Impact of Ovarian Cancer Surgery Volume on Overall and Progression-Free Survival: A Population-Based Retrospective National French Study.

BACKGROUND: Data are limited on the relationship between ovarian cancer surgery volume and outcomes in France. METHODS: For this retrospective, population-based study, patients with ovarian cancer that was diagnosed between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2016 were identified from the French National Health Data System (SNDS). Hospitals were classified in function of their ovarian cancer surgery volume. Patient, tumor, hospital, and hospital stay characteristics also were evaluated. The hospital procedure volume effect on 5-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was determined with Cox-proportional hazards models. RESULTS: This study included 8429 patients and 53.4% underwent cytoreductive surgery in hospitals with procedure volume < 20 cases/year. The 5-year OS rates were 63% and 60% in hospitals with procedure volume ≥ 20 and < 20 cases/year (p = 0.02). In multivariate analysis, OS and RFS were significantly increased when surgery was performed in hospitals doing ≥ 20 surgeries/year (vs. < 20) (hazard ratio HR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.08-1.29 and HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.03-1.17). In the volume subgroup analysis, a difference was observed mainly between hospitals with < 10 surgeries/year and the other hospitals (HR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.14-1.41 and HR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.05-1.23). The patients' age and comorbidities, tumor stage, and hospital stay (duration, first cytoreduction surgery) were associated with OS. CONCLUSIONS: Ovarian cancer surgery volume ≥ 20 cases/year was significantly associated with improved OS and RFS but only with a limited clinical benefit. The biggest differences in OS and RFS were observed between hospitals with procedure volume < 10 cases/year and all the other hospitals.

The Value of Textbook Outcome in Benchmarking Pancreatoduodenectomy for Nonfunctioning Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Textbook outcome (TO) is a composite variable that can define the quality of pancreatic surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate TO after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PanNETs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who underwent PD for NF-PanNETs (2007-2016) in different centers were included in this retrospective study. TO was defined as the absence of severe postoperative complications and mortality, length of hospital stay ≤ 19 days, R0 resection, and at least 12 lymph nodes harvested. RESULTS: Overall, 477 patients were included. The TO rate was 32%. Tumor size [odds ratio (OR) 1.696; p = 0.013], a minimally invasive approach (OR 12.896; p = 0.001), and surgical volume (OR 2.062; p = 0.023) were independent predictors of TO. The annual frequency of PDs increased over time as well as the overall rate of TO. At a median follow-up of 44 months, patients who achieved TO had similar disease-free (p = 0.487) and overall survival (p = 0.433) rates compared with patients who did not achieve TO. TO rate in patients with NF-PanNET > 2 cm was 35% versus 27% in patients with NF-PanNET ≤ 2 cm (p = 0.044). Considering only NF-PanNETs > 2 cm, patients with TO and those without TO had comparable 5-year overall survival rates (p = 0.766) CONCLUSIONS: TO is achieved in one-third of patients after PD for NF-PanNETs and is not associated with a benefit in terms of long-term survival.

In the patient's shoes: The impact of hospital proximity and volume on stage I endometrial cancer care patterns and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the impact of travel burden and hospital volume on care patterns and outcomes in stage I endometrial cancer. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study identified patients from the National Cancer Database with stage I epithelial endometrial carcinoma who underwent hysterectomy between 2012 and 2020. Patients were categorized into: lowest quartiles of travel distance and hospital surgical volume for endometrial cancer (Local) and highest quartiles of distance and volume (Travel). Primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes were surgery route, lymph node (LN) assessment method, length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmission, and 30- and 90-day mortality. Results were stratified by tumor recurrence risk. Outcomes were compared using propensity-score matching. Propensity-adjusted survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using log-rank tests. Cox models estimated hazard ratios for death. Sensitivity analysis using modified Poisson regressions was performed. RESULTS: Among 36,514 patients, 51.4% were Local and 48.6% Travel. The two cohorts differed significantly in demographics and clinicopathologic characteristics. Upon propensity-score matching (p < 0.05 for all), more Travel patients underwent minimally invasive surgery (88.1%vs79.1%) with fewer conversions to laparotomy (2.0%vs2.6%), more sentinel (20.5%vs11.3%) and fewer traditional LN assessments (58.1vs61.7%) versus Local. Travel patients had longer intervals to surgery (≥30 days:56.7%vs50.1%) but shorter LOS (<2 days:76.9%vs59.8%), fewer readmissions (1.9%vs2.7%%), and comparable 30- and 90-day mortality. OS and HR for death remained comparable between the matched groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to surgery in nearby low-volume hospitals, patients with stage I epithelial endometrial cancer who travelled longer distances to high-volume centers experienced more favorable short-term outcomes and care patterns with comparable long-term survival.

