"It Gives Me Peace of Mind So I Can Focus on Healing": Views on Advance Care Planning for Older Surgical Patients.

Introduction: The period of time before an elective operation may be an opportune time to engage older adults in advance care planning (ACP). Past interventions have not been readily incorporated into surgical workflows leaving a need for ACP tools that are generalizable, easy to implement, and effective. Design: This is a qualitative study. Setting and Subjects: Older adults with a history of cancer and a recent major operation were recruited through their surgical oncologist at a tertiary medical center in the United States. Interviews were conducted to determine how to adapt the validated PrepareForYourCare.org ACP program with electronic health record prompts for the perioperative setting and openness to introducing ACP during a presurgical visit. We used qualitative content analysis to determine themes. Results: Eight themes were identified: (1) ACP as static and private, (2) people expected a prompt, (3) family trusted to do the "right" thing, (4) lack of relationship or comfort with providers, (5) a team-based approach can be helpful, (6) surgeon's expertise (e.g., prognosis and surgical risk), (7) ACP belongs on the surgical checklist, and (8) patients would welcome a conversation starter. Discussion: Older surgical patients are interested in engaging with ACP, particularly if prompted, and believe it has a place on the preoperative "checklist." Conclusions: To effectively engage patients with ACP, a combination of routine prompts by the health care team and patient-centered follow-up may be required.

Disparities in advance care planning rates persist among emergency general surgery patients: Current state and recommendations for improvement.

BACKGROUND: Unanticipated changes in health status and worsening of chronic conditions often prompt the need to consider emergency general surgery (EGS). Although discussions about goals of care may promote goal-concordant care and reduce patient and caregiver depression and anxiety, these conversations, as well as standardized documentation, remain infrequent for EGS patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using electronic health record data from patients admitted to an EGS service at a tertiary academic center to determine the prevalence of clinically meaningful advance care planning (ACP) documentation (conversations and legal ACP forms) during the EGS hospitalization. Multivariable regression was performed to identify patient, clinician, and procedural factors associated with the lack of ACP. RESULTS: Among 681 patients admitted to the EGS service in 2019, only 20.1% had ACP documentation in the electronic health record at any time point during their hospitalization (of those, 75.5% completed before and 24.5% completed during admission). Two thirds (65.8%) of the total cohort had surgery during their admission, but none of them had a documented ACP conversation with the surgical team preoperatively. Patients with ACP documentation tended to have Medicare insurance (adjusted odds ratio, 5.06; 95% confidence interval, 2.09-12.23; p < 0.001) and had greater burden of comorbid conditions (adjusted odds ratio, 4.19; 95% confidence interval, 2.55-6.88; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Adults experiencing a significant, often abrupt change in health status leading to an EGS admission are infrequently engaged in ACP conducted by the surgical team. This is a critical missed opportunity to promote patient-centered care and to communicate patients' care preferences to the surgical and other inpatient medical teams. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level IV.

Pandemic Recovery: Persistent Disparities in Access to Elective Surgical Procedures.

OBJECTIVE: To examine potential disparities in patient access to elective procedures during the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Elective surgeries during the pandemic were limited acutely. Access to surgical care was restored in a recovery phase but backlogs and societal shifts are hypothesized to impact surgical access. METHODS: Adults with electronic health record orders for procedures ("procedure requests"), from March 16 to August 25, 2019 and March 16 to August 25, 2020, were included. Logistic regression was performed for requested procedures that were not scheduled. Linear regression was performed for wait time from request to scheduled or completed procedure. RESULTS: The number of patients with procedure requests decreased 20.8%, from 26,789 in 2019 to 21,162 in 2020. Patients aged 36-50 and >65 years, those speaking non-English languages, those with Medicare or no insurance, and those living >100 miles away had disproportionately larger decreases. Requested procedures had significantly increased adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of not being scheduled for patients with primary languages other than English, Spanish, or Cantonese [aOR 1.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-2.28]; unpartnered marital status (aOR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07-1.37); uninsured or self-pay (aOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.53-2.70). Significantly longer wait times were seen for patients aged 36-65 years; with Medi-Cal insurance; from ZIP codes with lower incomes; and from ZIP codes >100 miles away. CONCLUSIONS: Patient access to elective surgeries decreased during the pandemic recovery phase with disparities based on patient age, language, marital status, insurance, socioeconomic status, and distance from care. Steps to address modifiable disparities have been taken.

