Racial and Ethnic Minority Patients Have Increased Complication Risks When Undergoing Surgery While Not Meeting Clinical Guidelines.

BACKGROUND: Clinical guidelines for performing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) have not been uniformly adopted in practice because research has suggested that they may foster inequities in surgical access, potentially disadvantaging minority sociodemographic groups. The aim of this study was to assess whether undergoing TJA without meeting clinical guidelines affects complication risk and leads to disparities in postoperative outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study evaluated the records of 11,611 adult patients who underwent primary TJA from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2020, at an academic hospital network. Based on self-reported race and ethnicity, 89.5% of patients were White, 3.5% were Black, 2.9% were Hispanic, 1.3% were Asian, and 2.8% were classified as other. Patients met institutional guidelines for undergoing TJA if they had a hemoglobin A1c of <8.0% and a body mass index of <40 kg/m 2 and were not currently smoking. A logistic regression model was utilized to identify factors associated with complications, and a mixed-effects model was utilized to identify factors associated with not meeting guidelines for undergoing TJA. RESULTS: During the study period, 11% (1,274) of the 11,611 adults who underwent primary TJA did not meet clinical guidelines. Compared with the group who met guidelines, the group who did not had higher proportions of Black patients (3.2% versus 6.0%; p < 0.001) and Hispanic patients (2.7% versus 4.6%; p < 0.001). An increased risk of not meeting guidelines at the time of surgery was demonstrated among Black patients (odds ratio [OR], 1.60 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.22 to 2.10]; p = 0.001) and patients insured by Medicaid (OR, 1.75 [95% CI, 1.26 to 2.44]; p = 0.001) or Medicare (OR, 1.22 [95% CI, 1.06 to 1.41]; p = 0.007). Patients who did not meet guidelines had a higher risk of reoperation than those who met guidelines (7.7% [98] versus 5.9% [615]; p = 0.017), including a higher risk of infection-related reoperation (3.1% [40] versus 1.4% [147]; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We found that patients who underwent TJA despite not meeting institutional preoperative criteria had a higher risk of postoperative complications. These patients were more likely to be from racial and ethnic minority groups, to have a lower socioeconomic status, and to have Medicare or Medicaid insurance. These findings underscore the need for surgery-related shared decision-making that is informed by evidence-based guidelines in order to reduce complication burden. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Quality of Life After Axillary Lymph Node Dissection Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Women.

Importance: Higher lymphedema rates after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) have been found in Black and Hispanic women; however, there is poor correlation between subjective symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and measured lymphedema. Additionally, racial and ethnic differences in QOL have been understudied. Objective: To evaluate the association of race and ethnicity with long-term QOL in patients with breast cancer treated with ALND. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study enrolled women aged 18 years and older with breast cancer who underwent unilateral ALND at a tertiary cancer center between November 2016 and March 2020. Preoperatively and at 6-month intervals, arm volume was measured by perometer and QOL was assessed using the Upper Limb Lymphedema-27 (ULL-27) questionnaire, a validated tool for assessing lymphedema that evaluates how arm symptoms affect physical, psychological, and social functioning. Data were analyzed from November 2016 to October 2023. Exposures: Breast surgery and unilateral ALND in the primary setting or after sentinel lymph node biopsy. Main Outcomes and Measures: Scores in each domain of the ULL-27 were compared by race and ethnicity. Factors impacting QOL were identified using multivariable regression analyses. Results: The study included 281 women (median [IQR] age, 48 [41-58] years) with breast cancer who underwent unilateral ALND and had at least 6 months of follow-up. Of these, 30 patients (11%) self-identified as Asian individuals, 57 (20%) as Black individuals, 23 (8%) as Hispanic individuals, and 162 (58%) as White individuals; 9 individuals (3%) who did not identify as part of a particular group or who were missing race and ethnicity data were categorized as having unknown race and ethnicity. Median (IQR) follow-up was 2.97 (1.96-3.67) years. The overall 2-year lymphedema rate was 20% and was higher among Black (31%) and Hispanic (27%) women compared with Asian (15%) and White (17%) women (P = .04). Subjective arm swelling was more common among Asian (57%), Black (70%), and Hispanic (87%) women than White (44%) women (P < .001), and lower physical QOL scores were reported by racial and ethnic minority women at nearly every follow-up. For example, at 24 months, median QOL scores were 87, 79, and 80 for Asian, Black, and Hispanic women compared with 92 for White women (P = .003). On multivariable analysis, Asian race (ß = -5.7; 95% CI, -9.5 to -1.8), Hispanic ethnicity (ß = -10.0; 95% CI, -15.0 to -5.2), and having Medicaid (ß = -5.4; 95% CI, -9.2 to -1.7) or Medicare insurance (ß = -6.9; 95% CI, -10.0 to -3.4) were independently associated with worse physical QOL (all P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: Findings of this cohort study suggest that Asian, Black, and Hispanic women experience more subjective arm swelling after unilateral ALND for breast cancer compared with White women. Black and Hispanic women had higher rates of objective lymphedema than their White counterparts. Both minority status and public medical insurance were associated with worse physical QOL. Understanding disparities in QOL after ALND is an unmet need and may enable targeted interventions to improve QOL for these patients.