Effect of surgical volume on short-term outcomes of cytoreductive surgery for advanced-stage ovarian cancer: A population-based study from the Dutch Gynecological Oncology Audit.

OBJECTIVE: Despite lacking clinical data, the Dutch government is considering increasing the minimum annual surgical volume per center from twenty to fifty cytoreductive surgeries (CRS) for advanced-stage ovarian cancer (OC). This study aims to evaluate whether this increase is warranted. METHODS: This population-based study included all CRS for FIGO-stage IIB-IVB OC registered in eighteen Dutch hospitals between 2019 and 2022. Short-term outcomes included result of CRS, length of stay, severe complications, 30-day mortality, time to adjuvant chemotherapy, and textbook outcome. Patients were stratified by annual volume: low-volume (nine hospitals, <25), medium-volume (four hospitals, 29-37), and high-volume (five hospitals, 54-84). Descriptive statistics and multilevel logistic regressions were used to assess the (case-mix adjusted) associations of surgical volume and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 1646 interval CRS (iCRS) and 789 primary CRS (pCRS) were included. No associations were found between surgical volume and different outcomes in the iCRS cohort. In the pCRS cohort, high-volume was associated with increased complete CRS rates (aOR 1.9, 95%-CI 1.2-3.1, p = 0.010). Furthermore, high-volume was associated with increased severe complication rates (aOR 2.3, 1.1-4.6, 95%-CI 1.3-4.2, p = 0.022) and prolonged length of stay (aOR 2.3, 95%-CI 1.3-4.2, p = 0.005). 30-day mortality, time to adjuvant chemotherapy, and textbook outcome were not associated with surgical volume in the pCRS cohort. Subgroup analyses (FIGO-stage IIIC-IVB) showed similar results. Various case-mix factors significantly impacted outcomes, warranting case-mix adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses do not support further centralization of iCRS for advanced-stage OC. High-volume was associated with higher complete pCRS, suggesting either a more accurate selection in these hospitals or a more aggressive approach. The higher completeness rates were at the expense of higher severe complications and prolonged admissions.

Preserving Essential Skills: The Future of Vaginal Hysterectomy Training in Urogynaecology.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the training and self-assessed proficiency of surgeons in the surgical management of pelvic organ prolapse (POP). We focused on the factors that influence decision-making, the surgical techniques employed, the training received, and the management of complications. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey. SETTING: An electronic questionnaire. POPULATION: European Urogynaecological Association (EUGA) and International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) members. METHODS: A total of 33 questions evaluating surgeon preference regarding vaginal surgeries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographics, surgical selection, proficiency and technique, and training methods. RESULTS: There were 471 respondents, of which 273 (58%) dedicated more than 50% of their week to urogynaecology. 250 (53%) had completed a fellowship, with 215 (86%) of those fellowships being in urogynaecology and pelvic floor reconstruction. A preference for hysterectomy in cases of uterine descent was noted by 297 (63%) respondents, influenced mainly by patient preference, age, and prolapse anatomical score. A total of 443 (94%) were proficient in vaginal hysterectomy, with two-thirds performing 30 or fewer procedures annually; 212 (45%) reporting a decrease in the number of procedures over the last decade. Additionally, 373 (79%) respondents believed that 10-30 cases were needed to achieve and maintain proficiency. CONCLUSION: Vaginal hysterectomy remains a key component in uterine prolapse repair. However, with the rise of uterine-sparing prolapse repairs, the decision-making process may be influenced by multiple factors, including surgical training. Emphasis should be placed on training and maintaining proficiency in both traditional and novel techniques.

