Documentation of Trauma-Informed Care Elements for Young People Hospitalized After Assault Trauma.

INTRODUCTION: Violent traumatic injury, including firearm violence, can adversely impact individual and community health. Trauma-informed care (TIC) can promote resilience and prevent future violence in patients who have experienced trauma. However, few protocols exist to facilitate implementation of TIC for patients who survive traumatic injury. The purpose of the study is to characterize documentation of TIC practices and identify opportunities for intervention in a single academic quaternary care center. METHODS: This study is a retrospective chart review analyzing the documentation of trauma-informed elements in the electronic medical record of a random sample of youth patients (ages 12-23) admitted for assault trauma to the pediatric (n = 50) and adult trauma (n = 200) services between 2016 and mid-2021. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient demographics, hospitalization characteristics, and documentation of trauma-informed elements. Chi-square analyses were performed to compare pediatric and adult trauma services. RESULTS: Among pediatric and adult assault trauma patients, 36.0% and 80.5% were hospitalized for firearm injury, respectively. More patients admitted to the pediatric trauma service (96%) had at least one trauma-informed element documented than patients admitted to the adult service (82.5%). Social workers were the most likely clinicians to document a trauma-informed element. Pain assessment and social support were most frequently documented. Safety assessments for suicidal ideation, retaliatory violence, and access to a firearm were rarely documented. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight opportunities to develop trauma-informed interventions for youth admitted for assault trauma. Standardized TIC documentation could be used to assess risk of violent reinjury and mitigate sequelae of trauma.

What Proportion of East African Refugees Report Musculoskeletal Problems? A Cross-sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading cause of disability worldwide and disproportionally affect individuals in low-income and middle-income countries. There is a dearth of evidence on musculoskeletal problems among refugees, 74% of whom reside in low-income and middle-income countries. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) What proportion of refugees in Nyarugusu Camp, Kigoma, western Tanzania, are affected by musculoskeletal problems and what are the characteristics of those individuals? (2) What are the characteristics of these musculoskeletal problems, including their causes, location, and duration? (3) What forms of healthcare do those with musculoskeletal problems seek, including those for both musculoskeletal and nonmusculoskeletal problems? METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among refugees in Nyarugusu Camp, using the Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need tool. The Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need tool is a validated population-based survey tool developed for use in limited-resource settings that is intended to determine the prevalence of surgical disease in a community. It uses a cluster random sampling methodology with house-to-house data collection in the form of a verbal head-to-toe examination that is performed by a trained community healthcare worker. A total of 99% responded, and 3574 records were analyzed. The mean age of respondents was 23 ± 18 years, with under 18 as the most-represented age group (44% [1563]). A total of 57% (2026) of respondents were women, 79% (2802 of 3536) were generally healthy, and 92% (3297 of 3570) had visited a camp medical facility. Only records endorsing musculoskeletal problems (extremity or back) were included in this analysis. Using all refugees surveyed as our denominator and refugees who endorsed a musculoskeletal problem (extremity or back) as the numerator, we calculated the proportion of refugees who endorsed a musculoskeletal problem. We then analyzed the characteristics of those endorsing musculoskeletal problems, including their healthcare-seeking behavior, and the characteristics of the musculoskeletal problems themselves. RESULTS: Among 3574 refugees interviewed, 22% (769) reported musculoskeletal problems, with 17% (609) reporting extremity problems and 7% (266) reporting back problems. Among all people surveyed, 8% (290) reported current extremity problems while 5% (188) reported current back problems. Among those reporting musculoskeletal problems, respondents younger than 18 years were the most-represented age group (28% [169 of 609]) whereas respondents between 30 and 44 years of age were the most-represented age group for back problems (29% [76 of 266]). Wounds from an injury or trauma (24% [133 of 557]) and acquired disability (24% [133 of 557]) were the most-common causes of extremity problems, whereas acquired disability (53% [97 of 184]) followed by a wound not from injury or trauma (25% [45 of 184]) were the most common causes of back problems. Fifty percent (303) of those with extremity problems characterized it as disabling, whereas 76% (203) of those with back problems did. CONCLUSION: Over one of five refugees endorsed musculoskeletal problems, which are most often caused by acquired disease and injury. These musculoskeletal problems are often characterized as disabling, yet only slightly more than half have sought treatment for problems. This warrants further research on care-seeking behavior in this setting, and emphasizes that investing in the spectrum of musculoskeletal health systems, including medical management and rehabilitation services, is critical to decreasing disability caused by musculoskeletal problems. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, prognostic study.