Enhancing robotic efficiency through the eyes of robotic surgeons: sub-analysis of the expertise in perception during robotic surgery (ExPeRtS) study.

BACKGROUND: Robotic technology affords surgeons many novel and useful features, but two stereotypes continue to prevail: robotic surgery is expensive and inefficient. To identify educational opportunities and improve operative efficiency, we analyzed expert commentary on videos of robotic surgery. METHODS: Expert robotic surgeons, identified through high case volumes and contributions to the surgical literature, reviewed eight anonymous video clips portraying key portions of two robotic general surgery procedures. While watching, surgeons commented on what they saw on the screen. All interactions with participants were in person, recorded, transcribed, and subsequently analyzed. Using content analysis, researchers double-coded each transcript applying a consensus developed codebook. RESULTS: Seventeen surgeons participated. The average participant was male (82.4%), 47 (SD = 6.6) years old, had 13.2 (SD = 8.23) years of teaching experience, worked in urban academic hospitals (64.7%) and had performed 643 (SD = 467) robotic operations at the time of interviews. Emphasis on efficiency (or lack thereof) surfaced across three main themes: overall case progression, robotic capabilities, and instrumentation. Experts verbally rewarded purposeful and "ergonomically sound" movements while language reflecting impatience with repetitive and indecisive movements was attributed to presumed inexperience. Efficient robotic capabilities included enhanced visualization, additional robotic arms to improve exposure, and wristed instruments. Finally, experts discussed instrument selection with regards to energy modality, safety features, cost, and versatility. CONCLUSION: This study highlights three areas for improved efficiency: case progression, robotic capabilities, and instrumentation. Development of education materials within these themes could help surgical educators overcome one of robotic technology's persistent challenges.

Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening and Surveillance in Homeless Patients: A Case Report and Policy Recommendations.

Patients experiencing homelessness face significant barriers to screening and treatment for colorectal cancer, leading to worse outcomes. In this perspective, we use an exemplar patient case to highlight potential policy solutions for reducing this health care disparity by increasing access to early detection and treatment in this population.

Missed Opportunities and Health Disparities for Advance Care Planning Before Elective Surgery in Older Adults.

Importance: Advance care planning (ACP) prepares patients and caregivers for medical decision-making, yet it is underused in the perioperative surgical setting, particularly among older adults undergoing high-risk procedures who are at risk for postoperative complications. It is unknown what patient factors are associated with perioperative ACP documentation among older surgical patients. Objective: To assess ACP documentation among high-risk patients 65 years and older undergoing elective surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this observational cohort study including 3671 patients 65 years and older undergoing elective surgery at a tertiary academic center in California, electronic health record data were linked to the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project outcomes data and the California statewide death registry. The study was conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2019. Data were analyzed from January to May 2022. Exposures: Elective surgery requiring an inpatient admission. Main Outcomes and Measures: ACP documentation, defined as a discussion regarding goals of care documented in an ACP note, an advance directive, or a physician order for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) form, within 90 days before elective surgery requiring inpatient admission. Multivariate regression was performed to identify factors associated with missing ACP. Results: Among 3671 patients (median [IQR] age 72 [65-94] years; 1784 [48.6%] female; 401 [10.9%] Asian, 155 [4.2%] Black, 284 [7.7%] Latino/Latina, 2647 [72.1%] White, and 184 [5.0%] of other races or ethnicities, including American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, multiple races or ethnicities, other, and unknown or declined to respond, combined owing to small numbers), 539 (14.7%) had ACP documentation in the 90-day presurgery window. Of these 539, 448 (83.1%) had advance directives, and 60 (11.1%) had POLST forms. The 30-day and 1-year mortality were 0.7% (n = 27) and 6.6% (n = 244), respectively. Missing ACP was significantly associated with male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.39; 95% CI, 1.14-1.69) and having a non-English preferred language (aOR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.18-2.79). Medicare insurance was significantly associated with having ACP (aOR for missing ACP, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40-0.95). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, perioperative ACP was uncommon, particularly in men, individuals with a non-English preferred language, and those without Medicare insurance coverage. The perioperative setting may represent a missed opportunity for ACP for older surgical patients. When addressing ACP for surgical patients, particular attention should be paid to overcoming language-related disparities.