A time-frame comparison study of surgical volume shifts on female primary stress urinary incontinence surgery.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective was to investigate the surgical volume shifts for primary female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) over a 20-year period (1999-2018) in Taiwan. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study based on Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. We divided the time-frame into four periods: first period (1999-2003), second period (2004-2008), third period (2009-2013), and fourth period (2014-2018). The variables included major surgical types for SUI (retropubic urethropexy, pubovaginal sling, midurethral sling, etc.), surgeon gender, specialty, surgical volume (high ≥30, median 5-29, low <5), and hospital accreditation level. Reoperation rates within 1 year were analyzed as an outcome measurement. RESULTS: A total of 51,018 patients were identified. Major surgical types increased significantly during the first three periods and slightly decreased during the fourth period. The proportion of surgical volume shifted from high- to medium-, and low-volume, but it reversed during the fourth period. The proportion of SUI surgeries decreased in medical centers, whereas it increased in regional and local hospitals. The proportion of SUI surgeries by female surgeons increased. Similar phenomena occurred in MUS. As for surgeon specialty, major surgical types were performed by gynecologists and urologists equally, whereas MUS were performed more by gynecologists than by urologists. Unexpectedly, 1-year reoperation rates were higher in high-volume surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical trend of SUI surgeries shifted from high- to medium-, and low-volume surgeons, medical centers to regional and local hospitals during the study periods. This implied surgical skills and performance spreading, which may have a great influence on patient and healthcare provider choice of treatment.

Twenty Years' Experience in Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for Testicular Cancer in a Tertiary Referral Center.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this article is to present a single-surgeon, open retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) series for testicular cancer in a high-volume center. Materials and Methods: We reviewed data from patients who underwent RPLND performed by an experienced surgeon at our institution between 2000 and 2019. We evaluated surgical and perioperative outcomes, complications, Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS), Overall Survival (OS), and Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS). Results: RPLND was performed in primary and secondary settings in 21 (32%) and 44 (68%) patients, respectively. Median operative time was 180 min. Median hospital stay was 6 days. Complications occurred in 23 (35%) patients, with 9 (14%) events reported as Clavien grade ≥ 3. Patients in the primary RPLND group were significantly younger, more likely to have NSGCT, had higher clinical N0 and M0, and had higher nerve-sparing RPLND (all p ≤ 0.04) compared to those in the secondary RPLND group. In the median follow-up of 120 (56-180) months, 10 (15%) patients experienced recurrence. Finally, 20-year OS, CSS, and RFS were 89%, 92%, and 85%, respectively, with no significant difference in survival rates between primary vs. secondary RPLND subgroups (p = 0.64, p = 0.7, and p = 0.31, respectively). Conclusions: Open RPLND performed by an experienced high-volume surgeon achieves excellent oncological and functional outcomes supporting the centralization of these complex procedures.

An Investigation for Future Practice of Elective Hip and Knee Arthroplasties during COVID-19 in Romania.

Background and Objectives: Elective arthroplasty in Romania has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its effects are not quantified so far. The aim of this paper is to determine the impact of COVID-19 on arthroplasty interventions and how they varied in Romania. Materials and Methods: We performed a national retrospective analysis of patients who underwent primary and revision elective hip and knee interventions at the 120 orthopedic-traumatology hospitals in Romania that are registered in the National Endoprosthesis Registry from 1 January 2019 to 1 September 2022. First, we examined the monthly trend in the number of surgeries for seven categories of arthroplasties. We calculated the percentage change in the average number of cases per month and compared them with other types of interventions. We then examined the percentage change in the average monthly number of arthroplasty cases, relative to the number of COVID-19 cases reported nationwide, the influence of the pandemic on length of hospital stay, and the percentage of patients discharged at home who no longer follow recovery protocols. Finally, we calculated the impact of the pandemic on hospital revenues. Results: There was an abrupt decrease in the volume of primary interventions in hip and knee patients by up to 69.14% with a low degree of patient care, while the average duration of scheduled hospitalizations increased. We found a 1-2-day decrease in length of hospital stays for explored arthroplasties. We saw an increasing trend of home discharge, which was higher for primary interventions compared to revision interventions. The total hospital revenues were 50.96% lower in 2020 compared to 2019, and are currently increasing, with the 2022 estimate being 81.46%. Conclusions: The conclusion of this study is that the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the volume of arthroplasty of the 120 hospitals in Romania, which also had unfavorable financial implications. We proposed the development of new procedures and alternative clinical solutions, as well as personalized home recovery programs, to be activated if necessary, for possible future outbreaks.