Examining racial disparities in utilization rate and perioperative outcomes following knee and hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Previous arthroplasty utilization research predominantly examined Black and White populations within the US. This is the first known study to examine utilization and complications in poorly studied minority racial groups such as Asians and Native Hawaiian/Pacific-Islanders (NHPI) as compared to Whites. RESULTS: Data from 3304 primary total hip and knee arthroplasty patients (2011 to 2019) were retrospectively collected, involving 1789 Asians (52.2%), 1164 Whites (34%) and 320 Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders (NHPI) (9.3%). The 2012 arthroplasty utilization rates for Asian, White, and NHPI increased by 32.5%, 11.2%, and 86.5%, respectively, by 2019. Compared to Asians, Whites more often underwent hip arthroplasty compared to knee arthroplasty (odds ratio (OR) 1.755; p < 0.001). Compared to Asians, Whites and NHPI more often received total knee compared to unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (White: OR 1.499; NHPI: OR 2.013; p < 0.001). White patients had longer hospitalizations (2.66 days) compared to Asians (2.19 days) (p = 0.005) following bilateral procedures. Medicare was the most common insurance for Asians (66.2%) and Whites (54.2%) while private insurance was most common for NHPI (49.4%). Compared to Asians, economic status was higher for Whites (White OR 0.695; p < 0.001) but lower for NHPI (OR 1.456; p < 0.001). After controlling for bilateral procedures, NHPI had a lower risk of transfusion compared to Asians (OR 0.478; p < 0.001) and Whites had increased risk of wound or systemic complications compared to Asians (OR 2.086; p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Despite NHPI demonstrating a significantly poorer health profile and lower socioeconomic status, contrary to previous literature involving minority racial groups, no significant overall differences in arthroplasty utilization rates or perioperative complications could be demonstrated amongst the racial groups examined.

Associations between race and ethnicity and perioperative outcomes among women undergoing hysterectomy for adenomyosis.

OBJECTIVE: To study racial and ethnic disparities among women undergoing hysterectomy performed for adenomyosis across the United States. DESIGN: A cohort study. SETTING: Data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) from 2012-2020. PATIENTS: Patients with an adenomyosis diagnosis. INTERVENTION: Hysterectomy for adenomyosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients were identified using the International Classification of Diseases 9th and 10th editions codes 617.0 and N80.0 (endometriosis of the uterus). Hysterectomies were classified on the basis of the Current Procedural Terminology codes. We compared baseline and surgical characteristics and 30-day postoperative complications across the different racial and ethnic groups. Postoperative complications were classified into minor and major complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification system. RESULTS: A total of 12,599 women underwent hysterectomy for adenomyosis during the study period: 8,822 (70.0%) non-Hispanic White, 1,597 (12.7%) Hispanic, 1,378 (10.9%) non-Hispanic Black or African American, 614 (4.9%) Asian, 97 (0.8%) Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 91 (0.7%) American Indian or Alaska Native. Postoperative complications occurred in 8.8% of cases (n = 1,104), including major complications in 3.1% (n = 385). After adjusting for confounders, non-Hispanic Black race and ethnicity were independently associated with an increased risk of major complications (adjusted odds ratio 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] {1.16-2.04}). Laparotomy was performed in 13.7% (n = 1,725) of cases. Compared with non-Hispanic White race and ethnicity, the adjusted odd ratios for undergoing laparoscopy were 0.58 (95% CI 0.50-0.67) for Hispanic, 0.56 (95% CI 0.48-0.65) for non-Hispanic Black or African American, 0.33 (95% CI 0.27-0.40) for Asian, and 0.26 (95% CI 0.17-0.41) for Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander race and ethnicity. CONCLUSION: Among women undergoing hysterectomy for postoperatively diagnosed adenomyosis, non-Hispanic Black or African American race and ethnicity were associated with an increased risk of major postoperative complications. Compared with non-Hispanic White race and ethnicity, Hispanic ethnicity, non-Hispanic Black or African American, Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander race and ethnicity were less likely to undergo minimally invasive surgery.

