Esophagram should be performed to diagnose esophageal perforation before inter-hospital transfer.

Background: Early recognition of esophageal perforation may prevent morbidity and mortality, and accurate diagnostic imaging facilitates triage. Stable patients with suspected perforation may be transferred to higher levels of care before appropriate work-up and diagnosis confirmation. We reviewed patients transferred for esophageal perforation to critically analyze the diagnostic workflow. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients transferred to our tertiary care institution from 2015-2021 for suspected esophageal perforation. Demographics, referring site characteristics, diagnostic studies, and management were analyzed. Bivariate comparisons were performed using Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests for continuous variables and chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests for categorical variables. Results: Sixty-five patients were included. Etiology of suspected perforation was spontaneous in 53.8% and iatrogenic in 33.8%. Most patients were transferred within 24 hours from time of suspected perforation (66.2%). Transferring sites included seven states and were 101-300 miles (32.3%) or >300 miles (26.2%) away. CT imaging was obtained in 96.9% before transfer, most commonly demonstrating pneumomediastinum (46.2%). Only 21.5% of patients had an esophagram before transfer. Following transfer, 36.9% (n=24) were ultimately not found to have esophageal perforation, demonstrated by negative arrival esophagram in 79.1%. In patients with confirmed perforation (n=41), 58.5% had surgery, 26.8% endoscopic intervention, and 14.6% supportive care. Conclusions: After transfer a proportion of patients were ultimately found to not have esophageal perforation, typically demonstrated by negative esophagram upon arrival. We conclude that a recommendation of performing esophagram at the presenting site, when possible, may prevent unnecessary transfers, and will likely reduce costs, conserve resources, and decrease management delays.

Long-Term Patient-Reported Symptom Improvement and Quality of Life after Transthoracic Diaphragm Plication in Adults.

BACKGROUND: Open and robotic-assisted transthoracic approaches for diaphragm plication are accepted surgical interventions for diaphragm paralysis and eventration. However, long-term patient-reported symptom improvement and quality of life (QOL) remains unclear. STUDY DESIGN: A telephone-based survey was developed focusing on postoperative symptom improvement and QOL. Patients who underwent open or robotic-assisted transthoracic diaphragm plication (2008-2020) across three institutions were invited to participate. Patients who responded and provided consent were surveyed. Likert responses on symptom severity were dichotomized and rates before and after surgery were compared using McNemar's test. RESULTS: Forty-one percent of patients participated (43 of 105 responded, mean age 61.0 years, 67.4% male, 37.2% robotic-assisted surgery), with an average time between surgery and survey of 4.1 ± 3.2 years. Patients reported significant improvement in dyspnea while lying flat (67.4% pre- vs 27.9% postoperative, p < 0.001), dyspnea at rest (55.8% pre- vs 11.6% postoperative, p < 0.001), dyspnea with activity (90.7% pre- vs 55.8% postoperative, p < 0.001), dyspnea while bending over (79.1% pre- vs 34.9% postoperative, p < 0.001), and fatigue (67.4% pre- vs 41.9% postoperative, p = 0.008). There was no statistical improvement in chronic cough. 86% of patients reported improved overall QOL, 79% had increased exercise capacity, and 86% would recommend surgery to a friend with a similar problem. Analysis comparing open and robotic-assisted approaches found no statistically significant differences in symptom improvement or QOL responses between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients report significantly improved dyspneic and fatigue symptoms after transthoracic diaphragm plication, regardless of open or robotic-assisted approach. The majority of patients report improved QOL and exercise capacity.

A comparison of short-term outcomes following robotic-assisted vs. open transthoracic diaphragm plication.

Diaphragm paralysis and eventration are rare conditions in adults. Symptomatic patients may benefit from surgical plication of the elevated hemidiaphragm. The objective of this study was to compare short-term outcomes and length of stay following robotic-assisted vs. open diaphragm plication. A multicenter retrospective study was conducted that identified patients undergoing unilateral hemidiaphragm plication from 5/2008 to 12/2020. The first RATS plication was performed in 11/2018. Electronic medical records were reviewed, and outcomes were compared between RATS and open approach. One hundred patients underwent diaphragm plication, including thirty-nine (39.0%) RATS and sixty-one (61.0%) open cases. Patients undergoing RATS diaphragm plication were older (64 years vs. 55 years, p = 0.01) and carried a higher burden of comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index: 2.0 vs. 1.0, p = 0.02). The RATS group had longer median operative times (146 min vs. 99 min, p < 0.01), but shorter median hospital length of stays (3.0 days vs. 6.0 days, p < 0.01). There was a non-significant trend toward a decreased rate of 30-day postoperative complications (20.5% RATS vs. 32.8% open, p = 0.18) and 30-day unplanned readmissions (7.7% RATS vs. 9.8% open, p > 0.99). RATS is a technically feasible and safe option for performing diaphragm plications. This approach increases the surgical candidacy of older patients with a higher burden of comorbid disease without increasing complication rates, while reducing length of hospital stay.