Surgical volume threshold to improve 3-year survival in designated cancer care hospitals in 2004-2012 in Japan.

In Japan, cancer care hospitals designated by the national government have a surgical volume requirement of 400 annually, which is not necessarily defined based on patient outcomes. This study aimed to estimate surgical volume thresholds that ensure optimal 3-year survival for three periods. In total, 186 965 patients who had undergone surgery for solid cancers in 66 designated cancer care hospitals in Osaka between 2004 and 2012 were examined using data from a population-based cancer registry. These hospitals were categorized by the annual surgical volume of each 50 surgeries (eg, 0-49, 50-99, and so on). Using multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression, we estimated the adjusted 3-year survival probability per surgical volume category for 2004-2006, 2007-2009, and 2010-2012. Using the joinpoint regression model that computes inflection points in a linear relationship, we estimated the points at which the trend of the association between surgical volume and survival probability changes, defining them as surgical volume thresholds. The adjusted 3-year survival ranges were 71.7%-90.0%, 68.2%-90.0%, and 79.2%-90.3% in 2004-2006, 2007-2009, and 2010-2012, respectively. The surgical volume thresholds were identified at 100-149 in 2004-2006 and 2007-2009 and 200-249 in 2010-2012. The extents of change in the adjusted 3-year survival probability per increase of 50 surgical volumes were +4.00%, +6.88%, and +1.79% points until the threshold and +0.41%, +0.30%, and +0.11% points after the threshold in 2004-2006, 2007-2009, and 2010-2012, respectively. The existing surgical volume requirements met our estimated thresholds. Surgical volume thresholds based on the association with patient survival may be used as a reference to validate the surgical volume requirement.

Impact of the COVID-19-pandemic on patients with gynecological malignancies undergoing surgery: A Dutch population-based study using data from the 'Dutch Gynecological Oncology Audit'.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19-pandemic caused drastic healthcare changes worldwide. To date, the impact of these changes on gynecological cancer healthcare is relatively unknown. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19-pandemic on surgical gynecological-oncology healthcare. METHODS: This population-based cohort study included all surgical procedures with curative intent for gynecological malignancies, registered in the Dutch Gynecological Oncology Audit, in 2018-2020. Four periods were identified based on COVID-19 hospital admission rates: 'Pre-COVID-19', 'First wave', 'Interim period', and 'Second wave'. Surgical volume, perioperative care processes, and postoperative outcomes from 2020 were compared with 2018-2019. RESULTS: A total of 11,488 surgical procedures were analyzed. For cervical cancer, surgical volume decreased by 17.2% in 2020 compared to 2018-2019 (mean 2018-2019: n = 542.5, 2020: n = 449). At nadir (interim period), only 51% of the expected cervical cancer procedures were performed. For ovarian, vulvar, and endometrial cancer, volumes remained stable. Patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer more frequently received neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 2020 compared to 2018-2019 (67.7% (n = 432) vs. 61.8% (n = 783), p = 0.011). Median time to first treatment was significantly shorter in all four malignancies in 2020. For vulvar and endometrial cancer, the length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in 2020. No significant differences in complicated course and 30-day-mortality were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19-pandemic impacted surgical gynecological-oncology healthcare: in 2020, surgical volume for cervical cancer dropped considerably, waiting time was significantly shorter for all malignancies, while neoadjuvant chemotherapy administration for advanced-stage ovarian cancer increased. The safety of perioperative healthcare was not negatively impacted by the pandemic, as complications and 30-day-mortality remained stable.

