality of life. In a subset of patients, many of whom have either attempted these common treatment strategies or are intolerant of them, nasal obstruction remains a significant symptom. In these patients, there may be an identifiable problem, but it is simply not repairable or there is no identifiable anatomic issue. The management of these patients is discussed in this article, with an emphasis on a sensitive approach that takes into consideration a patient's mental health. While the need for diagnostic testing is generally not necessary for most cases of nasal obstruction, endoscopy and imaging should be considered in these patients. Validated patient-reported outcome measures are particularly helpful in providing an objective measure to a patient's frustrating symptoms. A variety of medications can be either contributory to the patient's symptoms or therapeutic if used appropriately. A variety of surgical interventions can also result in a functionally crippled nose and diagnoses including nasal valve stenosis, septal perforations, and empty nose syndrome are discussed. Importantly, further surgical interventions may not be appropriate if a deformity is minimal, and a surgeon should resist the temptation to proceed with surgery in those situations.

The Use of Indocyanine Green Angiography for Cosmetic and Reconstructive Assessment in the Head and Neck.

Reconstructive procedures in the head and neck can be a surgical challenge owing to the complex anatomical and physiological structure. Different locoregional and microvascular flaps are used for various defects to improve both function and cosmesis. Subjective clinical findings have been the mainstay for perfusion monitoring; however, areas of borderline perfusion are much more difficult to assess clinically. Multiple technologies that offer objective perfusion assessment have been developed to improve surgical outcomes. Indocyanine green (ICG) angiography has gained popularity owing to its minimal invasiveness and increased sensitivity and specificity in assessing flap perfusion particularly in the head and neck. It has been extensively used in free flaps, pedicled flaps (including nasal reconstruction), facelift procedures, random flaps, skull base reconstruction, and pharyngocutaneous fistula prediction. Its perioperative use has provided valuable qualitative and quantitative data that aid our understanding of flap hemodynamics. Clinically, this impacted decision-making in flap design, harvest, inset, and precocious salvage interventions. Though increased cost and intraoperative time could be limitations, cost-effectiveness studies have supported its use, particularly in high-risk individuals. Limitations include the lack of standardized dosing and consistent methodology agreement for data analysis. Future studies should involve larger cohorts and multi-institute studies to overcome such limitations.

Impact of Dorsal Preservation Rhinoplasty Versus Dorsal Hump Resection on the Internal Nasal Valve: a Quantitative Radiological Study.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the impact of different hump takedown techniques, namely the conventional hump resection with midvault reconstruction, the push-down (PD) and the let-down (LD) procedures, on the INV dimensions. METHODS: In this cadaveric study, six heads were divided randomly into either the conventional hump resection technique (Group A; n = 6 sides) or DPR techniques (n = 6 sides). This latter group was subdivided such that initially a PD procedure was performed (Group B; n = 6 sides), followed by a LD procedure on the same heads (Group C; n = 6 sides). A validated radiological method was used to measure the INV angle and cross-sectional area (CSA) in a modified coronal plane both pre- and post-procedurally. RESULTS: Group A did not show significant reduction in the INV angle nor in CSA (p = 0.068 and p = 0.156, respectively). In the push-down group (B), we observed a mean change of 2.05° in the angles and 0.3 cm2 in the CSA (p = 0.0163 and p < 0.001, respectively). The LD group (C) did not show significant reduction in the INV angle nor in CSA (p = 0.437 and p = 0.331, respectively). CONCLUSION: Neither the conventional hump resection nor the LD DPR technique reduced the INV dimensions. However, the PD preservation technique significantly reduced the INV dimensions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Existing Predictive Models for Postoperative Pulmonary Complications Perform Poorly in a Head and Neck Surgery Population.

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are common following major surgical procedures. Risk stratification tools have been developed to identify patients at risk for PPCs. While otolaryngology cases were included in the development of common predictive tools, they comprised small percentages in each tool. It is unclear how these tools perform in patients undergoing major head and neck surgery with free flap reconstruction. This retrospective review studied all free flap reconstructions in head and neck surgery over a 12-year period at a single institution in the southeastern US. Baseline demographic and medical information were included for each case. All cases were reviewed for development of major PPCs, including pneumonia and respiratory failure. The cohort underwent risk stratification using the ARISCAT and Gupta pulmonary risk indices. Performance of these predictive models for head and neck surgery was determined through receiver-operator curve comparison. 794 patients were identified with a median age of 62 years (IQR 41-83). Sixty-five percent were male. Forty-three (5.4%) developed pneumonia, 23 patients developed respiratory failure (2.9%), and 38 patients developed both (4.8%), resulting in a total PPC proportion of 13.1% (n = 104). Both ARISCAT and Gupta pulmonary risk indices demonstrated low discrimination to predict PPCs in head and neck free flap reconstruction, with areas under the curve of 0.60 and 0.65, respectively. Two major indices for prediction of postoperative pulmonary complications do not accurately identify risk in patients undergoing major head and neck surgery. Further studies are needed to develop predictive tools for PPCs in this high-risk population.

Heart Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To assess current management strategies for advanced heart failure in adults with congenital heart disease, including heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support. RECENT FINDINGS: Current data demonstrate that adults with CHD generally experience higher short-term mortality after heart transplantation and MCS implantation, but enjoy superior long-term survival. Such patients are nonetheless less likely to receive a transplant than non-ACHD peers due to a variety of factors, including lack of applicability of current listing criteria to HF in ACHD. MCS is underutilized in ACHD, but provides similar quality of life benefits for ACHD and non-ACHD patients alike. Heart failure in ACHD is complex and difficult to treat, and both heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support are often challenging to implement in this patient population. However, long-term results are encouraging, and existing data supports increasing use of MCS and transplant earlier in their disease course. Multidisciplinary care is critical to success in these complex patients.