Time to Symptom Resolution After Total Thyroidectomy for Graves' Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Total thyroidectomy (TT) has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for Graves' disease. However, the time course for improvement of symptoms has not been defined. METHODS: With an institutional review board approval, we prospectively gathered survey data of all patients (n = 79) undergoing TT for Graves' disease at a single institution from 2019 to 2021. After informed consent was obtained, patients completed surveys preoperatively and at 2 wk followed by monthly postoperative visits/phone calls. Patient demographics and survey results were collected and analyzed. Symptom recovery time was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients completed the survey on postoperative follow-up (response rate 63%). Average age was 38 y (range 12-80 y) and 88% of patients were female. The most common preoperative symptoms were fatigue (90%) and heat/cold intolerance (88%). Tremor (median time to resolution: 1 wk; interquartile range [IQR] 1-3), diarrhea (median 1 wk [IQR 1-3]), and palpitations (median 1 wk [IQR 1-3]) resolved the most rapidly followed by eye symptoms (median 3 wk [IQR 1-6]), heat/cold intolerance (median 3 wk [IQR 3-30]), memory deficits (median 3 wk [IQR 1-undefined]), and fatigue (median: 3 wk [IQR 1-14]). There were no significant differences in time to resolution of symptoms by gender or age (less than versus 40 y and older). Those with uncontrolled Graves' had more severe symptoms but no difference in time to resolution from the euthyroid Graves' patients. CONCLUSIONS: Many Graves' disease symptoms improve rapidly following TT, with a median time to improvement of less than 1 mo.

From Presentation to Publication: Where did Abstracts at the 2017 Academic Surgical Congress End up? A Three-Year Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Medical school and residency programs encourage increased research, and thousands of abstracts are submitted to conferences annually. This study sought to determine the rate of publication of oral presentations from the 2017 Academic Surgical Congress (ASC) and assess factors that influence the likelihood of publication. METHODS: Abstracts selected for oral, plenary, and QuickShot presentations at the 2017 ASC were evaluated for publication status. Publication status, including date of publication and journal title, the academic rank of first and senior authors, and the type of study were collected. Senior author funding status, as well as source and amount of funding, were cataloged. These variables were noted at 16 mo and then later at 34 mo after the conference. RESULTS: Of the 360 oral and plenary presentations, 41.4% (n = 149) and 70.5% were published at 16 and then 34 mo, respectively. At 16 mo, Basic science, Clinical outcomes, and Education had publication rates of 31.7%, 51.1%, and 57.7%. At 34 mo, they were 76.1%, 69.1%, and 60.06%. QuickShot presentations had a publication rate of 17%, 69%, and 14% for Basic Science, Clinical Outcomes, and Education, respectively. At 16 mo, abstracts with senior authors with an academic rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor had publication rates of 43.3% (22), 49.4% (39), and 41.8% (37), respectively (P = 0.697). At 34 mo, publication rates for senior authors was 21.8% (53), 32.9% (80), and 45.2% (110) for Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor, respectively (P= < 0.01). Quick shot presentations had publication rates of 14%, 26%, and 49% for Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor, respectively. 191 (53.2%) senior authors had funding, of which 125 (66.8%) were from the National Institute of Health. 61% of abstracts with a funded senior author went on to be published, whereas 38.9% of abstracts with an unfunded senior author were published. The presence of funding continued to have a positive association with publication (P < 0.01 versus P < 0.01) at 16 and 34 mo postconference. In QuickShot presentations, 88% of abstracts with a funded senior author went on to be published. Of Quick shot presentations without funding, 100% were published. CONCLUSIONS: There was an increase in publication rate from 16 to 34 mo after the 2017 ASC conference for oral presentations. At longer follow-up, the academic rank of the senior author and the funded abstracts were associated with abstracts achieving publication, whereas the academic rank of the first author, presentation type, and funding source was not. Funding was significantly associated with the Presentation Type at the conference and the Journal Impact Factor of the manuscript, whereas abstract type was not. QuickShot presentations did not fare as well regarding publication status; at approximately 3 y, the publication rate was 43%.