The impact of hospital volume on racial disparities in resected rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although high volume centers (HVC) equate to improved outcomes in rectal cancer, the impact of surgical volume related to race is less defined. METHODS: Patients who underwent surgical resection for stage I-III rectal adenocarcinoma were divided into cohorts based on race and hospital surgical volume. Outcomes were analyzed following 1:1 propensity-score matching using logistic, Poisson, and Cox regression analyses with marginal effects. RESULTS: Fifty-four thousand one hundred and eighty-four (91.5%) non-Black and 5043 (8.5%) Black patients underwent resection of rectal cancer. Following 1:1 matching of non-Black (N = 5026) and Black patients, 5-year overall survival (OS) of Black patients was worse (72% vs. 74.4%, average marginal effects [AME] 0.66, p = 0.04) than non-Black patients. When compared to non-Black patients managed at HVCs, Black patients had worse OS (70.1% vs. 74.7%, AME 1.55, p = 0.03), but this difference was not significant when comparing OS between non-Black and Black patients managed at HVCs (72.3% vs. 74.7%, AME 0.62, p = 0.06). Length of stay was longer among Black and HVC patients across all cohorts. There was no difference across cohorts in 90-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Although racial disparities exist in rectal cancer, this disparity appears to be ameliorated when patients are managed at HVCs.

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis; 18 years of experience and outcomes across two generations of surgeons at a tertiary center in Sweden.

AIM: Reconstructive surgery with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the standard procedure after colectomy in patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). It is of interest to understand how a generation shift of the surgeons performing IPAA has affected patients' outcomes. METHOD: All consecutive patients who underwent IPAA in the period 1999-2016 at Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, Gothenburg, Sweden, were included. Surgeons representing two different generations performed the surgeries during this period. The following 6-year time periods were assigned for surgeries performed by: experienced surgeons (1999-2004; Period 1); the new generation of surgeons undergoing training (2005-2010; Period 2); and the new generation of experienced surgeons (2011-2016; Period 3). The primary endpoint was post-operative complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥3b), and the secondary endpoints were the functional outcome, failure of the pouch, and mortality. Logistic analyses of the results were performed. RESULTS: Overall, 281 patients were included in the study. The rate of post-operative severe complications was lower in Period 1 [Odds Ratio (OR) 0.137; p = .01]. There was no difference in functional outcome between the groups. CONCLUSION: This study implicates that the risk of post-operative complications after IPAA is lower when the surgery is performed by a generation of more-experienced surgeons. This might support literature that concludes that surgical units that have a high throughput of patients and are staffed by surgeons who perform many procedures provide better outcomes.

Hospital surgical volume-outcome relationship in caesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between hospital surgical volume of caesarean hysterectomy and surgical morbidity in women with placenta accreta spectrum (PAS). DESIGN: Population-based retrospective cohort study. SETTING: National Inpatient Sample, January 2016 to December 2018. POPULATION: Six thousand and ten women with PAS who underwent caesarean hysterectomy in 738 centres. METHODS: (1) Comprehensive modelling for relative hospital surgical volume cut-point selection, (2) multinomial regression analysis for characterising hospital surgical volume, and (3) binary logistic regression analysis to examine the volume-outcome relationship. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgical morbidity (haemorrhage, coagulopathy, shock, urinary tract injury, and death). RESULTS: The majority of centres had five surgeries over the 3-year period (468 centres, 63.4%) and were grouped as the low-volume group. Surgical morbidity decreased after a relative hospital surgical volume of 25 cases (24 centres, 3.3%) was reached, grouped as the high-volume group. The remaining centres were grouped as the mid-volume group (246 centres, 33.3%). In multivariable analysis, women in the high-volume group were more likely to be Black, have lower median household income, medical comorbidity, previous caesarean delivery, placenta praevia or placenta percreta, and to have undergone surgeries at large urban teaching hospitals compared with those in the low-volume group (all, P < 0.05). After controlling for patient demographics, hospital characteristics and pregnancy factors, performance of caesarean hysterectomy at high-volume centres was associated with a 22% decreased risk of surgical complications compared with surgery at the low-volume centres (adjusted odds ratio 0.78, 95% CI 0.64-0.94). CONCLUSION: Caesarean hysterectomy for PAS is a rare surgical procedure. Higher hospital surgical volume may be associated with improved surgical outcome in PAS. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Higher hospital caesarean hysterectomy volume may be associated with improved surgical outcome in PAS.