A validated modification of the vaccine hesitancy scale for childhood, influenza and HPV vaccines.

INTRODUCTION: Vaccine hesitancy contributes to outbreaks of preventable disease worldwide. The Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS), developed by the international WHO SAGE Working Group, has been validated previously for measuring hesitancy towards childhood vaccines; some psychometric properties were suboptimal. METHODS: We collected data using large, nationally-representative samples of parents in the U.S. We adapted the VHS items, and additional hesitancy items, to assess hesitancy towards influenza and HPV vaccines in addition to routine childhood vaccines. We then used exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to identify latent constructs and create modified scales for childhood (VHS-child), influenza (VHS-flu) and HPV (VHS-HPV) vaccines with improved psychometric properties. Finally, we compared hesitancy scores on the VHS-child, VHS-flu, and VHS-HPV, to self-reported receipt of each vaccine category, and compared subscale scores to assess whether drivers of hesitancy differed by vaccine category. RESULTS: 2052 parents of children <18 years old completed the VHS-child and VHS-flu while 2020 parents of adolescents completed the VHS-HPV. A two-factor structure of 'risks' and a 'lack of confidence' was found for each vaccine category. Slight modifications to the VHS improved psychometric properties. Hesitancy was strongly associated with vaccine receipt: e.g., 76% of parents not hesitant towards influenza vaccine had vaccinated their child the past season, versus 9% of hesitant parents (p < 0.0001). Subscale scores also differed significantly between vaccines: lack of confidence was greater towards influenza (Median (IQR): 2.0 (1.2, 3.3)) and HPV (2.0 (1.3, 3.0)) vaccines than childhood (1.2 (1.0, 1.8), p < 0.0001 for both) vaccines; perceived risks of HPV vaccines (2.7 (1.7, 3.7)) were greater than for childhood vaccines (2.0 (1.3, 3.0), p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our modified VHS scales perform well psychometrically and allow for consistent measurement of the extent and reasons for hesitancy between vaccine categories. We suggest that future work use these scales to examine hesitancy towards other vaccines and to monitor hesitancy over time.

Evaluation of a water-soluble contrast protocol for small bowel obstruction: A southwestern surgical congress multicenter trial.

Differentiation between SBO that will resolve with supportive measures and those requiring surgery remains challenging. WSC administration may be diagnostic and therapeutic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate use of a SBO protocol using WSC challenge. A protocol was implemented at five tertiary care centers. Demographics, prior surgical history, time to operation, complications, and LOS were analyzed. 283 patients were admitted with SBO; 13% underwent immediate laparotomy; these patients had a median LOS of 7.5 days. The remaining 245 were candidates for WSC challenge. Of those, 80% received contrast. 139 (71%) had contrast passage to the colon. LOS in these patients was 4 days. Sixty-five patients (29%) failed contrast passage within 24 h and underwent surgery. LOS was 9 days. 8% of patients in whom contrast passage was observed at 24 h nevertheless subsequently underwent surgery. 4% of patients who failed WSC challenge did not proceed to surgery. Our multicenter trial revealed that implementation of a WSC protocol may facilitate early recognition of partial from complete obstruction.

Obstruction reduction: Use of water-soluble contrast challenge to differentiate between partial and complete small bowel obstruction.

Differentiating SBO that will resolve conservatively from those requiring surgery remains challenging. Water-soluble contrast administration may be diagnostic and therapeutic. Our study evaluated use of a WSC challenge protocol. We hypothesize that protocol use discriminates between surgical SBO and obstructions which can be managed non-operatively. Demographics, prior surgeries, time to operation, complications, and LOS were analyzed. 108 patients were admitted with SBO. 13% underwent immediate laparotomy with concern for bowel compromise; these had a median LOS of 8.5 days. 91 received WSC protocol. Of these, 77% had contrast passage to the colon. Of the 48 in whom contrast passed between 0 and 12 h, LOS was 2 days. Of the 22 patients in whom contrast passed between 12 and 24 h, LOS was 4.5 days. 21 had failure of contrast passage; 18 of those underwent surgery after 24 h as a result. Of the 21 patients who failed WSC challenge, median LOS was 8 days. WSC protocol implementation facilitates early recognition of partial from complete obstruction and may decrease LOS. Our findings warrant further evaluation with a multicenter trial.