Higher prevalence of Concomitant Hyperparathyroidism in African American Patients Undergoing Thyroid Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Hyperparathyroidism (HPT) occurs in about 1% of the general population. Previous studies have suggested that the incidence is higher in those patients with thyroid disease who are undergoing thyroid surgery. The study purpose was to examine the incidence of concomitant HPT in patients already undergoing a thyroid procedure and to identify risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective database of all patients who had thyroidectomy by the endocrine surgery team was reviewed between August 2012 and April 2020. Per institutional protocol, all patients having thyroid surgery were screened for concomitant hyperparathyroidism. ANOVA/T-Test and Chi-square were conducted to compare those with and without hyperparathyroidism. RESULTS: The median age was 43 and 79% were female. Of the 481 patients undergoing thyroidectomy, 31 (6%) had HPT. The mean preoperative calcium and parathyroid hormone levels were 10 ± 0 mg/dL and 67 ± 5 pg/mL, respectively. When comparing the groups, patients with concomitant HPT were older (53 ± 4 versus 42 ± 1 y, P = 0.005). African American race was a significant risk factor for concomitant HPT. While African Americans represented only 29% of those undergoing surgery, 58% of those with concomitant HPT were African American (P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: In patients having thyroid surgery, concomitant HPT was present in 6% of the population, higher than estimated general population prevalence. While we understand that primary HPT incidence increases with age, to our knowledge, this is the first report to document that African Americans are at a higher risk for concomitant HPT with thyroid disease. Thus, routine screening for hyperparathyroidism in patients undergoing thyroid surgery, especially in vulnerable populations, such as the older and African American population, is beneficial.

A Novel Use of Artificial Intelligence to Examine Diversity and Hospital Performance.

BACKGROUND: The US population is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. Research suggests that cultural diversity within organizations can increase team potency and performance, yet this theory has not been explored in the field of surgery. Furthermore, when surveyed, patients express a desire for their care provider to mirror their own race and ethnicity. In the present study, we hypothesize that there is a positive correlation between a high ranking by the US News and World Report for gastroenterology and gastrointestinal (GI) surgery and greater racial, ethnic, and gender diversity among the physicians and surgeons. METHODS: We used the 2019 US News and World Report rankings for best hospitals by specialty to categorize gastroenterology and GI surgery departments into 2 groups: 1-50 and 51-100. Hospital websites of these top 100 were viewed to determine if racial diversity and inclusion were highlighted in the hospitals' core values or mission statements. To determine the rates of diversity within departments, Betaface (Betaface.com) facial analysis software was used to analyze photos taken from the hospitals' websites. This software was able to determine the race, ethnicity, and gender of the care providers. We examined the racial and ethnic makeup of the populations served by these hospitals to see if the gastroenterologists and surgeons adequately represented the state population. We then ran the independent samples t-test to determine if there was a difference in rankings of more diverse departments. RESULTS: Hospitals with gastroenterology and GI surgery departments in the top 50 were more likely to mention diversity on their websites compared with hospitals that ranked from 51-100 (76% versus 56%; P = 0.035). The top 50 hospitals had a statistically significant higher percentage of underrepresented minority GI physicians and surgeons (7.01% versus 4.04%; P < 0.001). In the 31 states where these hospitals were located, there were more African Americans (13% versus 3%; P < 0.001) and Hispanics (12% versus 2%; P < 0.001), while there were fewer Asians (4% versus 21%; P < 0.001) in the population compared with the faculty. CONCLUSIONS: We used artificial intelligence software to determine the degree of racial and ethnic diversity in gastroenterology and GI surgery departments across the county. Higher ranking hospitals had a greater degree of diversity of their faculty and were more likely to emphasize diversity in their mission statements. Hospitals stress the importance of having a culturally diverse staff, yet their care providers may not adequately reflect the populations they serve. Further work is needed to prospectively track diversity rates over time and correlate these changes with measurable outcomes.

Prophylactic Central Neck Dissection in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: All Risks, No Reward.