Trends and Perioperative Outcomes across Elective Benign Hysterectomy Procedures from the ACS-NSQIP 2007-2017.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: In this study, we describe trends of all 3 routes of hysterectomy, patient demographics, and perioperative morbidity among women undergoing surgery for benign indications between 2007 and 2017. We also sought to compare the rates of extended length of stay (ELOS) and readmission rates among the laparoscopic, abdominal, and transvaginal routes. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. STUDY SETTING: National database study. PATIENTS: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to identify patients who underwent an elective hysterectomy for benign indication between 2007 and 2017. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes and excluded if their indication for surgery included cancer and pelvic organ prolapse diagnoses based on International Classification of Diseases codes. The collected variables of interest included age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, uterine weight of >250 grams, and operative time. Our outcomes of interest included ELOS and readmission within 30 days. ELOS was defined as a hospital admission of 2 days or more after laparoscopic and transvaginal hysterectomy and greater than 3 days for an abdominal hysterectomy. Summary statistics were used to evaluate shifts in patient characteristics and postoperative outcomes by hysterectomy route and year of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression analysis, stratified by year, comparing laparoscopic with transvaginal and abdominal hysterectomies was performed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There were 224 357 patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of those, 132 567 (59.1%) underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy, 30 105 (13.4%) a vaginal hysterectomy, and 61 685 (27.5%) an abdominal hysterectomy. The rate of laparoscopic hysterectomy increased by >200% between 2007 and 2017, whereas the rates of transvaginal and abdominal hysterectomies steadily decreased (-58% and -42%, respectively) The mean age, median obesity, and American Society of Anesthesiologists classification increased among women undergoing hysterectomy across all routes with the sharpest increase within the laparoscopic hysterectomy group (% increase in mean age [2.1%, 1.3%, 0.7%] and mean body mass index [9.1%, 4.3%, 3.7%] for laparoscopic, transvaginal, and abdominal routes, respectively). In 2017, the odds of ELOS were 29% lower for those who received laparoscopic than those who received abdominal hysterectomy (p <.001). Comparing the rates of readmission between the laparoscopic and abdominal hysterectomy groups shows that the odds of readmission are significantly lower for patients who receive a laparoscopic hysterectomy across all 11 years (p <.001). CONCLUSION: The rates of laparoscopic hysterectomy have been steadily increasing over the past 11 years. This large retrospective study confirms the lowest rates of readmission and ELOS within the laparoscopic hysterectomy group despite the rising medical complexity of the patients.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Centers of Medicaid and Medicare Services Regulatory Reform Impact on Total Hip Arthroplasty Metrics.

BACKGROUND: Shifts in demand, capacity, and site of service have impacted total hip arthroplasty (THA) volumes and revenues over the 2019-2021 time period. Moving THA off the inpatient-only (IPO) list and the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in delivery away from inpatient services and a decrease in demand. METHODS: Medicare claims data were surveyed for the latest period available (April 1, 2020 to September 2020) and compared with a similar period in 2019 prior to THA removal from the IPO list and before the COVID-19 pandemic. Length of stay (LOS), admission status, site of service, discharge status, cost to CMS (Centers of Medicaid and Medicare Services), and racial disparities were analyzed. RESULTS: From 2019 to 2020, changes in primary THA metrics occurred (overall change in total joint arthroplasty [THA plus total knee arthroplasty metrics]): CMS THA volume decreased from 78,691 to 65,360, -16% (-22%); THA performed as an outpatient increased from 0% to 51% (141%); THA performed as same-day discharge increased from 3% to 12%, 325% (221%); overall LOS decreased from 1.91 to 1.46, -23% (-11%); inpatient LOS increased from 1.92 to 2.05, 7% (16%); outpatient LOS increased from 0.92 to 0.93, 1% (-12%); discharge home increased from 82% to 91%, 12.8% (11%); and CMS spending decreased from $1,033 million to $751 million, -27% (-27%). CONCLUSION: Medicare payments, LOS, discharge to facilities, and volume declined from 2019 to 2020 and were accelerated by IPO list changes and COVID-19 issues. Same-day discharge and hospital outpatient department cases also increased. THA metrics were not affected by race.

Correlation of surgical case volume and fellowship training with performance on simulated procedural tasks.