Racial Disparities in Treatment and Outcomes of Patients With Hepatitis C Undergoing Elective Total Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: African Americans have the highest prevalence of chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Racial disparities in outcome are observed after elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This study sought to identify if disparities in treatments and outcomes exist between Black and White patients who have HCV prior to elective THA and TKA. METHODS: Patient demographics, comorbidities, HCV characteristics, perioperative variables, in-hospital outcomes, and postoperative complications at 1-year follow-up were collected and compared between the 2 races. Patients who have preoperative positive viral load (PVL) and undetectable viral load were identified. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare categorical variables, while 2-tailed Student's Kruskal-Wallis t-tests were used for continuous variables. A P value of less than .05 was statistically significant. RESULTS: The liver function parameters, including aspartate aminotransferase and model for end-stage liver disease scores, were all higher preoperatively in Black patients undergoing THA (P = .01; P < .001) and TKA (P = .03; P = .003), respectively. Black patients were more likely to undergo THA (65.8% versus 35.6%; P = .002) and TKA (72.1% versus 37.3%; 0.009) without receiving prior treatment for HCV. Consequently, Black patients had higher rates of preoperative PVL compared to White patients in both THA (66% versus 38%, P = .006) and TKA (72% versus 37%, P < .001) groups. Black patients had a longer length of stay for both THA (3.7 versus 3.3; P = .008) and TKA (4.1 versus 3.0; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: The HCV treatment prior to THA and TKA with undetectable viral load has been shown to be a key factor in mitigating postoperative complications, including joint infection. We noted that Black patients were more likely to undergo joint arthroplasty who did not receive treatment and with a PVL. While PVL rates decreased over time for both races, a significant gap persists for Black patients.

The impact of gender, race, and ethnicity on bariatric surgery outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The rates of postoperative complications can vary among specific patient populations. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to examine how gender, race, and ethnicity can affect short-term postoperative complications in bariatric surgery patients. SETTING: United States. METHODS: Patients who underwent bariatric surgery between the years 2016 and 2021 were included and stratified based on gender, race/ethnicity, and procedure type. The 30-day outcomes were assessed using Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification of III-V. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was performed to compare continuous variables among groups and Chi-squared test for categorical variables. Logistic regression was performed to examine the effects of gender, race/ethnicity on CD classification ≥ III complications by the procedure type. RESULTS: A total of 975,642 bariatric surgery patients were included. Descriptive univariate analysis showed that CD ≥ III complications were higher among non-Hispanic blacks (NHB) and lowest in Hispanic patients, regardless of their gender, except in the duodenal switch DS group, where non-Hispanic whites (NHW) had the lowest complication rate. There was no difference between male and female patients with regards to postoperative complications, except in the sleeve gastrectomy (SG) group, where NHW males had more complications than NHW females. Sleeve gastrectomy showed the lowest complication rates followed by gastric bypass and DS in all groups. In multivariate logistic regression model, for both females and males NHBs had higher odds of postoperative complications compared to NHWs in sleeve gastrectomy (Female aOR:1.31, 95% CI: [1.23-1.40]; Male aOR:1.24, 95% CI: [1.08-1.43], P < .001) and gastric bypass (Female aOR:1.24, 95% CI: [1.16-1.33]; Male aOR:1.25, 95% CI: [1.06-1.48], P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Non-Hispanic Black patients are at a higher rate of developing CD ≥ III complications compared to non-Hispanic Whites after bariatric surgery. The male gender was not a significant risk factor for serious postoperative complications. Among the different types of bariatric procedures, sleeve gastrectomy has the lowest rates of severe complications, followed by gastric bypass and duodenal switch. These results highlight the significance of considering gender, race, ethnicity, and procedure type during preoperative evaluation, surgical planning, and postoperative care.