BACKGROUND: Central neck dissection (CND) remains a controversial intervention for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with clinically negative nodes (cN0) in the central compartment. Proponents state that CND in cN0 patients prevents locoregional recurrence, while opponents deem that the risks of complications outweigh any potential benefit. Thus, there remains conflicting results amongst studies assessing oncologic and surgical outcomes in cN0 PTC patients who undergo CND. To provide clarity to this controversy, we sought to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and oncologic impact of CND in cN0 PTC patients at our institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six hundred and ninety-five patients with PTC who underwent thyroidectomy at our institution between 1998 and 2018 were identified using an institutional cancer registry and supplemental electronic medical record queries. Patients were stratified by whether or not they underwent CND; identified as CND(+) or CND(-), respectively. Patients were also stratified by whether or not they received adjuvant radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. Patient demographics, pathologic results, as well as surgical and oncologic outcomes were reviewed. Standard statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and/or t-test and chi-squared tests as appropriate. RESULTS: Among the 695 patients with PTC, 492 (70.8%) had clinically and radiographically node negative disease (cN0). The mean age was 50 ± 1 years old and 368 (74.8%) were female. Of those with cN0 PTC, 61 patients (12.4%) underwent CND. CND(+) patients were found to have higher preoperative thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) values, 2.8 ± 0.8 versus 1.5 ± 0.2 mU/L (P = 0.028) compared to CND(-) patients. CND did not significantly decrease disease recurrence, development of distant metastatic disease (P = 0.105) or persistence of disease (P = 0.069) at time of mean follow-up of 38 ± 3 months compared to CND(-) patients. However, surgical morbidity rates were significantly higher in CND(+) patients; including transient hypocalcemia (36.1% versus 14.4%; P < 0.001), transient recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury (19.7% vers us 7.0%; P < 0.001), and permanent RLN injury (3.3% versus 0.7%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients at our institution with cN0 PTC did not undergo CND. This data suggests that CND was not associated with improvements in oncologic outcomes during the short-term follow-up period and led to increased postoperative morbidity. Therefore, we conclude that CND should not be routinely performed for patients with cN0 PTC.

Parathyroid Imaging Practices for Primary Hyperparathyroidism Without Previous Operations Among Endocrine Surgery Program Directors.

BACKGROUND: Attempts at preoperative localization of abnormal parathyroid gland(s) in primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) can be performed with a variety of modalities. Study utilization is surgeon-specific with highly variable opinions in parathyroid surgery. As more people are diagnosed with pHPT, the complexity of the disease has given rise to variation in management. This heterogeneity raises the question of the true clinical practice of imaging among individual endocrine surgeons. METHODS: To better understand the preoperative parathyroid imaging practices of endocrine surgeons, an email-based survey was disseminated to the program directors of 22 American Association of Endocrine Surgeons fellowship programs querying them on their initial diagnostic test of choice for pHPT. Clinical support team members from each respective program were subsequently contacted and answers were compared. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent (15/22) of clinical team members recommended either an additional (12/15) or different imaging test (3/15) than what was recommended by their institution's endocrine surgeon. The most common initial imaging test that was repeated by both the endocrine surgeon and clinical team member was neck ultrasound; 33% of clinical team members (7/22) responded concordantly to their surgeon with ultrasound as the initial recommendation. DISCUSSION: Significant variability exists in the preoperative approach to patients with hyperparathyroidism. Here, we demonstrate that inconsistency in preoperative imaging recommendations even extends to within an individual surgeon's practice based on the impact of the clinical support team, highlighting the role for improved clinical protocols within an institution's clinical team.

Determinants and barriers to junior faculty well-being at a large quaternary academic medical center: A qualitative survey.

BACKGROUND: Increasing levels of burnout among trainees and faculty members at all levels is a major problem in academic medicine. Junior faculty members may be at unique risk for burnout and have unique needs and barriers that contribute to attrition, job satisfaction, and overall workplace well-being. METHODS: Twenty-seven faculty members at the assistant professor level at a large, quaternary referral academic medical institution were interviewed. A qualitative analyst with no reporting relationship to faculty was used as the proctor. Seven scripted questions targeting faculty well-being and institutional barriers to well-being were administered, and the responses were coded for common themes between respondents. RESULTS: Respondents most commonly identified clinical work (26%), research (19%), and teaching (19%) as the best aspects of their job. Among respondents, 3% stated they were not able to devote as much time as they would like to work they enjoyed and found most meaningful. Of these respondents, 44% cited "insufficient help" as the root cause. Also, 33% stated time spent writing and managing institutional review board requirements was a major contributor, and 22% cited both clinical volume/performance benchmarks and administrative responsibilities as significant barriers. The most common responses to departmental factors that can be improved included moving meetings to during the workday versus after hours, establishing a similar value system/metric for all faculty, and providing more opportunities to interact with faculty across divisions. The most common barriers to change identified were difficulty hiring research support, patient volume and clinical demands, and a pervasive culture of continuing to work after the workday has ended. At an institutional level, provision of childcare and promotion of basic science research were identified as areas for improvement. More actionable items were identified at the departmental rather than institutional level (53 vs 34). CONCLUSIONS: Junior faculty well-being is most affected at the department level. Qualitative data collection from junior faculty regarding barriers to well-being and academic/clinical productivity can be invaluable for departments and institutions seeking to make cultural or systemic improvements.