A Pilot Machine Learning Study Using Trauma Admission Data to Identify Risk for High Length of Stay.

INTRODUCTION: Trauma patients have diverse resource needs due to variable mechanisms and injury patterns. The aim of this study was to build a tool that uses only data available at time of admission to predict prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS). METHODS: Data was collected from the trauma registry at an urban level one adult trauma center and included patients from 1/1/2014 to 3/31/2019. Trauma patients with one or fewer days LOS were excluded. Single layer and deep artificial neural networks were trained to identify patients in the top quartile of LOS and optimized on area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC). The predictive performance of the model was assessed on a separate test set using binary classification measures of accuracy, precision, and error. RESULTS: 2953 admitted trauma patients with more than one-day LOS were included in this study. They were 70% male, 60% white, and averaged 47 years-old (SD: 21). 28% were penetrating trauma. Median length of stay was 5 days (IQR 3-9). For prediction of prolonged LOS, the deep neural network achieved an AUROC of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.786-0.814) specificity was 0.95, sensitivity was 0.32, with an overall accuracy of 0.79. CONCLUSION: Machine learning can predict, with excellent specificity, trauma patients who will have prolonged length of stay with only physiologic and demographic data available at the time of admission. These patients may benefit from additional resources with respect to disposition planning at the time of admission.

Nationwide Management of Trauma in Child Abuse: Exploring the Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Disparities.

OBJECTIVE: Child abuse is a major cause of childhood injury, morbidity, and death. There is a paucity of data on the practice of abuse interventions among this vulnerable population. The aim of our study was to identify the factors associated with interventions for child abuse on a national scale. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 2017 to 2018 American College of Surgeons (ACS) Pediatric Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP). All children presenting with suspected/confirmed child abuse and an abuse report filed were included. Patients with missing information regarding abuse interventions were excluded. Outcomes were abuse investigations initiated among those with abuse reports, and change of caregiver at discharge among survivors with an investigation initiated. Multivariable regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 7774 child abuse victims with an abuse report were identified. The mean age was 5±5 years, 4221 (54%) patients were White, 2297 (30%) Black, 1543 (20%) Hispanic, and 5298 (68%) had government insurance. The most common mechanism was blunt (63%), followed by burns (10%) and penetrating (10%). The median Injury Severity Score was 5 (1-12). The most common form of abuse was physical (92%), followed by neglect (6%), sexual (3%), and psychological (0.1%). The most common perpetrator of abuse was a care provider/teacher (49.5%), followed by a member of the immediate family (30.5%), or a member of the extended/step/foster family (20.0%). Overall, 6377 (82%) abuse investigations were initiated for those with abuse reports. Of these, 1967 (33%) resulted in a change of caregiver. Black children were more likely to have abuse investigated, and Black and Hispanic children were more likely to experience change of caregiver after investigations, while privately insured children were less likely to experience both. CONCLUSIONS: Significant racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities exist in the nationwide management of child abuse. Further studies are strongly warranted to understand contributing factors and possible strategies to address them. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-therapeutic/care management.

Untreated Surgical Problems Among East African Refugees: A Cluster Randomized, Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence of surgical conditions among refugees in East Africa. BACKGROUND: Surgery is a foundational aspect to high functioning health care systems. In the wake of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, previous research has focused on defining the burden of surgical conditions in low- and middle-income countries. Despite numbering over 80 million people globally, forced migrant populations have often been neglected from this body of research. METHODS: We administered a validated survey using random cluster sampling to determine surgical need among refugees in western Tanzania. Primary outcome was history or presence of a surgical problem. Analysis included descriptive and multivariable logistic regression including an average marginal effects model. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 3,574 refugee participants in East Africa. A total of 1,654 participants (46.3%) reported a history or presence of at least one problem that may be surgical in nature. Of those 1,654 participants who did report a problem 1,022 participants (61.8%) reported the problem was still ongoing. Multivariable analysis revealed several factors associated with having a surgical problem (increasing age, occupation, illness within past year). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first and largest population-based survey in estimating the prevalence of surgical disease among refugees in sub-Saharan Africa. Our results imply that more than one-in-four refugees has an ongoing surgical problem, suggesting over double the burden of surgical need in refugee populations compared to non-refugee settings.