Characteristics and Procedures Among Adults Discharged to Hospice After Gastrointestinal Tract Surgery in California.

Importance: Hospice care is associated with improved quality of life and goal-concordant care. Limited data suggest that provision of hospice services after surgery is suboptimal; however, literature in this domain is in its nascency, leaving gaps in our understanding of patients who enroll in hospice after surgery. Objective: To characterize the transition to hospice after gastrointestinal tract surgery and identify areas that warrant further attention and intervention. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included patients discharged to hospice after a surgical hospitalization for a digestive disorder in California-licensed hospitals between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019. Data were analyzed from August 1 to November 30, 2021. Exposures: Patient age, race and ethnicity, principal language, payer, and Distressed Community Index (DCI). Main Outcomes and Measures: Admission type and most common diagnoses and procedures for surgical hospitalizations that resulted in discharge to hospice, annual hospitalization trend for 3 years preceding hospice enrollment, and most common diagnoses for patients who were readmitted after hospice enrollment were summarized. Age, race and ethnicity, principal language, payer, and DCI were compared between patients who were readmitted after hospice enrollment and those who were not. Results: Of 2688 patients with surgical hospitalizations resulting in discharge to hospice (mean [SD] age, 73.2 [14.7] years; 1459 women [54.3%]), 2389 (88.9%) had urgent or emergent discharges. The most common diagnoses were cancer (primary and metastatic; 1541 [57.3%]) and bowel obstruction (563 [20.9%]). The most common procedures were bowel resection, fecal diversion, inferior vena cava filter, gastric bypass, and paracentesis. In the 3 years preceding hospice enrollment, this cohort had a mean (SD) of 2.21 (2.77) hospitalizations per patient (1537 of 5953 surgical [25.8%]). Of these, 3594 of 5953 total (60.4%) and 840 of 1537 surgical (54.7%) hospitalizations were within 1 year of hospice enrollment. Three hundred and sixty-eight patients (13.7%) were readmitted after hospice enrollment, with infection being the most common readmission diagnosis. Readmitted patients were more likely to be younger (mean [SD] age, 69.7 [16.4] vs 73.8 [14.3] years; P < .001), to speak a principal language other than English (62 of 368 [16.8%] vs 292 of 2320 [12.6%]; P = .02), to be insured through Medicaid (70 of 368 [19.0%] vs 223 of 2320 [9.6%]; P < .001), and to be from a community with higher DCI (198 of 360 [55.0%] vs 1117 of 2269 [49.2%]; P = .04) and were less likely to be White (195 of 368 [53.0%] vs 1479 of 2320 [63.8%]; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest multiple opportunities for advance care planning in this surgical cohort, with a particular focus on emergent care. Further study is needed to understand the reasons for rehospitalization after hospice discharge and identify ways to improve communication and decision-making support for patients who choose to enroll in hospice care. Given the frequent antecedent interactions with the health care system among this population, longitudinal and tailored approaches may be beneficial to promote equitable end-of-life care; however, further research is needed to clarify barriers and understand differing patient needs.

Surgical Care of Patients Experiencing Homelessness: A Scoping Review Using a Phases of Care Conceptual Framework.