Development of ethnicity-adjusted global alignment and proportion score to predict the risk of mechanical complications following corrective surgery for adult spinal deformity.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Surgery for degenerative scoliosis (DS) is a complex procedure with high complication and revision rates. Based on the concept that pelvic incidence (PI) is a constant parameter, the global alignment and proportional (GAP) score was developed from sagittal alignment data collected in the Caucasian populations to predict mechanical complications. However, the PI varies among different ethnic groups, and the GAP score may not apply to Chinese populations. Thus, this study aims to assess the predictability of the GAP score for mechanical complications in the Chinese populations and develop an ethnicity-adjusted GAP score. PURPOSE: To test the predictability of the original GAP score in the Chinese population and develop a Chinese ethnicity-tailored GAP scoring system. STUDY DESIGN/SETTINGS: Retrospective cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLE: A total of 560 asymptomatic healthy volunteers were enrolled to develop Chinese ethnicity-tailored GAP (C-GAP) score and a total of 114 DS patients were enrolled to test the predictability of original GAP score and C-GAP score. OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic information, sagittal spinopelvic parameters of healthy volunteers and DS patients were collected. Mechanical complications were recorded at a minimum of 2-year follow-up after corrective surgery for DS patients. METHODS: A total of 560 asymptomatic healthy volunteers with a mean age of 61.9±14.1 years were enrolled to develop ethnicity-adjusted GAP score. Besides, 114 surgically trated DS patients (M/F=10/104) with a mean age of 60.7±7.1 years were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic data and radiological parameters of both groups, including PI, lumbar lordosis (LL), sacral slope (SS), the sagittal vertical axis (SVA), and global tilt (GT) were collected. Ideal LL, SS, and GT were obtained by calculating their correlation with PI of healthy volunteers using linear regression analysis. Relative pelvic version (RPV), relative lumbar lordosis (RLL), lordosis distribution index (LDI), and relative spinopelvic alignment (RSA) were obtained using the ideal parameters, and the Chinese population adjusted GAP score (C-GAP) was developed based on these values. The predictability of original and C-GAP for mechanical failure was evaluated using clinical and radiological data of DS patients by evaluating the area under the curve (AUC) using receiver operating characteristic curve. This study was supported the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (No. 82272545), ($ 8,000-10,000) and the Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Center, and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2021M701677), Level B ($ 5,000-7,000). RESULTS: Ideal SS=0.53×PI+9 (p=.002), ideal LL=0.48×PI+22 (p=.023) and ideal GT=0.46 × PI-9 (p=.011). were obtained by correlation analysis using sagittal parameters from those healthy volunteers, and RPV, RLL, RSA, and LDI were calculated accordingly. Then, the ethnicity-adjusted C-GAP score was developed by summing up the numeric value of calculated RPV, RLL, RSA, and LDI. The AUC was classified as ''no or low discriminatory power'' for the original GAP score in predicting mechanical complications (AUC=0.592, p=.078). Similarly, the original GAP score did not correlate with mechanical complications in DS patients. According to the C-GAP score, the sagittal parameters were proportional in 25 (21.9%) cases, moderately disproportional in 68 (59.6%), and severely disproportional in 21% (18.5%) cases. The incidence of mechanical complications was statistically different among proportioned and moderately disproportional and severely disproportional portions of the C-GAP score (p=.03). The predictability of the C-GAP score is high with an AUC=0.773 (p<.001). In addition, there is a linear correlation between mechanical complication rate and C-GAP score (χ=0.102, p=.02). CONCLUSION: The Ethnicity-adjusted C-GAP score system developed in the current study provided a more accurate and reliable for predicting the risk of mechanical complications after corrective surgery for adult spinal deformity.

An Inclusive Analysis of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Orthopedic Surgery Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Despite increasing attention, disparities in outcomes for Black and Hispanic patients undergoing orthopedic surgery are widening. In other racial-ethnic minority groups, outcomes often go unreported. We sought to quantify disparities in surgical outcomes among Asian, American Indian or Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander patients across multiple orthopedic subspecialties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was queried to identify all surgical procedures performed by an orthopedic surgeon from 2014 to 2020. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate the impact of race and ethnicity on 30-day medical complications, readmission, reoperation, and mortality, while adjusting for orthopedic subspecialty and patient characteristics. RESULTS: Across 1,512,480 orthopedic procedures, all patients who were not White were less likely to have arthroplasty-related procedures (P<.001), and Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian or Alaskan Native patients were more likely to have trauma-related procedures (P<.001). American Indian or Alaskan Native (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.005; 95% CI, 1.001-1.009; P=.011) and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (AOR, 1.009; 95% CI, 1.005-1.014; P<.001) patients had higher odds of major medical complications compared with White patients. American Indian or Alaskan Native patients had higher risk of reoperation (AOR, 1.005; 95% CI, 1.002-1.008; P=.002) and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander patients had higher odds of mortality (AOR, 1.003; 95% CI, 1.000-1.005; P=.019) compared with White patients. CONCLUSION: Disparities regarding surgical outcome and utilization rates persist across orthopedic surgery. American Indian or Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander patients, who are under-represented in research, have lower rates of arthroplasty but higher odds of medical complication, reoperation, and mortality. This study highlights the importance of including these patients in orthopedic research to affect policy-related discussions. [Orthopedics. 2024;47(3):e131-e138.].

Differences in total shoulder arthroplasty utilization and 30-day outcomes among White, Black, and Hispanic patients: do disparities exist in the outpatient setting?