Prevalence of pediatric surgical problems among east African refugees: estimates from a cross-sectional survey using random cluster sampling.

IMPORTANCE: Surgery is a foundational aspect to high functioning health care systems. In the wake of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, previous research has focused on defining the burden of surgical conditions among a pediatric population, however these studies often fail to include forced migrant or refugees. The goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence of pediatric surgical conditions among refugees in east Africa. METHODS: We used the previously validated Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) that utilizes cross-sectional design with random cluster sampling to assess prevalence of surgical disease among participants aged 0 to 18 years in Nyarugusu refugee camp, Tanzania. We used descriptive and multivariable analyses including an average marginal effects model. RESULTS: A total of 1,658 participants were included in the study. The mean age of our sample was 8.3 ± 5.8 years. A total of 841 participants (50.7%) were male and 817 participants (49.3%) were female. A total of 513 (n = 30.9%) reported a history or presence of a problem that may be surgical in nature, and 280 (54.6%) of them reported the problem was ongoing or untreated. Overall, 16.9% had an ongoing problem that may be amenable to surgery. We found that increasing age and recent illness were associated with having a surgical problem on both our multivariable analyses. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first and largest study of prevalence of surgical conditions among refugee children in sub-Saharan Africa. We found that over 16% (one-in-six) of refugee children have a problem that may be amenable to surgery. Our results provide a benchmark upon which other studies in conflict or post-conflict zones with refugee or forced migrant populations may be compared.

The Utility of Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin in Identifying Chronic Alcohol Users in the Injured Patient: Expanding the Toolkit.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol use remains abundant in patients with traumatic injury. Previous studies have suggested that serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (%dCDT) levels, relative to blood alcohol levels (BALs), may better differentiate episodic binge drinkers from sustained heavy consumers in admitted patients with traumatic injury. We characterized %dCDT levels and BAL levels to differentiate binge drinkers from sustained heavy consumers in admitted trauma patients and their associations with outcomes. METHODS: This prospective, cross-sectional, observational study assessed %dCDT and BAL levels in admitted male and female patients with traumatic injury (≥18 y) at an American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma level-1 center from July 2014 to June 2016. We designated patients with %dCDT levels ≥1.7% (CDT+) as chronic alcohol users and dichotomized acutely intoxicated patients using three different BAL-level thresholds. Primary outcomes included in-hospital complications, along with prolonged ventilation and intensive care unit length of stay, both defined as the top decile. Secondary outcomes included rates of drug or alcohol withdrawal and all-cause mortality. Analyses were adjusted for clinical factors. RESULTS: We studied 715 patients (77.5% men, 60.6% ≤ 40 y of age, median Injury Severity Score: 14, 41.7% motor vehicle crashes, 17.9% gunshot wounds, 11.1% falls). While 31.0% were CDT+, 48.7% were BAL>0. After adjusting for CDT levels, BAL levels >0, >100, or >200 were not associated with adverse outcomes. However, CDT+ relative to patients with CDT were associated with complications (adjusted odds ratio: 1.96 [1.24-3.09]), prolonged ventilation days (3.23 [1.08-9.65]), and prolonged intensive care unit stays (2.83 [1.20-6.68]). CONCLUSIONS: In this 2-year prospective, cross-sectional, and observational study, we found that %dCDT levels, relative to BAL levels, may better stratify admitted patients with traumatic injury into acute versus chronic alcohol users, identifying those at higher risk for in-hospital complications.

General Versus Neuraxial Anesthesia for Appendectomy: A Multicenter International Study.

