Utility of a Benchmarking Report for Balancing Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship in Children with Complicated Appendicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a severity-adjusted, hospital-level benchmarking comparative performance report for postoperative organ space infection and antibiotic utilization in children with complicated appendicitis. BACKGROUND: No benchmarking data exist to aid hospitals in identifying and prioritizing opportunities for infection prevention or antimicrobial stewardship in children with complicated appendicitis. METHODS: This was a multicenter cohort study using NSQIP-Pediatric data from 16 hospitals participating in a regional research consortium, augmented with antibiotic utilization data obtained through supplemental chart review. Children with complicated appendicitis who underwent appendectomy from 07/01/2015 to 06/30/2020 were included. Thirty-day postoperative OSI rates and cumulative antibiotic utilization were compared between hospitals using observed-to-expected (O/E) ratios after adjusting for disease severity using mixed effects models. Hospitals were considered outliers if the 95% confidence interval for O/E ratios did not include 1.0. RESULTS: 1790 patients were included. Overall, the OSI rate was 15.6% (hospital range: 2.6-39.4%) and median cumulative antibiotic utilization was 9.0 days (range: 3.0-13.0). Across hospitals, adjusted O/E ratios ranged 5.7-fold for OSI (0.49-2.80, P=0.03) and 2.4-fold for antibiotic utilization (0.59-1.45, P<0.01). Three (19%) hospitals were outliers for OSI (1 high and 2 low performers), and eight (50%) were outliers for antibiotic utilization (5 high and 3 low utilizers). Ten (63%) hospitals were identified as outliers in one or both measures. CONCLUSIONS: A comparative performance benchmarking report may help hospitals identify and prioritize quality improvement opportunities for infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship, as well as identify exemplar performers for dissemination of best practices.

Language Differences by Race on Letters of Recommendation for the Pediatric Surgery Match.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate if there is any significant linguistic difference in LoR based on applicant's race/ethnicity. DESIGN: Retrospective review of applications to pediatric surgery fellowship at a single institution (2016-2020). Race was self-reported by applicants. LoR were analyzed via the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software program. SETTING: Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, Florida USA. A free-standing tertiary pediatric hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Pediatric surgery fellowship applicants from 2016 to 2020. RESULTS: A total of 1086 LoR from 280 applicants (52% female) were analyzed. Racial distribution was Caucasians 62.1%, Asian 12.1%, Hispanics 7.1%, multiracial 6.4% African Americans 5%, and other/unknown 7.1%. Letter writers were largely male (84%), pediatric surgeons (63%) and professors (57%). There was no difference in LoR word count across races. LoR for female multiracial candidates contained higher use of affiliation and negative emotion terms compared to Hispanic females (p = 0.002 and 0.048, respectively), and past focus terms when compared to Caucasian and Asian female applicants (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). Religion terms were more common in LoR for Asian females when compared to Caucasian females (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates linguistic differences in LoR for pediatric surgery training programs based on applicant race/ethnicity. While differences are present, these do not suggest overt bias based on applicants race or ethnicity.

Outcomes and Resource Utilization Associated with Use of Routine Pre-Discharge White Blood Cell Count for Clinical Decision-Making in Children with Complicated Appendicitis: A Multicenter Hospital-Level Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The objective was to explore the hospital-level relationship between routine pre-discharge WBC utilization (RPD-WBC) and outcomes in children with complicated appendicitis. METHODS: Multicenter analysis of NSQIP-Pediatric data from 14 consortium hospitals augmented with RPD-WBC data. WBC were considered routine if obtained within one day of discharge in children who did not develop an organ space infection (OSI) or fever during the index admission. Hospital-level observed-to-expected ratios (O/E) for 30-day outcomes (antibiotic days, imaging utilization, healthcare days, and OSI) were calculated after adjusting for appendicitis severity and patient characteristics. Spearman correlation was used to explore the relationship between hospital-level RPD-WBC utilization and O/E's for each outcome. RESULTS: 1528 children were included. Significant variation was found across hospitals in RPD-WBC use (range: 0.7-100%; p < 0.01) and all outcomes (mean antibiotic days: 9.9 [O/E range: 0.56-1.44, p < 0.01]; imaging: 21.9% [O/E range: 0.40-2.75, p < 0.01]; mean healthcare visit days: 5.7 [O/E 0.74-1.27, p < 0.01]); OSI: 14.1% [O/E range: 0.43-3.64, p < 0.01]). No correlation was found between RPD-WBC use and antibiotic days (r = +0.14, p = 0.64), imaging (r = -0.07, p = 0.82), healthcare days (r = +0.35, p = 0.23) or OSI (r = -0.13, p = 0.65). CONCLUSIONS: Increased RPD-WBC utilization in pediatric complicated appendicitis did not correlate with improved outcomes or resource utilization at the hospital level. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III. TYPE OF STUDY: Clinical Research.