BACKGROUND: High-volume and fellowship-trained surgeons have superior outcomes. However, in gynecology, a large proportion of cases are performed by low-volume surgeons. Simulation has been shown to be useful in assessing surgical skill and may be a useful tool in hospital credentialing and maintenance of privileges. OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation between a surgical case volume and fellowship training with performance on simulated procedural tasks. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 108 obstetricians and gynecologists with laparoscopic privileges at 2 academic institutions completed a pre-test survey and performed 3 tasks on the LapSim laparoscopic virtual reality simulator. The pre-test survey inquired about the monthly laparoscopic case volume and prior training. Simulations included a basic skills task (peg transfer) followed by a procedural task (salpingectomy) of 2 difficulty levels (low and moderate). Spearman correlation and Wilcoxon tests were used to determine correlations between the survey responses and performance metrics. RESULTS: Participants included 67 generalists (62%) and 41 fellowship-trained specialists (38%). There was an observed weak correlation among surgical volume (more than 6 cases per month), time to completion, and the amount of blood loss when performing the low-difficulty level salpingectomy (r=-0.32, P=.0007 and r=-0.29, P=.002, respectively). The economy of movement (instrument path length) was correlated to high surgical volume (r=-0.35, P=.0002). Compared with generalists, surgeons with fellowship training performed tasks faster (410.8 seconds [interquartile range, 309.7-595.2]) vs 530.2 seconds (interquartile range, 406.2-605.0; P=.0009), more efficiently at 6.1 m (interquartile range, 4.8-7.3) vs 8.1 m (interquartile range, 5.8-10.7; P=.0003), and with less blood loss at 21.7 mL (interquartile range, 11.8-37.7) vs 42.9 mL (interquartile range, 18.1-70.6; P=.002). Regarding the case volume and fellowship background, there was no difference in ovarian diathermy damage. In addition, there was no difference among most performance parameters for the peg transfer task and the moderate-difficulty salpingectomy procedure. CONCLUSION: Surgical experience obtained through higher case volume and fellowship training correlate with higher performance scores during simulated procedural tasks. In a previous study, we found a similar correlation with simulated basic skills tasks. The current study is a continuation of an ongoing quality initiative to establish a summative assessment of laparoscopic surgical skills using virtual reality simulator for the maintenance of credentials among obstetrical and gynecologic surgeons. Future studies will compare the performance metrics from laparoscopic procedures performed on virtual reality simulator with the performance in the operating room and clinical outcomes.

A Nation-Wide Review of Elective Surgery and COVID-Surge Capacity.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in over 225,000 excess deaths in the United States. A moratorium on elective surgery was placed early in the pandemic to reduce risk to patients and staff and preserve critical care resources. This report evaluates the impact of the elective surgical moratorium on case volumes and intensive care unit (ICU) bed utilization. METHODS: This retrospective review used a national convenience sample to correlate trends in the weekly rates of surgical cases at 170 Veterans Affairs Hospitals around the United States from January 1 to September 30, 2020 to national trends in the COVID-19 pandemic. We reviewed data on weekly number of procedures performed and ICU bed usage, stratified by level of urgency (elective, urgent, emergency), and whether an ICU bed was required within 24 hours of surgery. National data on the proportion of COVID-19 positive test results and mortality rates were obtained from the Center for Disease Control website. RESULTS: 198,911 unique surgical procedures performed during the study period. The total number of cases performed from January 1 to March 16 was 86,004 compared with 15,699 from March 17 to May 17. The reduction in volume occurred before an increase in the percentage of COVID-19 positive test results and deaths nationally. There was a 91% reduction from baseline in the number of elective surgeries performed allowing 78% of surgical ICU beds to be available for COVID-19 positive patients. CONCLUSION: The moratorium on elective surgical cases was timely and effective in creating bed capacity for critically ill COVID-19 patients. Further analyses will allow targeted resource allocation for future pandemic planning.

Hospital Surgical Volume and 3-Year Mortality in Severe Prognosis Cancers: A Population-Based Study Using Cancer Registry Data.