BACKGROUND: In resource-limited countries, open appendectomy is still performed under general anesthesia (GA) or neuraxial anesthesia (NA). We sought to compare the postoperative outcomes of appendectomy under NA versus GA. METHODS: We conducted a post hoc analysis of the International Patterns of Opioid Prescribing (iPOP) multicenter study. All patients ≥ 16 years-old who underwent an open appendectomy between October 2016 and March 2017 in one of the 14 participating hospitals were included. Patients were stratified into two groups: NA-defined as spinal or epidural-and GA. All-cause morbidity, hospital length of stay (LOS), and pain severity were assessed using univariate analysis followed by multivariable logistic regression adjusting for the following preoperative characteristics: age, gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking, history of opioid use, emergency status, and country. RESULTS: A total of 655 patients were included, 353 of which were in the NA group and 302 in the GA group. The countries operating under NA were Colombia (39%), Thailand (31%), China (23%), and Brazil (7%). Overall, NA patients were younger (mean age (SD): 34.5 (14.4) vs. 40.7 (17.9), p-value < 0.001) and had a lower BMI (mean (SD): 23.5 (3.8) vs. 24.3 (5.2), p-value = 0.040) than GA patients. On multivariable analysis, NA was independently associated with less postoperative complications (OR, 95% CI: 0.30 [0.10-0.94]) and shorter hospital LOS (LOS > 3 days, OR, 95% CI: 0.47 [0.32-0.68]) compared to GA. There was no difference in postoperative pain severity between the two techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Open appendectomy performed under NA is associated with improved outcomes compared to that performed under GA. Further randomized controlled studies should examine the safety and value of NA in lower abdominal surgery.

Estimating the potential pool of uncontrolled DCD donors in the United States.

Organs from uncontrolled DCD donors (uDCDs) have expanded donation in Europe since the 1980s, but are seldom used in the United States. Cited barriers include lack of knowledge about the potential donor pool, lack of robust outcomes data, lack of standard donor eligibility criteria and preservation methods, and logistical and ethical challenges. To determine whether it would be appropriate to invest in addressing these barriers and building this practice, we sought to enumerate the potential pool of uDCD donors. Using data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, the largest all-payer emergency department (ED) database, between 2013 and 2016, we identified patients who had refractory cardiac arrest in the ED. We excluded patients with contraindications to both deceased donation (including infection, malignancy, cardiopulmonary disease) and uDCD (including hemorrhage, major polytrauma, burns, and poisoning). We identified 9828 (range: 9454-10 202) potential uDCDs/y; average age was 32 years, and all were free of major comorbidity. Of these, 91.1% had traumatic deaths, with major causes including nonhead blunt injuries (43.2%) and head injuries (40.1%). In the current era, uDCD donors represent a significant potential source of unused organs. Efforts to address barriers to uDCD in the United States should be encouraged.

Pediatric Firearm Injuries and Fatalities: Do Racial Disparities Exist?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate racial disparities among White and Black pediatric firearm injury patients on a national level. BACKGROUND: Pediatric firearm-related morbidity and mortality are rising in the United States. There is a paucity of data examining racial disparities in those patients. METHODS: The Pediatric Trauma Quality Improvement Program (2017) was queried for pediatric (age ≤17 years) patients admitted with firearm injuries. Patients were stratified by race: White and Black. Injury characteristics were assessed. Outcomes were mortality, hospital length of stay, and discharge disposition. Hierarchical regression models were performed to determine predictors of mortality and longer hospital stays. RESULTS: A total of 3717 pediatric firearm injury patients were identified: Blacks (67.0%) and Whites (33.0%). The majority of patients were male (84.2%). The most common injury intent in both groups was assault (77.3% in Blacks vs in 45.4% Whites; P<0.001), followed by unintentional (21.1% vs 35.4%; P<0.001), and suicide (1.0% vs 14.0%; P<0.001). The highest fatality rate was in suicide injuries (62.6%). On univariate analysis, White children had higher mortality (17.5% vs 9.8%; P<0.001), longer hospital stay [3 (1-7) vs 2 (1-5) days; P = 0.021], and more psychiatric hospital admissions (1.3% vs 0.1%; P<0.001). On multivariate analysis, suicide intent was found to be an independent predictor of mortality (aOR 2.67; 95% CI 1.35-5.29) and longer hospital stay (ß + 4.13; P<0.001), while White race was not. CONCLUSION: Assault is the leading intent of injury in both Black and White children, but White children suffer more from suicide injuries that are associated with worse outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III Prognostic.