Risk factors for prolonged hospitalization and readmission after total thyroidectomy in children: Associations with surgical subspecialty.

BACKGROUND: Total thyroidectomy (TT) in children is performed by pediatric general surgeons (P-GS), pediatric otolaryngologists (P-ENT), or adult GS/ENT. This study evaluated short-term pediatric TT outcomes, focusing on surgical subspecialties. METHODS: Pediatric (<18 years) TT with/without central limited lymph node dissection (CLND) between 2015 and 2020 were obtained from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric database. Risk factors for prolonged hospitalization (PH,>2 days) and 30-day readmission were investigated with multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 1535 patients, 14% had PH and 2% were readmitted. PH rates for P-ENT vs. P-GS vs. adult were 21% vs. 11% vs. 10%, respectively. Adjusted risk of PH was higher for P-ENT (OR 1.70, p = 0.003) but similar for P-GS/adult. There was no difference for risk of readmission by subspecialty. CONCLUSION: PH is more likely after pediatric TT performed by P-ENT, as compared to P-GS or adult surgeons. While TT may be performed safely by individual subspecialties, collaboration across specialties may further optimize outcomes.

Examining Implicit Bias Differences in Pediatric Surgical Fellowship Letters of Recommendation Using Natural Language Processing.

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed the prevalence and type of bias in letters of recommendation (LOR) for pediatric surgical fellowship applications from 2016-2021 using natural language processing (NLP) at a quaternary care academic hospital. DESIGN: Demographics were extracted from submitted applications. The Valence Aware Dictionary for sEntiment Reasoning (VADER) model was used to calculate polarity scores. The National Research Council dataset was used for emotion and intensity analysis.  The Kruskal-Wallis H-test was used to determine statistical significance.  SETTING: This study took place at a single, academic, free standing quaternary care children's hospital with an ACGME accredited pediatric surgery fellowship. PARTICIPANTS: Applicants to a single pediatric surgery fellowship were selected for this study from 2016 to 2021. A total of 182 individual applicants were included and 701 letters of recommendation were analyzed. RESULTS: Black applicants had the highest mean polarity (most positive), while Hispanic applicants had the lowest.  Overall differences between polarity distributions were not statistically significant.   The intensity of emotions showed that differences in "anger" were statistically significant (p=0.03).  Mean polarity was higher for applicants that successfully matched in pediatric surgery. DISCUSSION: This study identified differences in LORs based on racial and gender demographics submitted as part of pediatric surgical fellowship applications to a single training program. The presence of bias in letters of recommendation can lead to inequities in demographics to a given program. While difficult to detect for humans, natural language processing is able to detect bias as well as differences in polarity and emotional intensity. While the types of emotions identified in this study are highly similar among race and gender groups, the intensity of these emotions revealed differences, with "anger" being most significant. CONCLUSION: From this work, it can be concluded that bias in LORs, as reflected as differences in polarity, which is likely a result of the intensity of the emotions being used and not the types of emotions being expressed.   Natural language processing shows promise in identification of subtle areas of bias that may influence an individual's likelihood of successful matching.