BACKGROUND: In the United States, efforts to improve efficiency and reduce healthcare costs are shifting more total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) surgeries to the outpatient setting. However, whether racial and ethnic disparities in access to high-quality outpatient TSA care exist remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to assess racial/ethnic differences in relative outpatient TSA utilization and perioperative outcomes using a large national surgical database. METHODS: White, Black, and Hispanic patients who underwent TSA between 2017 and 2021 were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were collected, and rates of outpatient utilization, adverse events, readmission, reoperation, nonhome discharge, and mortality within 30 days of surgery were compared between racial/ethnic groups. Race/ethnicity-specific trends in utilization of outpatient TSA were assessed, and multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for baseline demographic factors and comorbidities. RESULTS: A total of 21,186 patients were included, consisting of 19,135 (90.3%) White, 1093 (5.2%) Black, and 958 (4.5%) Hispanic patients and representing 17,649 (83.3%) inpatient and 3537 (16.7%) outpatient procedures. Black and Hispanic patients were generally younger and less healthy than White patients, yet incidences of complications, nonhome discharge, readmission, reoperation, and death within 30 days were similar across groups following outpatient TSA (P > .050 for all). Relative utilization of outpatient TSA increased by 28.7% among White patients, 29.5% among Black patients, and 38.6% among Hispanic patients (ptrend<0.001 for all). Hispanic patients were 64% more likely than White patients to undergo TSA as an outpatient procedure across the study period (OR: 1.64, 95% CI 1.40-1.92, P < .001), whereas odds did not differ between Black and White patients (OR: 1.04, 95% CI 0.87-1.23, P = .673). CONCLUSION: Relative utilization of outpatient TSA remains highest among Hispanic patients but has been significantly increasing across all racial and ethnic groups, now accounting for more than one-third of all TSA procedures. Considering outpatient TSA is associated with fewer complications and lower costs, increasing utilization may represent a promising avenue for reducing disparities in orthopedic shoulder surgery.

Asian Americans have higher 30-day surgical complications after esophagectomy: A propensity-score matched study from ACS-NSQIP database.

BACKGROUND: Despite Asian Americans having a heightened risk profile for esophageal cancer, racial disparities within this group have not been investigated. This study seeks to evaluate the 30-day postoperative outcomes for Asian Americans following esophagectomy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed using ACS-NSQIP esophagectomy targeted database 2016-2021. A 1:3 propensity-score matching was applied to Asian Americans and Caucasians who underwent esophagectomy to compare their 30-day outcomes. RESULTS: There were 229 Asian Americans and 5303 Caucasians identified. Asian Americans were more likely to have squamous cell carcinoma than adenocarcinoma. After matching, 687 Caucasians were included. Asian Americans had higher pulmonary complications (22.27 â€‹% vs 16.01 â€‹%, p â€‹= â€‹0.04) especially pneumonia (16.59 â€‹% vs 11.06 â€‹%, p â€‹= â€‹0.04), renal dysfunction (2.62 â€‹% vs 0.44 â€‹%, p â€‹= â€‹0.01) especially progressive renal insufficiency (1.31 â€‹% vs 0.15 â€‹%, p â€‹< â€‹0.05), and bleeding events (18.34 â€‹% vs 9.02 â€‹%, p â€‹< â€‹0.01). In addition, Asian Americans had longer LOS (11.83 â€‹± â€‹9.39 vs 10.23 â€‹± â€‹7.34 days, p â€‹= â€‹0.03). CONCLUSION: Asian Americans were found to face higher 30-day surgical complications following esophagectomy. Continued investigation into the underlying causes and potential mitigation strategies for these disparities are needed.

Race Associated With Increased Complication Rates After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic disparities have been suggested to be associated with poor outcomes after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). While socioeconomic disadvantage has been studied, analyses of race as the primary variable are lacking. Therefore, we examined the potential differences between Black and White TKA recipients. Specifically, we assessed 30-day and 90-day, as well as 1 year: (1) emergency department visits and readmissions; (2) total complications; (3) as well as risk factors for total complications. METHODS: A consecutive series of 1,641 primary TKAs from January 2015 to December 2021 at a tertiary health care system were reviewed. Patients were stratified according to race, Black (n = 1,003) and White (n = 638). Outcomes of interest were analyzed using bivariate Chi-square and multivariate regressions. Demographic variables such as sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic pulmonary disease, and socioeconomic status based on Area Deprivation Index were controlled for across all patients. RESULTS: The unadjusted analyses found that Black patients had an increased likelihood of 30-day emergency department visits and readmissions (P < .001). However, in the adjusted analyses, Black race was demonstrated to be a risk factor for increased total complications at all-time points (P ≤ .0279). Area Deprivation Index was not a risk for cumulative complications at these time points (P ≥ .2455). CONCLUSION: Black patients undergoing TKA may be at increased risk for complications with more risk factors including higher body mass index, tobacco use, substance abuse, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes and were thus, "sicker" initially than the White cohort. Surgeons are often treating these patients at the later stages of their diseases when risk factors are less modifiable, which necessitates a shift to early, preventable public health measures. While higher socioeconomic disadvantage has been associated with higher rates of complications, the results of this study suggest that race may play a greater role than previously thought.