Homelessness is a growing concern across the world, particularly as individuals experiencing homelessness age and face an increasing burden of chronic health conditions. Although substantial research has focused on the medical and psychiatric care of patients experiencing homelessness, literature about the surgical care of these patients is sparse. Our objective was to review the literature to identify areas of concern unique to patients experiencing homelessness with surgical disease. A scoping review was conducted using a comprehensive database for studies from 1990 to September 1, 2020. Studies that included patients who were unhoused and discussed surgical care were included. The inclusion criteria were designed to identify evidence that directly affected surgical care, systems management, and policy making. Findings were organized within a Phases of Surgical Care framework: preoperative care, intraoperative care, postoperative care, and global use. Our search strategy yielded 553 unique studies, of which 23 met inclusion criteria. Most studies were performed at public and/or safety-net hospitals or via administrative datasets, and surgical specialties that were represented included orthopedic, cardiac, plastic surgery trauma, and vascular surgery. Using the Surgical Phases of Care framework, we identified studies that described the impact of housing status in pre- and postoperative phases as well as global use. There was limited identification of barriers to surgical and anesthetic best practices in the intraoperative phase. More than half of studies (52.2%) lacked a clear definition of homelessness. Thus, there is a marked gap in the surgical literature regarding the impact of housing status on optimal surgical care, with the largest area for improvement in the intraoperative phase of surgical and anesthetic decision making. Consistent use of clear definitions of homelessness is lacking. To promote improved care, a standardized approach to recording housing status is needed, and studies must explore vulnerabilities in surgical care unique to this population.

Utilization and Delivery of Specialty Palliative Care in the ICU: Insights from the Palliative Care Quality Network.

CONTEXT: Palliative care (PC) benefits critically ill patients but remains underutilized. Important to developing interventions to overcome barriers to PC in the ICU and address PC needs of ICU patients is to understand how, when, and for which patients PC is provided in the ICU. OBJECTIVES: Compare characteristics of specialty PC consultations in the ICU to those on medical-surgical wards. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of national Palliative Care Quality Network data for hospitalized patients receiving specialty PC consultation January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2019 in ICU or medical-surgical setting. 98 inpatient PC teams in 16 states contributed data. Measures and outcomes included patient characteristics, consultation features, process metrics and patient outcomes. Mixed effects multivariable logistic regression was used to compare ICU and medical-surgical units. RESULTS: Of 102,597 patients 63,082 were in medical-surgical units and 39,515 ICU. ICU patients were younger and more likely to have non-cancer diagnoses (all P < 0.001). While fewer ICU patients were able to report symptoms, most patients in both groups reported improved symptoms. ICU patients were more likely to have consultation requests for GOC, comfort care, and withdrawal of interventions and less likely for pain and/or symptoms (OR-all P < 0.001). ICU patients were less often discharged alive. CONCLUSION: ICU patients receiving PC consultation are more likely to have non-cancer diagnoses and less likely able to communicate. Although symptom management and GOC are standard parts of ICU care, specialty PC in the ICU is often engaged for these issues and results in improved symptoms, suggesting routine interventions and consultation targeting these needs could improve care.

Assessing the role of robotic proctectomy in obese patients: a contemporary NSQIP analysis.

Robotic proctectomy has become increasingly popular for both benign and malignant indications. The purpose of this study was to determine if the robotic approach has a distinct advantage over laparoscopy in obese patients, which has been suggested by previous subgroup analyses. We performed a retrospective review of 2016-2018 National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) data to compare outcomes between patients who underwent robotic versus laparoscopic proctectomy, stratified by Body Mass Index (BMI) subgroups. We also compared outcomes of converted minimally invasive proctectomy to planned open operations. Four thousand four hundred eighteen (69.3%) patients underwent laparoscopic proctectomy, and 1956 (30.7%) patients underwent robotic proctectomy. Robotic proctectomy was associated with a significantly lower conversion rate compared to laparoscopic proctectomy (5.1% vs 12.3%; p = 0.002), and this relationship was maintained on an adjusted model. Obese (BMI > 30) patients were more likely to require conversion in both laparoscopic and robotic groups with the greatest difference in the conversion rate in the obese subgroup. Patients who underwent conversion had higher composite morbidity compared to patients who underwent planned open operations (50.8% vs 41.3%; p < 0.001). And among patients with rectal cancer, robotic proctectomy was associated with a greater incidence of positive radial tumor margins compared to laparoscopic proctectomy (8.0% vs 6.4%; p = 0.039), driven primarily by the obese subgroup. Our study demonstrates that robotic proctectomy is associated with a 7% lower conversion rate compared to laparoscopy and that obese patients are more likely to require conversion than non-obese patients. Among obese patients with rectal cancer, we identified an increased risk of positive radial margins with robotic compared to laparoscopic proctectomy.

Trends in Palliative Care Consultations in Critically Ill Patient Populations, 2013-2019.

