Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Timing in Head and Neck Cancer Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To examine outcomes and complications in patients receiving a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube on the same day of head and neck cancer (HNC) surgery versus later in hospitalization. METHODS: The 2003-2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried for patients undergoing ablative HNC procedures who had a PEG tube placed. Cases were stratified by PEG tube timing into an early (on the same day as ablative procedure) and late (later in hospitalization) group. Demographics and outcomes were compared using univariate analysis and multivariate regression modeling. RESULTS: A total of 4,068 cases were included, of which 2,206 (54.23%) underwent early PEG and 1,862 (45.77%) received a late PEG tube. Late PEG tube patients were more likely to have a diagnosis of malnutrition (18.0% vs. 15.3%, p = 0.018) or renal failure (4.7% vs. 3.0%, p = 0.006). On multivariate regression analysis, patients receiving late PEG tubes were more likely to experience aspiration pneumonia, acute pulmonary disease, infectious pneumonia, sepsis, hematoma, wound disruption, surgical site infection, and fistula formation (all p < 0.05). The mean length of stay and hospital charges in the late PEG group were significantly greater (17.1 vs. 12.6 days, p < 0.001) and ($159,993 vs. $125,705, p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing HNC surgery who received a PEG tube on the day of ablative surgery had lower complication rates, shorter length of stay, and decreased hospital costs compared to those who had a PEG tube placed later during hospitalization. Further research is needed to determine the causal relationships behind these findings. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 133:109-115, 2023.

Association between HbA1C (Glycated Hemoglobin) and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage After Neuro-intervention.

OBJECTIVE: Our study investigated the association between the level of HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) at admission and the prognosis of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS: A total of 510 patients treated with neuro-intervention for aneurysmal SAH and with data for admission HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) were included. Favorable clinical outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-2 at 3 months. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify the optimal cutoff value of HbA1C for unfavorable clinical outcomes. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between HbA1C level and outcomes. RESULTS: The optimal cutoff value of HbA1C was identified as 6.0% (P < 0.001), and patients with a high HbA1C (≥ 6.0%) had a lower prevalence of favorable clinical outcomes than patients with low HbA1C (< 6.0%) (P < 0.001). High HbA1C (≥ 6.0%) was independently associated with unfavorable clinical outcome (OR 2.84; 95% CI: 1.52-5.44; P = 0.004). The risk of unfavorable clinical outcome was significantly increased in patients with HbA1C (≥ 7.0%, < 8%) and HbA1C (≥ 8.0%) compared with lower baseline HbA1C (≥ 6.0%, < 7%) values (OR 2.17; 95% CI: 1.87-5.13; P = 0.011 and OR 4.25; 95% CI: 3.17-8.41; P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that HbA1C could be an independent predictor of worse outcomes following neuro-intervention for aneurysmal SAH. High HbA1C (≥ 6.0%) was associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes, and gradual elevation of HbA1C contributed to an increase in the risk of worse clinical outcomes after SAH.

Ureteral injuries in colorectal surgery and the impact of laparoscopic and robotic-assisted approaches.

BACKGROUND: Ureteral injury is a feared complication in colorectal surgery that has been increasing over the past decade. Some have attributed this to an increased adoption of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), but the literature is hardly conclusive. In this study we aim to further assess the overall trend of ureteral injuries in colorectal surgery, and investigate propensity adjusted contributions from open and MIS to include robotic-assisted surgery. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of colorectal surgeries from 2006 to 2016 using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify predisposing and protective factors. Demographics, hospital factors, and case-mix differences for open and MIS were accounted for via propensity analysis. The NIS coding structure changed in 2015, which could introduce a potential source of incongruity in complication rates over time. As a result, all statistical analyses included only the first nine years of data, or were conducted before and after the change for comparison. RESULTS: Of 514,162 colorectal surgeries identified there were 1598 ureteral injuries (0.31%). Ureteral injuries were found to be increasing through 2015 (2.3/1000 vs 3.3/1000; p < 0.001) and through the coding transition to 2016 (4.8/1000; p < 0.001). This trend was entirely accounted for by injuries made during open surgery, with decreasing injury rates for MIS over time. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) for ureteral injury with all MIS vs. open cases was 0.81 (95% CI 0.70-0.93, p = 0.003) and for robotic-assisted surgery alone versus open cases was 0.50 (95% CI 0.33-0.77, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate of ureteral injuries during open colorectal surgery is increasing over time, but have been stable or decreasing for MIS cases. These findings hold even after using propensity score analysis. More research is needed to further delineate the impact of MIS and robotic-assisted surgery on ureteral injuries.

DebriefLive: A Pilot Study of a Virtual Faculty Development Tool for Debriefing.

INTRODUCTION: The quality of healthcare simulation learning relies heavily on effective debriefers. Traditional methods of faculty development in debriefing lack a structured approach to achieve expertise via graduated and reflective practice. METHODS: The Simulation Learning, Education and Research Network (SimLEARN) developed DebriefLive, a virtual teaching environment, bringing together faculty and participant debriefers from across the Veterans Health Administration. Recorded simulation sessions were viewed followed by the opportunity for participant debriefers to debrief virtual learners. Participant debriefers were then provided structured and objective debriefings of the debriefings with the added opportunity for immediate practice. Program evaluation data for the pilot sessions were collected via electronic survey including a mix of Likert scale questions as well as short answer responses. RESULTS: On a 7-point Likert scale, participant debriefers (n = 15) rated the content as effective (mean = 6.67, SD = 0.47) and appropriate to their level (mean = 6.47, SD = 0.47). The technology of video-based scenarios (mean = 6.6, SD = 0.61), followed by avatar-based debriefing sessions (mean = 6.6, SD = 0.8), was felt to be accurate and appropriate. All participants would agree or strongly agree with recommending this training program to colleagues. CONCLUSIONS: Simulation instructors and fellows across the spectrum of the Veterans Health Administration found the innovative computer-based faculty development program DebriefLive acceptable as well as effective in increasing self-efficacy in debriefing. DebriefLive is an innovative and potentially disruptive tool, combining best practices in simulation theory and virtual technologies, for the training and assessment of debriefers.