Opioids After Surgery in the United States Versus the Rest of the World: The International Patterns of Opioid Prescribing (iPOP) Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: The International Patterns of Opioid Prescribing study compares postoperative opioid prescribing patterns in the United States (US) versus the rest of the world. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The US is in the middle of an unprecedented opioid epidemic. Diversion of unused opioids contributes to the opioid epidemic. METHODS: Patients ≥16 years old undergoing appendectomy, cholecystectomy, or inguinal hernia repair in 14 hospitals from 8 countries during a 6-month period were included. Medical records were systematically reviewed to identify: (1) preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative characteristics, (2) opioid intake within 3 months preoperatively, (3) opioid prescription upon discharge, and (4) opioid refills within 3 months postoperatively. The median/range and mean/standard deviation of number of pills and OME were compared between the US and non-US patients. RESULTS: A total of 4690 patients were included. The mean age was 49 years, 47% were female, and 4% had opioid use history. Ninety-one percent of US patients were prescribed opioids, compared to 5% of non-US patients (P < 0.001). The median number of opioid pills and OME prescribed were 20 (0-135) and 150 (0-1680) mg for US versus 0 (0-50) and 0 (0-600) mg for non-US patients, respectively (both P < 0.001). The mean number of opioid pills and OME prescribed were 23.1 ±â€Š13.9 in US and 183.5 ±â€Š133.7 mg versus 0.8 ±â€Š3.9 and 4.6 ±â€Š27.7 mg in non-US patients, respectively (both P < 0.001). Opioid refill rates were 4.7% for US and 1.0% non-US patients (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: US physicians prescribe alarmingly high amounts of opioid medications postoperatively. Further efforts should focus on limiting opioid prescribing and emphasize non-opioid alternatives in the US.

Delay in emergency hernia surgery is associated with worse outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Patients requiring emergent surgery for hernia vary widely in presentation and management. The purpose of this study was to determine if the variation in timing of urgent surgery impacts surgical outcomes. METHODS: The national NSQIP database for years 2011-2016 was queried for emergent surgeries for abdominal hernia resulting in obstruction or gangrene by primary post-op diagnosis. Diaphragmatic hernias were excluded. Patients were grouped by surgical timing from admission to day of surgery: same day, next day, and longer delay. Multinomial propensity score weighting was used to address potential differences in underlying covariates' clustering across the timing groups followed by multivariable logistic regression of morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Weighted analysis yielded an effective sample size of 76,364. Hernia types included inguinal (20.9%); femoral (6.7%); umbilical (20.2%); ventral (41.0%); and other (10.4%). Delayed surgery was associated with increased rates of major complications (26.4% vs. 20.9%, p < 0.001), longer operative times (+ 12.5 min, p < 0.001), longer postoperative lengths of stay (+ 1.6 days, p < 0.001), increased re-operations (5.9% vs. 4.7%, p = 0.019), increased readmissions (7.0% vs. 5.7%, p = 0.004), and increased 30-day mortality (2.4% vs. 1.7%, p = 0.002). When controlling for other factors, next-day surgery (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.05-1.45, p = 0.009) and surgery delayed more than one day (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.13-1.73, p < 0.002) were associated with an increased odds of a major complication. Mortality and readmission by timing of surgery were not independently significant. CONCLUSIONS: Delay in surgery for emergent hernias increased the odds of major morbidity but not mortality. Patients presenting with hernia and an indication for urgent surgical intervention may benefit from an operation as soon as feasible rather than warrant waiting for further physiologic optimization, medical clearance, or specialized surgical personnel.

The Hidden Burden of Mental Health Outcomes Following Firearm-related Injures.