CONTEXT: Critically ill patients have important palliative care (PC) needs in the intensive care unit (ICU), but specialty PC is often underutilized. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in utilization and reasons for PC consultation over time. METHODS: Data from a national multi-site network of inpatient PC visits were used to identify patients age ≥18 years admitted to an ICU between 2013 and 2019. Year of ICU admission was the exposure. Primary diagnosis and reason for referral were identified by standardized process measures within the dataset at the time of referral. Trends in primary diagnosis and reason for referral were modeled as a function of year of ICU admission. RESULTS: Across 39,515 ICU patients seen by a PC team, overall numbers of consultations from the ICU increased each year. Referrals for patients with cancer decreased from 17.6% (95% CI 13.7%-21.5%) to 14.3% (95% CI 13.2%-14.7%) and for patients with cardiovascular disease increased from 16.8% in (95% CI 16.8%-16.9%) to 18.8% (95% CI 18.8%-18.9%). Reasons for referrals were primarily for goals of care and advance care planning and increased from 74.0% (95% CI 70.0%-78.0%) in 2013 to 80.0% (95% CI 79.4%-80.0%) in 2019 (P < 0.0001 for all trends). CONCLUSION: PC referrals in ICU patients with cancer are decreasing, while those for cardiovascular disease are increasing. Reasons for referrals in the ICU are commonly for goals of care; other reasons, like pain control are uncommon. Early goals of care conversations and further training in advance care planning should be emphasized in the ICU setting.

Determining Hospital Volume Threshold for Safety of Minimally Invasive Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Contemporary Cutpoint Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend limiting minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD) to high-volume centers. However, the definition of high-volume care remains unclear. We aimed to objectively define a minimum number of MIPD performed annually per hospital associated with improved outcomes in a contemporary patient cohort. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients undergoing MIPD were included from the National Cancer Database (2010-2017). Multivariable modeling with restricted cubic splines was employed to identify an MIPD annual hospital volume threshold associated with lower 90-day mortality. Outcomes were compared between patients treated at low-volume (≤ model-identified cutoff) and high-volume (> cutoff) centers. RESULTS: Among 3079 patients, 141 (5%) died within 90 days. Median hospital volume was 6 (range 1-73) cases/year. After adjustment, increasing hospital volume was associated with decreasing 90-day mortality for up to 19 (95% CI 16-25) cases/year, indicating a threshold of 20 cases/year. Most cases (82%) were done at low-volume (< 20 cases/year) centers. With adjustment, MIPD at low-volume centers was associated with increased 90-day mortality (OR 2.7; p = 0.002). Length of stay, positive surgical margins, 30-day readmission, and overall survival were similar. On analysis of the most recent two years (n = 1031), patients at low-volume centers (78.2%) were younger and had less advanced tumors but had longer length of stay (8 versus 7 days; p < 0.001) and increased 90-day mortality (7% versus 2%; p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The cutpoint analysis identified a threshold of at least 20 MIPD cases/year associated with lower postoperative mortality. This threshold should inform national guidelines and institution-level protocols aimed at facilitating the safe implementation of this complex procedure.

The surgical resident experience in serious illness communication: A qualitative needs assessment with proposed solutions.

BACKGROUND: Serious illness communication skills are important tools for surgeons, but training in residency is limited. METHODS: Thirteen senior surgical residents at an academic center were interviewed about their experiences with serious illness communication. Conventional content analysis was performed using established communication frameworks and inductive development of themes. RESULTS: Residents had frequent conversations and employed known communication strategies. Three themes highlighted challenges they face. Illness severity included factors attributed to the illness that made serious illness communication more challenging: symptoms, poor prognosis, and urgency. Knowledge and feelings included the factual understanding and emotional experience of residents, patients, and families. Academic structure included hierarchy and the residents' dual role as learners and teachers. On reflection, residents identified needing greater experiential practice, analogous to learning procedural skills. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical residents regularly face serious illness conversations with little training beyond observation of role models. Dedicated training may help meet this need.