BACKGROUND: The impact of hospital surgical volume on long-term mortality has not been well assessed in Japan, especially for esophageal, biliary tract, and pancreatic cancer, although these three cancers need a high level of medical-technical skill. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between hospital surgical volume and 3-year mortality for these severe-prognosis cancer patients. METHODS: Patients who received curative surgery for esophageal, biliary tract, and pancreatic cancers were analyzed using the Osaka Cancer Registry data from 2006-2013. Hospital surgical volume was categorized into tertiles (high/middle/low) according to the average annual number of curative surgeries per hospital for each cancer. Three-year survivals were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Hazard ratios (HRs) of 3-year mortality were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for patient characteristics. RESULTS: Three-year survival was higher with increased hospital surgical volume for all three cancers, but the relative importance of volume varied across sites. After adjustment for all confounding factors, HRs in middle- and low-volume hospitals were 1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-1.58) and 1.57 (95% CI, 1.33-1.86) for esophageal cancer; 1.39 (95% CI, 1.15-1.67) and 1.57 (95% CI, 1.30-1.89) for biliary tract cancer; 1.38 (95% CI, 1.16-1.63) and 1.90 (95% CI, 1.60-2.25) for pancreatic cancer, respectively. In particular for localized pancreatic cancer, the impact of hospital surgical volume on 3-year mortality was strong (HR 2.66; 95% CI, 1.61-4.38). CONCLUSION: We suggest that patients who require curative surgery for esophageal, biliary tract, and pancreatic cancer may benefit from referral to high-volume hospitals.

Surgical volume reduction and the announcement of triage during the 1st wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: a cohort study using an interrupted time series analysis.

PURPOSE: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented challenges for surgical staffs to minimize exposure to COVID-19 or save medical resources without harmful patient outcomes, in accordance with the statement of each surgical society. No research has empirically validated declines in surgical volume in Japan, based on the usage of surgical triage. We aimed to identify whether the announcement of surgical priorities by each Japanese surgical society may have affected the surgical volume decline during the 1st wave of this pandemic. METHODS: We extracted 490,719 available cases of patients aged > 15 years who underwent elective major surgeries between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2020. After the categorization of surgical specialities, we calculated descriptive statistics to compare the year-over-year trend and conducted an interrupted time series analysis to validate the decline of each surgical procedure. RESULTS: Monthly surgical cases of eight surgical specialities, especially ophthalmology and ear/nose/throat surgeries, decreased from April 2020 and reached a minimum in May 2020. An interrupted time series analysis showed no significant trends in oncological and critical surgeries. CONCLUSION: Non-critical surgeries showed obvious and statistically significant declines in case volume during the 1st wave of the COVID-19 pandemic according to the statement of each surgical society in Japan.

Long-term outcomes of pelvic organ prolapse repair using a mesh-capturing device when comparing single- versus multicenter use.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare long-term effects of high-volume surgery at a single-center to multicenter use when using a mesh-capturing device for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair. METHODS: Five years after surgery 101 (88%) at the single center were compared with 164 (81.2%) in the multicenter trial. Outcome measurements included clinical examination, prolapse-specific symptom questionnaires [Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory 20 (PFDI-20), Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-short form (PFIQ-7), Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12)] and pain estimation by VAS (0-10). RESULTS: Optimal apical segment outcome was 95% in the single- compared to 83.3% in the multicenter study (p < 0.001). POP recurrence in the anterior and posterior walls (POP-Q, Ba and Bp ≥ 0) was more common at the multicenter as compared to the single center [(19.8% vs 5.4%) and (26% vs 2.7%), (p < 0.001)]. Reoperations for POP and mesh-related complications were more frequent in the multicenter study [31/202 (15.3%) vs 7/116 (6.1%), p < 0.001]. Total PFDI-20, PFIQ-7 and PISQ-12 scores were comparable between the cohorts. There were no significant differences in overall pain scores in-between the cohorts during follow-up. At the single center, 1/81 patients (1.2%) had VAS 7/10, i.e. severe pain, as compared to 3/131 (2.3%) in the multicenter study (p = 0.277). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the high objective and subjective long-term effectiveness of the procedure in both regular use, and at a high-volume center, centralizing the use of a standardized capturing-device guided transvaginal mesh for POP repair reduced secondary interventions by more than half.