Association Between Antibiotic Redosing Before Incision and Risk of Incisional Site Infection in Children With Appendicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether redosing antibiotics within an hour of incision is associated with a reduction in incisional surgical site infection (iSSI) in children with appendicitis. BACKGROUND: Existing data remain conflicting as to whether children with appendicitis receiving antibiotics at diagnosis benefit from antibiotic redosing before incision. METHODS: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study using data from the Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement Program augmented with antibiotic utilization and operative report data obtained though supplemental chart review. Children undergoing appendectomy at 14 hospitals participating in the Eastern Pediatric Surgery Network from July 2016 to June 2020 who received antibiotics upon diagnosis of appendicitis between 1 and 6 hours before incision were included. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare odds of iSSI in those who were and were not redosed with antibiotics within 1 hour of incision, adjusting for patient demographics, disease severity, antibiotic agents, and hospital-level clustering of events. RESULTS: A total of 3533 children from 14 hospitals were included. Overall, 46.5% were redosed (hospital range: 1.8%-94.4%, P <0.001) and iSSI rates were similar between groups [redosed: 1.2% vs non-redosed: 1.3%; odds ratio (OR) 0.84, (95%,CI, 0.39-1.83)]. In subgroup analyses, redosing was associated with lower iSSI rates when cefoxitin was used as the initial antibiotic (redosed: 1.0% vs nonredosed: 2.5%; OR: 0.38, (95% CI, 0.17-0.84)], but no benefit was found with other antibiotic regimens, longer periods between initial antibiotic administration and incision, or with increased disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: Redosing of antibiotics within 1 hour of incision in children who received their initial dose within 6 hours of incision was not associated with reduction in risk of incisional site infection unless cefoxitin was used as the initial antibiotic.

Multicenter Comparison of Laparoscopic Versus Open Repair of Duodenal Atresia in Neonates.

Introduction: Traditional duodenal atresia (DA) repair involves a laparotomy. There have been reports of laparoscopic repair (LAP), in lieu of the open laparotomy approach (OPN), with varying degrees of success. The merit of this alternative warrants continued investigation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were outcome differences after neonatal DA repair based on surgical approach. Methods: IRB approved retrospective review of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric database (2012-2018) was conducted. International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 (751.1) and ICD-10 codes (Q41.0) identified DA repair. Patient demographics, perioperative, and postoperative variables were collected. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models assessed associations between surgical approach and outcomes. Results: A total of 917 cases were identified, 803 (87.6%) OPN, 75 (8.2%) LAP, and 39 (4.2%) LAP to OPN. Median age at surgery was 2 days (interquartile range [IQR] = 1-3). Females represented 56% of the LAP (n = 42), and 51% of the OPN (n = 412, P = .470). The LAP group had higher weight at surgery (2.8 kg, IQR = 2.3-3.1), compared with the OPN (2.6 kg, IQR = 2.1-2.9, P = .009); and longer operative time (161 minutes, IQR = 107-206; OPN 106 minutes, IQR = 85-135, P < .001). In unadjusted models, median postoperative stay was 4 days shorter (95% confidence interval = -7.5 to -0.5) among LAP compared with OPN. Adjusted models for postoperative stay, complication risks, and unplanned reoperation were not statistically different. Conclusion: Most DA repairs are performed through OPN. LAP resulted in shorter length of stay in unadjusted models. Similar incidence of complications and reoperation suggest that LAP may be as safe as OPN, when employed by skilled experienced pediatric surgeons.

How Well Do They Convert? Trending ASAPS Presentations to Publication From 1995-2010.

BACKGROUND: The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) sponsors an annual conference that promotes education, advocacy, and care. There, researchers deliver abstracts as podium and poster presentations. Subsequently, ASAPS encourages submitting these research findings for publication. Yet, many never become published manuscripts. OBJECTIVES: To quantify the conversion rates of oral abstract presentations to publication from 1995 to 2010. Secondary objectives included evaluating trends in presentations, publications, time to publication, and published journal distribution. METHODS: Comprehensive literature search in PubMed cross-referencing oral abstract presentations and determining peer-reviewed publication status. The conversion rate and time to publication was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 569 oral presentations met the inclusion criteria. The mean annual presentations was 35.6. A total of 360 presentations became journal publications. The mean annual publications was 22.5. The mean conversion rate was 63.3% (R2, 0.1271; P-value of .23). The mean time to publication was 19.8 months. Most publications occurred within two years of presentation (87.5%). Publications appeared in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PRS, 48.6%), Aesthetic Surgery Journal (ASJ, 27.8%), Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (APS, 5.6%), Annals of Plastic Surgery (AnnPS, 4.2%), Clinics in Plastic Surgery (CPS, 3.9%), and other journals (10%). Trending ASJ publications vs other journals in five year intervals demonstrated an increase from 18.7% to 58.8%. CONCLUSIONS: While the number of presentations and publications declined, the time to publication, and conversion rate remained largely the same. Despite its short existence, ASJ became the predominant journal publishing ASAPS abstracts by the end of the study period.