OBJECTIVES: Examine the effect of different types of firearms on readmission due to acute stress disorder (ASD) and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in firearm-injury victims. BACKGROUND: Survivors of firearm-related injuries suffer long-term sequelae such as disability, work loss, and deterioration in the quality of life. There is a paucity of data describing the long-term mental health outcomes in these patients. METHODS: We performed a 5-year (2011-2015) analysis of the Nationwide Readmission Database. All adult patients with firearm injuries were stratified into 3 groups by firearm type: handgun, shotgun, and semiautomatic rifle. Outcome measures were the incidence and predictors of ASD/PTSD. RESULTS: A total of 100,704 victims of firearm-related injuries were identified, of which 13.3% (n = 13,393) were readmitted within 6 months of index hospitalization, 6.7% (n = 8970) of these due to ASD/PTSD. Mean age was 34 ±â€Š14 years, 88% were men. Of those readmitted due to ASD/PTSD, 24% (n = 2153) sustained a handgun-related injury on index hospitalization, 12% (n = 1076) shotgun, and 64% (n = 5741) semiautomatic gun (P = 0.039). On regression analysis, semiautomatic gun and shotgun victims had higher odds of developing ASD/PTSD upon readmission [odds ratio (OR): 2.05 (1.10-4.12) and OR: 1.41 (1.08-2.11)] compared to handgun. Female sex [OR: 1.79 (1.05-3.05)] and younger age representing those younger than 25 years [OR: 4.66 (1.12-6.74)] were also independently associated with higher odds of ASD/PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: Apart from the lives lost, survivors of semiautomatic rifle- and shotgun-related injuries suffer long-term mental health sequalae. These secondary and debilitating mental health outcomes are important considerations for capturing the overall burden of the disease.

Irrigation Versus Suction in Laparoscopic Appendectomy for Complicated Appendicitis: A Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is currently one of the most common surgical emergencies. Intra-abdominal abscesses (IAA) are a fearsome complication, which may occur. Irrigation during the appendectomy is one of the factors suggested to affect the rates of IAA. We sought to investigate the evidence regarding the use of irrigation versus suction alone and the development of IAA after laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated appendicitis. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, and the Web of Science through November 10, 2017, according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We extracted information of interest, including rates of postoperative (IAA), and performed meta-analysis using random-effects model using the RevMan software. RESULTS: We identified five eligible studies with 2511 patients in total. Use of irrigation overall did not demonstrate significant increase in IAA (odds ratio [OR] = 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI; 0.49, 11.74], P = 0.28). For the adult subpopulation, the use of irrigation was associated with nonsignificant lower odds of IAAs (OR = 0.42, 95% CI [0.15, 1.16]), whereas in pediatric with nonsignificant higher risk (OR = 2.98, 95% CI [0.25, 35.34]). Performance of irrigation led to the addition of, on average, 7 min to the duration of the operation (mean difference = 7.16, 95% CI [3.23, 11.09], P < 0.001). Irrigation did not affect postoperative length of stay (mean difference = -0.80, 95% CI [-2.30, 0.69], P = 0.29). CONCLUSIONS: Performance of irrigation during laparoscopic appendectomy does not seem to prevent the development of IAA in neither adults nor pediatric patients.

Surgery After an Initial Episode of Uncomplicated Diverticulitis: Does Time to Resection Matter?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether time to surgery after an initial episode of uncomplicated diverticulitis is associated with undergoing an emergent versus an elective resection. METHODS: In this retrospective, administrative claims database study, we identified patients at least 18 y old in the 2005-2011 California State Inpatient Database who had an initial episode of uncomplicated diverticulitis and then underwent a bowel resection within 2 y. After characterizing the distribution in time to surgery among all patients, we used a multivariable logistic regression to determine whether time to surgery was associated with undergoing an emergent resection. Next, we assessed differences in three outcomes between elective and emergent resections: at least one of eight postoperative complications, extended length of stay (defined as the top decile of hospitalizations), and 30-d inpatient readmissions. Analyses adjusted for time between initial hospitalization and resection, number of inpatient hospitalizations for diverticulitis before the resection, clinical factors, and hospital clustering. RESULTS: We identified 4478 patients with an initial episode of uncomplicated diverticulitis followed by a bowel resection within the subsequent 2 y. One-fifth (21.1%) underwent an emergent resection. The median time from the initial episode to resection was 3.8 mo (IQR: 2.3-8.1 mo) for elective resections and 5.1 mo (IQR: 2.3-12.4 mo) for emergent resections. The adjusted odds of undergoing an emergent relative to an elective resection increased by 7% (aOR 1.07 [1.02-1.11]) for every 3 passing mo. Emergent resections were associated with greater adjusted odds of complications (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.75 [95%-CI 1.43-2.15]), extended LOS (aOR 4.52 [3.31-6.17]), and 30-d readmissions (aOR 1.49 [1.09-2.04]). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who experienced an initial episode of uncomplicated diverticulitis and eventually underwent a resection, the odds of having an emergent relative to elective surgery increased with every 3 passing mo. These findings may inform the management of uncomplicated diverticulitis for high-risk patients eventually needing surgery.