Racial Disparities in Outcomes After Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Racial disparities are a major issue in health care but the overall extent of the issue in spinal surgery outcomes is unclear. We conducted a systematic review/meta-analysis of disparities in outcomes among patients belonging to different racial groups who had undergone surgery for degenerative spine disease. METHODS: We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Review Database, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to January 20, 2021 for relevant articles assessing outcomes after spine surgery stratified by race. We included studies that compared outcomes after spine surgery for degenerative disease among different racial groups. RESULTS: We found 30 studies that met our inclusion criteria (28 articles and 2 published abstracts). We included data from 20 cohort studies in our meta-analysis (3,501,830 patients), which were assessed to have a high risk of observation/selection bias. Black patients had a 55% higher risk of dying after spine surgery compared with white patients (relative risk [RR], 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28-1.87; I2 = 70%). Similarly, black patients had a longer length of stay (mean difference, 0.93 days; 95% CI, 0.75-1.10; I2 = 73%), and higher risk of nonhome discharge (RR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.47-1.81; I2 = 89%), and 30-day readmission (RR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.03-2.04; I2 = 96%). No significant difference was noted in the pooled analyses for complication or reoperation rates. CONCLUSIONS: Black patients have a significantly higher risk of unfavorable outcomes after spine surgery compared with white patients. Further work in understanding the reasons for these disparities will help develop strategies to narrow the gap among the racial groups.

Prehabilitation in adult patients undergoing surgery: an umbrella review of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: The certainty that prehabilitation improves postoperative outcomes is not clear. The objective of this umbrella review (i.e. systematic review of systematic reviews) was to synthesise and evaluate evidence for prehabilitation in improving health, experience, or cost outcomes. METHODS: We performed an umbrella review of prehabilitation systematic reviews. MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, Joanna Briggs Institute's database, and Web of Science were searched (inception to October 20, 2020). We included all systematic reviews of elective, adult patients undergoing surgery and exposed to a prehabilitation intervention, where health, experience, or cost outcomes were reported. Evidence certainty was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. Primary syntheses of any prehabilitation were stratified by surgery type. RESULTS: From 1412 titles, 55 systematic reviews were included. For patients with cancer undergoing surgery who participate in any prehabilitation, moderate certainty evidence supports improvements in functional recovery. Low to very low certainty evidence supports reductions in complications (mixed, cardiovascular, and cancer surgery), non-home discharge (orthopaedic surgery), and length of stay (mixed, cardiovascular, and cancer surgery). There was low to very low certainty evidence that exercise prehabilitation reduces the risk of complications, non-home discharge, and length of stay. There was low to very low certainty evidence that nutritional prehabilitation reduces risk of complications, mortality, and length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Low certainty evidence suggests that prehabilitation may improve postoperative outcomes. Future low risk of bias, randomised trials, synthesised using recommended standards, are required to inform practice. Optimal patient selection, intervention design, and intervention duration must also be determined.

The Impact of Race on Perioperative and Patient-Reported Outcomes following Autologous Breast Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Racial disparities are evident in multiple aspects of the perioperative care of breast cancer patients, but data examining whether such differences translate to clinical and patient-reported outcomes are limited. This study examined the impact of race on perioperative outcomes in autologous breast reconstruction. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study including all breast cancer patients who underwent immediate autologous breast reconstruction at a single institution from 2010 to 2017 was conducted. Self-reported race was used to classify patients into three groups: white, African American, and other. The primary and secondary endpoints were occurrence of any major complications within 30 days of surgery and patient-reported outcomes (measured with the BREAST-Q), respectively. Regression models were constructed to identify factors associated with the outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, 404 patients, including 259 white (64 percent), 63 African American (16 percent), and 82 patients from other minority groups (20 percent), were included. African American patients had a significantly higher proportion of preoperative comorbidities. Postoperatively, African American patients had a higher incidence of 30-day major complications (p = 0.004) and were more likely to return to the operating room (p = 0.006). Univariable analyses examining complications demonstrated that race was the only factor associated with 30-day major complications (p = 0.001). Patient-reported outcomes were not statistically different at each time point through 3 years postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: African American patients continue to present with increased comorbidities and may be more likely to experience major complications following immediate autologous breast reconstruction. However, patient-reported satisfaction or physical well-being outcomes may not differ between groups. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, II.

Racial Disparities in Outcomes of Women Undergoing Myomectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of racial and socioeconomic factors with outcomes of abdominal myomectomies. METHODS: All women undergoing abdominal myomectomy in California from 2005 to 2012 were identified from the OSHPD (Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development) using appropriate International Classification of Diseases and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Demographics, comorbidities, surgical approaches, and complications occurring within 30 days of the procedure were identified. Multivariate associations were assessed with mixed effects logistic regression models. RESULTS: The cohort of 35,151 women was racially and ethnically diverse (White, 38.8%; Black, 19.9%; Hispanic, 20.3%; and Asian, 15.3%). Among all procedures, 33,906 were performed through an open abdominal approach, and 1,245 were performed using a minimally invasive approach. Proportionally, Black patients were more likely than White patients to have open procedures, and open approaches were associated with higher complication rates. Overall, 2,622 (7.5%) women suffered at least one complication. Although severe complications did not vary by race or ethnicity, Black (9.0%), Hispanic (7.9%), and Asian (7.5%) patients were more likely to suffer complications of any severity compared with White patients (6.7%, P<.001). As compared with patients with private insurance (6.4%), those with indigent payer status (Medicaid [12.1%] and self-pay [11.1%]) had higher complication rates (P<.001). Controlling for all factors, Black and Asian patients were more likely to suffer complications compared with White patients. CONCLUSION: The overall complication rate after abdominal myomectomy was 7.5%. Comorbidities, an open approach, and indigent payer status were associated with increased complication risk. Controlling for all factors, Black and Asian patients still had increased risks of complications.