Intraoperative parathyroid hormone measurement facilitates outpatient thyroidectomy in children.

INTRODUCTION: We hypothesize that intraoperative parathyroid hormone (ioPTH) measurement after a total thyroidectomy predicts children at risk for hypoparathyroidism and allow for outpatient procedure. METHODS: Between 2015 and 2019, we reviewed all patients under the age of 21 undergoing a thyroidectomy (total or lobectomy). Based on the ioPTH concentration, the patients were treated by the following protocol: a) PTH ≥20 pg/mL: no treatment; b) PTH = 10-19 pg/mL: 1000 mg calcium orally TID; c) PTH = 5-9 pg/mL: calcitriol 250 µg orally BID plus 1000 mg calcium orally TID; or d) PTH <5 pg/mL calcitriol 500 µg orally BID plus 1000 mg calcium orally TID. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients were included with a median age of 16 (range 6-21 years). Thirty-two patients (62%) had normal PTH (≥10 pg/mL) while 20 (38%) had low PTH levels (<10 pg/mL). Of those patients with low PTH, 60% had normalization of levels within 2 weeks of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid surgery in children can be performed as an outpatient procedure. The ioPTH measurements and a protocol to treat patients with low PTH assists in safe discharge.

Correlation between air quality and lung cancer incidence: A county by county analysis.

BACKGROUND: Poor air quality has previously been associated with lung cancer development, but the risks associated with regional differences in air quality are poorly understood. We investigated the association of air quality indices with development of lung cancer in all Texas counties. METHODS: Lung cancer incidence, air quality indicators (particulate matter <2.5 µm, radon levels, oil well density), and known risk factors were obtained using data from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas Cancer Registry. Linear regression models were constructed to correlate air quality indicators with lung cancer incidence and advanced stage at diagnosis (stage III or IV), while controlling for other patient characteristics. RESULTS: Lung cancer incidence ranged from 27.6 to 103.4 cases per 100,000 people. In the study, 2.5 µm was associated with increased lung cancer incidence (ß = 4.38, P < .0001), but not radon levels (ß = -2.70, P = .41). Air quality indicators were not significantly associated with an advanced cancer diagnosis. CONCLUSION: There are wide differences in the incidence of lung cancer across Texas. These differences seem to be related to air quality. Identifying high-risk areas may help to guide strategies such as implementation of targeted lung cancer screening programs.

Effects of a restrictive blood transfusion protocol on acute pediatric burn care: Transfusion threshold in pediatric burns.

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion is costly and associated with various medical risks. Studies in critically ill adult and pediatric patients suggest that implementation of more restrictive transfusion protocols based on lower threshold hemoglobin concentrations can be medically and economically advantageous. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implications of a hemoglobin threshold change in pediatric burn patients. METHODS: We implemented a change in hemoglobin threshold from 10 g/dL to 7 g/dL and compared data from patients before and after this protocol change in a retrospective review. Primary endpoints were hemoglobin concentration at baseline, before transfusion, and after transfusion; amount of blood product administered; and mortality. Secondary endpoints were the incidence of sepsis based on the American Burn Association physiological criteria for sepsis and mean number of septic days per patient. All endpoint analyses were adjusted for relevant clinical covariates via generalized additive models or Cox proportional hazard model. Statistical significance was accepted at p less than 0.05. RESULTS: Patient characteristics and baseline hemoglobin concentrations (pre, 13.5 g/dL; post, 13.3 g/dL; p > 0.05) were comparable between groups. The group transfused based on the more restrictive hemoglobin threshold had lower hemoglobin concentrations before and after transfusion throughout acute hospitalization, received lower volumes of blood during operations (pre, 1012 mL; post, 824 mL; p < 0.001) and on days without surgical procedures (pre, 602 mL; post, 353 mL; p < 0.001), and had a lower mortality (pre, 8.0%; post, 3.9%; mortality hazard decline, 0.55 [45%]; p < 0.05). Both groups had a comparable incidence of physiological sepsis, though the more restrictive threshold group had a lower number of sepsis days per patient. CONCLUSION: More restrictive transfusion protocols are safe and efficacious in pediatric burn patients. The associated reduction of transfused blood may lessen medical risks of blood transfusion and lower economic burden. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, level IV.