Incidental Cancer Diagnoses in Trauma Patients: A Case-Control Study Evaluating Long-term Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates whether trauma patients who incidentally learned about a malignancy have similar long-term outcomes as patients who organically learned about their malignancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Incidental findings (IF) patients were matched to noninjured cancer controls on age group, sex, cancer site, stage, and year of diagnosis. Unadjusted covariates included race, insurance type, rural residence, and time from diagnosis to first cancer intervention. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to measure adjusted all-cause and cancer-specific mortality risk. RESULTS: Adjusted long-term mortality risk among IF cases was 1.42 (95% confidence interval [1.11-1.81]) compared with noninjured cancer controls. There was no statistically significant difference in all-cause mortality among IF cases who survived at least 30 d (1.24 [0.88-1.74]). IF cases had no increased risk of cancer-related mortality compared with controls (1.26 [0.96-1.64]). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term mortality risks among trauma patients with incidental cancer diagnoses are no different than the cancer population as a whole among patients who survive at least 30 d after injury. IF trauma patients are not more susceptible to cancer-related causes of death as a result of a physiological stress response due to injury.

Surgeon variation in operating times and charges for emergency general surgery.

BACKGROUND: Patients and hospitals face significant financial burdens from emergency general surgeries (EGSs), which have been termed a public health crisis in the United States. We evaluated hospitalization charges, operating charges, and variations in operating time by surgeon volume for three common EGS procedures. METHODS: Using Maryland's Health Services Cost Review Commission database, we performed a retrospective study of laparoscopic appendectomies, laparoscopic cholecystectomies, and open bowel resections performed by general surgeons among adult patients from July 2012 to September 2014. We compared operating charges to total hospitalization charges and quantified variations in operating time for each procedure. We then divided patients into quartiles based on their surgeon's procedure-specific case volume and used hierarchical linear regressions to calculate differences in both operating time and charges between quartiles. RESULTS: We identified 3194 appendectomies, 4143 cholecystectomies, and 1478 bowel resections. Operating charges accounted for one-quarter (26.9%) of total hospitalization charges and widespread variation existed in operating time (appendectomies: median 79 min [interquartile range 66-100 min], cholecystectomies: 96 min [76-125 min], bowel resections: 155 min [117-209 min]). After adjustment, low-volume surgeons relative to high-volume surgeons did not operate statistically longer for appendectomies (+1%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -2% to 5%) but operated +16% (95% CI: 12%-20%) longer for cholecystectomies (+14 min) and +40% (95% CI: 30%-50%) longer for bowel resections (+59 min). Adjusted median operating charges from low-volume surgeons relative to high-volume surgeons were $554 (26.7%), $621 (22.0%), and $1801 (47.0%) greater for appendectomies, cholecystectomies, and bowel resections, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Operating charges contributed substantially to total EGS hospitalization charges, where low-volume surgeons operated longer and had higher operative charges relative to high-volume surgeons. Reducing variations in operating times and charges represents an opportunity to alleviate the financial burden from EGS procedures.

Salpingectomy in Ovarian Cancer Prevention.

This Viewpoint explains the use of opportunistic salpingectomy, removal of the fallopian tubes for the primary prevention of ovarian cancer in a woman already undergoing pelvic surgery for another indication.

Coordinating a National Approach to Violence Prevention.

This Viewpoint discusses violence-related US public health concerns and suggests creating a federal Office of National Violence Prevention to develop a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained effort to address all aspects of violence in the US.