Racial Disparities Affecting Postoperative Outcomes After Brain Tumor Resection.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate racial disparities in 30-day postoperative outcomes of craniotomy for glioma resection. METHODS: 2006-2019 American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program files were queried for all patients who underwent a craniotomy for a supratentorial glioma resection. Racial disparities in preoperative variables were studied between the demographic cohorts of Asian, African Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasian. Fisher exact tests were used to examine association of preoperative variables with race. Multivariable logistic regression models, adjusted for all preoperative variables associated with race, were used to determine the odds ratios of postoperative outcomes for each demographic cohort in comparison with Caucasian patients. RESULTS: A total of 12,544 patients were identified: 4% Asian, 5% African American, 7% Hispanic, and 85% Caucasian. African American patients had significantly higher adjusted odds than Caucasian patients of major adverse cardiovascular events (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.827, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.155-2.891, P = 0.01), pulmonary events (aOR: 1.683, 95% CI: 1.145-2.473, P = 0.008), and urinary tract infection (aOR: 2.016, 95% CI: 1.221-3.327, P = 0.006). Asian patients had significantly higher odds than Caucasian patients of requiring a transfusion (aOR: 2.094, 95% CI: 1.343-3.266, P = 0.001). All demographic cohorts had higher odds of having an extended length of stay than Caucasian patients. CONCLUSIONS: African American patients who undergo a craniotomy for glioma resection have almost twice the odds of Caucasian patients of having a postoperative major cardiovascular complication, pulmonary complication, or urinary tract infection. All minority groups have higher odds of an extended length of stay as compared with Caucasian patients.

Economic Trends of Racial Disparities in Pediatric Postappendectomy Complications.

BACKGROUND: Despite unparalleled advances in perioperative medicine, surgical outcomes remain poor for racial minority patients relative to their white counterparts. Little is known about the excess costs to the health care system related to these disparities. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between 2001 and 2018. We included children younger than 18 years admitted with appendicitis who underwent an appendectomy during their hospital stay. We examined the inflation-adjusted hospital costs attributable to the racial disparities in surgical complications and perforation status, focusing on differences between non-Hispanic white patients and non-Hispanic Black patients. RESULTS: We included 100 639 children who underwent appendectomy, of whom 89.9% were non-Hispanic white and 10.1% were non-Hispanic Black. Irrespective of perforation status at presentation, surgical complications were consistently higher for Black compared with white children, with no evidence of narrowing of the racial disparity gap over time. Black children consistently incurred higher hospital costs (median difference: $629 [95% confidence interval: $500-$758; P < .01). The total inflation-adjusted hospital costs for Black children were $518 658 984, and $59 372 044 (11.41%) represented the excess because of the racial disparities in perforation rates. CONCLUSIONS: Although all patients had a progressive decline in post appendectomy complications, Black children consistently had higher rates of complications and perforation, imposing a significant economic burden. We provide an empirical economic argument for sustained efforts to reduce racial disparities in pediatric surgical outcomes, notwithstanding that eliminating these disparities is simply the right thing to do.

Prevalence and associations of axillary web syndrome in Asian women after breast cancer surgery undergoing a community-based cancer rehabilitation program.

BACKGROUND: Patients who have breast cancer surgery are at risk of axillary web syndrome (AWS), an under-recognized postsurgical complication which can result in shoulder morbidity and functional impairment. Emerging studies have indicated that AWS may persist beyond the first few months after surgery, although few studies have assessed the prevalence and association of AWS beyond a year after diagnosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associations for AWS in post-operative breast cancer patients up to 3 years after surgery. METHODS: This cross sectional observational study was conducted at a community-based cancer rehabilitation center. Patients were evaluated for the presence of AWS via physical examination. Disease-related data was obtained from clinical review and medical records. Descriptive statistics were utilized to illustrate patient demographics and clinical characteristics. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine associations of AWS. RESULTS: There were 111 Asian women who were recruited, who had undergone breast surgery and were referred to a national outpatient rehabilitation center. The prevalence of AWS in this population was 28.9%. In the multivariate regression model, significant factors were age < 50 years (OR = 3.51; 95% CI = 1.12-11.0; p = 0.031) and ALND (OR = 6.54; 95% CI = 1.36-31.3; p = 0.019). There was reduced shoulder flexion ROM (p < 0.001) in patients with AWS compared to patients without AWS. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of AWS was reported in breast cancer survivors even at 3 years after breast surgery. Our findings highlight the need to identify breast cancer survivors with AWS even in the survivorship phase, and develop strategies to raise awareness and minimize functional impairment in these patients.

