Outcomes of neonatal patent ductus arteriosus ligation in Canadian neonatal units with and without pediatric cardiac surgery programs.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Preterm infants needing patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation are transferred to a pediatric cardiac center (CC) unless the operation can be done locally by a pediatric surgeon at a non-cardiac center (NCC). We compared infant outcomes after PDA ligation at CC and NCC. METHODS: We analyzed 990 preterm infants who had PDA ligation between 2005 and 2009 using the Canadian Neonatal Network database. In-hospital mortality and major morbidities were compared between CC (n=18) and NCC (n=9). RESULTS: SNAP-II-adjusted mortality rates were similar (CC=8.7% vs NCC=10.7%, P=.32). Significant cranial ultrasound abnormalities (CC=24.1% vs NCC=32.1%, P<.01) and culture-proven sepsis (CC=39.7% vs NCC=54.8%, P<.01) were more frequent in infants treated at NCC. Infants transferred to CC had higher rates of cranial ultrasound abnormalities (transferred 31.6% vs non-transferred 20.4%, P<.01). NSAIDs prior to PDA ligation were used more often at NCC (CC 36.6% vs NCC 75.6%, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rates after PDA ligation were similar at CC and NCC, but cranial ultrasound abnormalities and sepsis rates were higher at NCC. Higher morbidity may be associated with different PDA management strategies, including NSAID use or infant transfer. Further studies are needed to investigate the reasons for these differences in morbidity.

Thoracoscopic ligation versus coil occlusion for patent ductus arteriosus: a matched cohort study of outcomes and cost.

BACKGROUND: Coil occlusion (CO) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) have both emerged as minimal access therapies for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). These techniques have not previously been statistically compared. METHODS: Twenty-four consecutive children undergoing VATS for PDA were each retrospectively matched by PDA diameter and child weight to two children undergoing CO (total 48) during the same time period. The two modalities were compared with respect to outcome and cost. Statistical analysis was performed using a Student's t-test and Mantel-Haenszel relative risk. Cost analysis from an institutional perspective was used to compare resource consumption. RESULTS: Mean PDA diameter was 3.6 +/- 1.2 mm in both groups. Mean age and weight for VATS and CO children were 2.7 and 2.9 yrs and 13.2 and 13.1 kg, respectively. Mean surgical times were 94 +/- 34 min for VATS and 50 +/- 23 min for CO (p < 0.0001). Mean length of stay was 1.6 +/- 0.2 days for VATS and 0.6 +/- 0.2 days for CO (Mantel-Haenszel RR (95% CI) = 0.15 [0.07, 0.29], p < 0.0001). Mean fluoroscopy time with CO was 13 +/- 7 min. No VATS or CO children required conversion to open surgical ligation. Two children in each arm (8% VATS, 4% CO) required indefinite antibiotic endarteritis prophylaxis for a persistent shunt. The cost per child was C$ 4282.80 (Canadian dollars) for VATS and C$ 3958.08 for CO. CONCLUSIONS: VATS is as efficacious for PDA closure as CO but requires longer surgical times and lengths of stay. Costs for each procedure are similar.

Postoperative Hirschsprung's enterocolitis after minimally invasive Swenson's procedure.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Our preferred minimally invasive technique of Swenson's procedure has evolved from laparoscopic (LapSwen) to Swenson's transanal pullthrough (SWAP). We studied the incidence of postoperative Hirschsprung's enterocolitis (HEC) over the past decade. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 52 children who had a primary Swenson's pullthrough procedure between 1995 and 2006. Two cohorts (25 LapSwen [1995-2000] and 27 SWAP [1998-2006]) were compared. RESULTS: Median ages of diagnosis were 13 days for LapSwen and 4 days for SWAP. Median age at surgery was 4.1 months for LapSwen and 3.3 months for SWAP. Postoperative HEC occurred in 12% (16% LapSwen, 7.4% SWAP). The incidence of Down's syndrome and preoperative HEC did not differ between the 2 cohorts. Three children with HEC were Clostridium difficile-positive. Long-term function in the 36 children older than 4 years was excellent in 22%, good in 50%, fair in 11% and poor in 17%. CONCLUSION: Our incidence of postoperative HEC is low, and we have seen a trend toward fewer cases after the SWAP procedure. Early diagnosis, preoperative rectal irrigations, and routine postoperative anal dilatation may be contributing to the elimination of HEC as a significant risk after surgery for Hirschsprung's disease.

Undergraduate surgical training: variations in program objectives and curriculum implementation across Canada.

BACKGROUND: Although nationally recognized learning objectives for undergraduate surgical education exist, the extent to which Canadian medical schools follow these guidelines has never been established. METHODS: We distributed a survey to all program directors and clinical-teaching-unit coordinators for undergraduate surgery at Canada's 16 medical schools, and subsequently assessed the perceived emphasis placed on learning objectives and student performance, and the impact of instructional tools and teaching locations. RESULTS: Program directors in 15 medical schools responded to the survey. We identified a wide variation in the emphasis placed on basic learning objectives as well as specialty specific learning objectives. The length of rotations, methods of instruction and tools used to grade student performance also varied widely. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest significant variation in the design and implementation of undergraduate surgical education in Canada. This study may serve as a basis for reassessing learning objectives in Canadian undergraduate surgical education.