Low left ventricular ejection fraction, complication rescue, and long-term survival after coronary artery bypass grafting.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), complication rescue, and long-term survival after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: National cohort study of patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (2000-2016) using Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program data. Left ventricular ejection fraction was categorized as ≥35% (n = 55,877), 25%-34% (n = 3893), or <25% (n = 1707). Patients were also categorized as having had no complications, 1 complication, or more than 1 complication. The association between LVEF, complication rescue, and risk of death was evaluated with multivariable Cox regression. RESULTS: Among 61,477 patients, 6586 (10.7%) had a perioperative complication and 2056 (3.3%) had multiple complications. Relative to LVEF ≥35%, decreasing ejection fraction was associated with greater odds of complications (25%-34%, odds ratio, 1.30 [1.18-1.42]; <25%, odds ratio, 1.65 [1.43-1.92]). There was a dose-response relationship between decreasing LVEF and overall risk of death (≥35% [ref]; 25%-35%, hazard ratio, 1.46 [1.37-1.55]; <25%, hazard ratio, 1.68 [1.58-1.79]). Among patients who were rescued from complications, there were decreases in 10-year survival, regardless of LVEF. Among those rescued after multiple complications, LVEF was no longer associated with risk of death. CONCLUSIONS: While decreasing LVEF is associated with post-coronary artery bypass grafting complications, patients rescued from complications have worse long-term survival, regardless of left ventricular function. Prevention and timely treatment of complications should remain a focus of quality improvement initiatives, and future work is needed to mitigate their long-term detrimental impact on survival.

Adequacy and accuracy of nontrauma center computed tomography: What are we missing?

BACKGROUND: Timely and appropriate use of computed tomography (CT) scans is critical to the evaluation of traumatic injuries. The objective of this study was to assess the adequacy of CT scans performed at nontrauma centers (NTCs) as they pertain to the management of trauma patients. METHODS: Adult patients transferred to our ACS-verified Level I trauma center from any NTC between May and December 2012 were enrolled prospectively. Available CT images from NTCs were reviewed in a blinded fashion by our facility's trauma radiologist; his interpretations were compared with those from the NTC. Interpretations of the trauma centers (TCs) images were compared with the NTC interpretations. Means and proportions were used to summarize the data. RESULTS: A total of 235 consecutive patients with a complete dataset were included, of which, 203 (86.4%) had a CT scan performed at an NTC. Additional imaging was obtained at the TC in 76% of patients with outside CT (154 of 203), with inadequacy of outside CTs for patient workup based on mechanism of injury (76%) and technical inadequacy of outside images (31%) being the main, nonexclusive reasons to repeat imaging. Image interpretation by the trauma radiologist at the TC using NTC images identified missed injuries in 49% of the patients, and 90% of these missed injuries were deemed clinically significant, meaning the injury would have altered patient care had they been identified. When the same body region was imaged at the TC, 54% had missed injuries, of which 76% were deemed significant. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates inaccuracy in the interpretation of NTC images, which can lead to inappropriate management of trauma patients. Parameters other than imaging need to be used to identify patients requiring a higher level of care. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic and care management study, level V.

The effects of the addition of a pediatric surgery fellow on the operative experience of the general surgery resident.

Adding fellows to surgical departments with residency programs can affect resident education. Our specific aim was to evaluate the effect of adding a pediatric surgery (PS) fellow on the number of index PS cases logged by the general surgery (GS) residents. At a single institution with both PS and GS programs, we examined the number of logged cases for the fellows and residents over 10 years [5 years before (Time 1) and 5 years after (Time 2) the addition of a PS fellow]. Additionally, the procedure related relative value units (RVUs) recorded by the faculty were evaluated. The fellows averaged 752 and 703 cases during Times 1 and 2, respectively, decreasing by 49 (P = 0.2303). The residents averaged 172 and 161 cases annually during Time 1 and Time 2, respectively, decreasing by 11 (P = 0.7340). The total number of procedure related RVUs was 4627 and 6000 during Times 1 and 2, respectively. The number of cases logged by the PS fellows and GS residents decreased after the addition of a PS fellow; however, the decrease was not significant. Programs can reasonably add an additional PS fellow, but care should be taken especially in programs that are otherwise static in size.

Pediatric appendicitis: the prevalence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome upon presentation and its association with clinical outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: To our knowledge, the prevalence of Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) in pediatric patients with appendicitis has not been previously investigated. Our specific aim was to determine the prevalence of SIRS at the time of presentation of pediatric patients with appendicitis. Additionally, we sought to determine if the presence of SIRS had any value in predicting their clinical outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included pediatric patients (age <17 years) presenting to a single hospital and being diagnosed with appendicitis between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012. The primary exposure variable of interest was SIRS, dichotomously defined as positive or negative. The primary outcome of interest was the presence/development of an intraabdominal abscess. The secondary outcome of interest was length of hospital stay (LOS). Chi-squared and t-tests were used to evaluate the association between presence of SIRS and development of abscess and LOS. RESULTS: This study consisted of 212 patients. The definition of SIRS was met in 66 patients (31.1%). Thirty of the 66 (45.6%) patients with SIRS had/developed an abscess versus 28 (19.2%) of those without SIRS (P<0.001). Patients with SIRS had a mean LOS of 4 days (+/-2.7), while those without SIRS stayed a mean of 2.5 days (+/-2.3) [p<0.0001]). Adjusting for age did not alter these associations. CONCLUSION: Our study found a 31.1% prevalence of SIRS in pediatric patients presenting with appendicitis. Our results suggest these patients with SIRS have a significantly higher risk of having/developing an intraabdominal abscess (RR, 2.4; 95% CI: 1.6-3.6) and significantly longer LOS.

Initial inferior vena cava diameter on computed tomographic scan independently predicts mortality in severely injured trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: In the trauma population, patients with physiologic compromise may present with "normal" vital signs. We hypothesized that the inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter could be used as a surrogate marker for hypovolemic shock and predict mortality in severely injured trauma patients. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed at a Level I trauma center on 161 severely injured adult (aged ≥ 16 years) trauma patients who were transported from the scene and underwent abdominal computed tomography within 1 hour. Exposure of interest was dichotomously defined as having an infrarenal transverse to anteroposterior IVC ratio of ≥ 1.9 (flat IVC) or <1.9 (not exposed) based on the area under the curve analysis. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Covariates included initial heart rate, systolic blood pressure, bicarbonate, base excess, creatinine, hemoglobin, and Injury Severity Score (ISS). Correlation analysis between IVC ratio and other known markers of hypoperfusion was performed. Logistic regression was used to determine the independent effect of the IVC ratio on mortality. RESULTS: Of the 161 patients, 30 had a flat IVC. The IVC ratio had a significant (p < 0.05) inverse correlation with initial bicarbonate, hemoglobin, and base excess and a direct correlation with Cr and ISS. After controlling for age, ISS, and presence of severe head injury, patients who had a flat IVC were 8.1 times (95% confidence interval, 1.5-42.9) more likely to die compared with the nonexposed cohort. Importantly, heart rate and systolic blood pressure had no predictive value in this patient population. CONCLUSION: A flat IVC on initial abdominal computed tomographic scan has a significant correlation with other known markers of shock and is an independent predictor of mortality in severely injured trauma patients. This finding should heighten the awareness of the need for aggressive intervention and potential for physiological decompensation in patients with otherwise "normal" vital signs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic study, level III.