Issues postopératoires chez les Autochtones au Canada: revue systématique.

CONTEXTE: Il existe d'importantes iniquités en matière de santé chez les populations autochtones au Canada. La faible densité de la population canadienne et les populations en région éloignée posent un problème particulier à l'accès et à l'utilisation des soins chirurgicaux. Aucune synthèse des données sur les issues chirurgicales chez les Autochtones au Canada n'avait été publiée jusqu'à maintenant. MÉTHODES: Nous avons interrogé 4 bases de données pour recenser les études comparant les issues chirurgicales et les taux d'utilisation chez les adultes des Premières Nations, inuits et métis et chez les adultes non autochtones au Canada. Des évaluateurs indépendants ont réalisé toutes les étapes en parallèle. L'issue primaire était la mortalité; les issues secondaires comprenaient le taux d'utilisation des chirurgies, les complications et la durée du séjour à l'hôpital. Nous avons effectué une méta-analyse pour l'issue primaire à l'aide d'un modèle à effets aléatoires. Nous avons évalué les risques de biais à l'aide de l'outil ROBINS-I. RÉSULTATS: Vingt-huit études ont été analysées, pour un total de 1 976 258 participants (10,2 % d'Autochtones). Aucune étude ne portait précisément sur les populations inuites et métisses. Quatre études portant sur 7 cohortes ont fourni des données corrigées sur la mortalité pour 7135 participants (5,2 % d'Autochtones); les Autochtones présentaient un risque de décès après une intervention chirurgicale 30 % plus élevé que les patients non autochtones (rapport de risque combiné 1,30; IC à 95 % 1,09­1,54; I 2 = 81 %). Les complications étaient aussi plus fréquentes chez le premier groupe, notamment les infections (RC corrigé 1,63; IC à 95 % 1,13­2,34) et les pneumonies (RC 2,24; IC à 95 % 1,58­3,19). Les taux de différentes interventions chirurgicales étaient plus faibles, notamment pour les transplantations rénales, les arthroplasties, les chirurgies cardiaques et les accouchements par césarienne. INTERPRÉTATION: Les données disponibles sur les issues postopératoires et le taux d'utilisation de la chirurgie chez les Autochtones au Canada sont limitées et de faible qualité. Elles suggèrent que les Autochtones ont de plus hauts taux de décès et d'issues négatives postchirurgicales et qu'ils font face à des obstacles dans l'accès aux interventions chirurgicales. Ces conclusions indiquent qu'il y a un besoin de réévaluer en profondeur les soins chirurgicaux prodigués aux Autochtones au Canada pour leur assurer un accès équitable et améliorer les issues. NUMÉRO D'ENREGISTREMENT DU PROTOCOLE: PROSPERO-CRD42018098757.

Racial Disparities in the Risk of Complications After Nonobstetric Surgery in Pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether there are racial and ethnic differences in postoperative complications after nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy in the United States. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of the prospective ACS NSQIP (American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement) program from 2005 to 2012. We assessed pregnant women 18-50 years without prior surgery in the preceding 30 days who underwent a nonobstetric surgery. Race and ethnicity were categorized as non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White (reference). The primary outcome was a composite of 30-day major postoperative complications inclusive of cardiovascular, pulmonary, and infectious complications, reoperation, unplanned readmission, blood transfusion, and death. We used modified Poisson regression to estimate the relative risk of complications. RESULTS: Among 3,093 pregnant women, 18% were non-Hispanic Black, 20% Hispanic, and 62% non-Hispanic White. The most common surgeries were appendectomy (36%) and cholecystectomy (19%). Black women (18%) were more likely to be assigned American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status class III or higher than their White (12%) or Hispanic (9%) peers. Non-Hispanic Black pregnant women had a higher risk of 30-day major postoperative complications compared with their White peers (9% vs 6%; adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.41, 95% CI 1.11-1.99). This difference persisted when limiting the analysis to apparently healthy women (ASA class I or II) (7% vs 4%; aRR 1.64, 95% CI 1.08-2.50), those who underwent appendectomy (10% vs 3%; aRR 2.36, 95% CI 1.13-4.96), and when appendectomy and cholecystectomy were performed by laparoscopy (7% vs 3%; aRR 2.62, 95% CI 1.22-5.58). Hispanic pregnant women were not at an increased risk of complications compared with non-Hispanic pregnant White women. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant non-Hispanic Black women were at higher risk of major postoperative complications after nonobstetric surgery compared with their White counterparts.