A multicenter prospective study of surgical audit systems.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to evaluate a modified form of Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress (E-PASS) for surgical audit comparing with other existing models. BACKGROUND: Although several scoring systems have been devised for surgical audit, no nation-wide survey has been performed yet. METHODS: We modified our previous E-PASS surgical audit system by computing the weights of 41 procedures, using data from 4925 patients who underwent elective digestive surgery, designated it as mE-PASS. Subsequently, a prospective cohort study was conducted in 43 national hospitals in Japan from April 1, 2005, to April 8, 2007. Variables for the E-PASS and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status-based model were collected for 5272 surgically treated patients. Of the 5272 patients, we also collected data for the Portsmouth modification of Physiologic and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and morbidity (P-POSSUM) in 3128 patients. The area under the receiver operative characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate discrimination performance to detect in-hospital mortality. The ratio of observed to estimated in-hospital mortality rates (OE ratio) was defined as a measure of quality. RESULTS: The numbers of variables required were 10 for E-PASS, 7 for mE-PASS, 20 for P-POSSUM, and 4 for the ASA status-based model. The AUC (95% confidence interval) values were 0.86 (0.79-0.93) for E-PASS, 0.86 (0.79-0.92) for mE-PASS, 0.81 (0.75-0.88) for P-POSSUM, and 0.73 (0.63-0.83) for the ASA status-based model. The OE ratios for mE-PASS among large-volume hospitals significantly correlated with those for E-PASS (R = 0.93, N = 9, P = 0.00026), P-POSSUM (R = 0.96, N = 6, P = 0.0021), and ASA status-based model (R = 0.83, N = 9, P = 0.0051). CONCLUSION: Because of its features of easy use, accuracy, and generalizability, mE-PASS is a candidate for a nation-wide survey.

Value of general surgical risk models for predicting postoperative morbidity and mortality in pancreatic resections for pancreatobiliary carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: The present study evaluated the utility of general surgical risk models to predict postoperative morbidity and mortality in the specialty field of pancreatic resections for pancreatobiliary carcinomas. METHODS: We investigated Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress (E-PASS), its modified version (mE-PASS), and Portsmouth Physiologic and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and morbidity (P-POSSUM) in 231 patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy (Group A). We also analyzed E-PASS and mE-PASS in another cohort of the same procedures (Group B, n = 313). RESULTS: Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for detecting in-hospital mortality in Group A were moderate at 0.75 for E-PASS, 0.69 for mE-PASS, and 0.69 for P-POSSUM. The predicted mortality rates of the models significantly correlated with severity of postoperative complications (ρ = 0.17, P = 0.011 for E-PASS; ρ = 0.15, and P = 0.027 for P-POSSUM). The AUCs were also moderate in Group B at 0.68 for E-PASS and 0.69 for mE-PASS. The predicted mortality rates significantly correlated with severity of postoperative complications (ρ = 0.18, P = 0.0018 for E-PASS; ρ = 0.17, and P = 0.0022 for mE-PASS). CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that the predictive powers of general risk models may be moderate in pancreatic resections. A novel model would be desirable for these procedures.

A case report of segmental arterial mediolysis in which computed tomography angiography was useful for diagnosis.

A 48-year-old male presented to our hospital with abdominal pain. Laboratory studies showed no abnormality, the severity of his abdominal pain decreased, and the patient was discharged. Five days later, the patient visited a neighborhood clinic because of fever with a 3-day history of temperatures of approximately 38 °C. The patient was admitted to our hospital 6 days after his initial visit. Laboratory investigation revealed a C-reactive protein level of 18.2 mg/dL. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed an 80 × 60 mm hematoma behind the descending colon, but no extravasation was detected. Thin-slice maximum-intensity-projection images from CT angiography (CTA) showed irregular narrowing and intermittent fusiform dilatations of the left colonic artery, suggesting a vascular disease, such as segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM). Digital subtraction angiography showed local irregularity, and 'beading and narrowing' of the left colonic artery, similar to the findings on CTA. Left hemicolectomy was electively performed on the twenty-fifth hospital day. Histological findings were consistent with SAM. Thus, CTA was a useful modality for the early diagnosis of SAM.

Gastric cancer following total proctocolectomy for colon cancer associated with ulcerative colitis.

Here we report a case of advanced gastric cancer seen after total proctocolectomy for an early colon cancer associated with ulcerative colitis (UC). A 42-year-old man, diagnosed with UC at the age of 21, had undergone total proctocolectomy at the age of 38 for an early ascending colon cancer. Three years later the patient developed tarry stools and epigastric discomfort. Laboratory data showed anemia together with elevated serum p53 antibody. Gastric endoscopy showed thickening folds around a lesion in the stomach body. The pathological diagnosis was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet-ring cell carcinoma. Total gastrectomy was performed and the resected specimens showed a diffuse infiltrating tumor (scirrhous gastric carcinoma), 11 × 15 cm in size, with multiple lymph node metastases. Histopathological examination revealed diffuse infiltration of cancer cells throughout the gastric wall and invasion of the serosa. Results of cytology on abdominal lavage were positive for cancer cells. Likewise, immunohistochemical staining showed gastric mucin phenotype cancer cells positive for p53. In conclusion, it is important to bear in mind that patients with UC, especially chronically active pancolitis, potentially bear the risk of upper gastrointestinal complications.