Estimation of Surgical Resident Duty Hours and Workload in Real Time Using Electronic Health Record Data.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the use of electronic health record (EHR) data to estimate surgery resident duty hours and monitor real time workload. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of resident duty hours logged using a voluntary global positioning system (GPS)-based smartphone application compared to duty hour estimates by an EHR-based algorithm. The algorithm estimated duty hours using EHR activity data and operating room logs. A dashboard was developed through Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles for real-time monitoring of workload. SETTING: Single tertiary/quaternary medical center general surgery residency program with approximately 90 categorical, preliminary, and integrated residents at eight clinical sites. PARTICIPANTS: Categorical, preliminary, and integrated surgery residents of all clinical years who volunteered to pilot a GPS application to track duty hours. RESULTS: Of 2,623 work periods by 59 residents were logged with both methods. EHR-estimated work periods started later than GPS logs (median 0.3 hours, interquartile range [IQR] -0.1 - 0.3); EHR-estimated work periods ended earlier than GPS logs (median 0.1 hours, IQR -0.7 - 0.3); and EHR-estimated duty hour totals were less than totals logged by GPS (median -0.3 hours, IQR -0.8 - +0.1). Overall correlation between weekly duty hours logged by EHR and GPS was 0.79. Correlations between the 2 systems stratified from PGY-1 through PGY-5 were 0.76, 0.64, 0.82, 0.87, and 0.83, respectively. The algorithm identified six 80-hour workweek violations (averaged over 4 weeks), while GPS logs identified 8. EHR-based duty hours and operational data were integrated into a dashboard to enable real time monitoring of resident workloads. CONCLUSIONS: EHR-based estimation of surgical resident duty hours has good correlation with GPS-based assessment of duty hours and identifies most workweek duty hour violations. This approach allows for dynamic workload monitoring and may be combined with operational data to anticipate and prevent duty hour violations, thereby optimizing learning.

Surgical, Interventional, and Medical Palliation of Portal Hypertension.

Seriously ill surgical patients require complex and integrated surgical, interventional, and medical management to balance the risks and benefits that complicate decision-making. Palliative care principles can aid surgeons in these cases. To illustrate this, we describe a scenario of a patient with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus causing portal hypertension. We discuss options for managing the sequelae of portal hypertension, including varices and ascites. We explore the interventional and surgical options for mitigating or palliating the underlying portal hypertension. Advances in interventional radiological techniques can facilitate the creation of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPSs), even with extensive portal vein thrombus. If interventional approaches are not possible, surgical shunts can be considered but carry significant risks that must be weighed against the benefits. To communicate effectively, we outline key steps to breaking bad news. To make shared decisions in challenging cases, we describe how to elicit a patient's hopes, expectations, concerns, and preferences; how to synthesize goals of care from these stated values; and how to use those goals to guide decision-making.

Impact of near-peer teaching rounds on student satisfaction in the basic surgical clerkship.

BACKGROUND: Teaching rounds are rarely featured in the surgery clerkship. Senior students interested in surgery are suited to precept teaching rounds. Near-peer teaching can provide benefits to both learners and preceptors. METHODS: Near-peer teaching rounds consisted of senior student-precetors leading groups of 3 clerkship students on teaching rounds once during the clerkship. We prospectively surveyed student satisfaction before and after instituting near-peer teaching rounds. We retrospectively gathered qualitative narratives from student-preceptors. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 93% before near-peer teaching rounds were instituted and 85% after. Satisfaction with the learning environment and the quality and amount of small-group teaching were significantly higher after the institution of near-peer teaching rounds (P ≤ .001 for all 3). Satisfaction with the overall clerkship and baseline interest in surgery were not significantly different. Student-preceptors reported gaining valuable experience for future roles in academia as residents and attending surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: Student satisfaction with small-group teaching and the learning environment increased after the institution of near-peer teaching rounds in the surgery clerkship. Student-preceptors gained early experience for careers in academic surgery.

A novel, validated risk score to predict surgical site infection after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Although pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) outcomes have improved, complications including surgical site infection (SSI) remain common. We present a stratification tool to predict risk for SSI after PD. METHODS: Data was retrospectively reviewed on all patients undergoing PD at a tertiary hospital (9/2011-8/2014). Potential SSI risk factors identified by univariate analysis were incorporated into a multivariate logistic regression model. The resulting odds ratios were converted into a point system to create an SSI risk score with internal validation. RESULTS: Six hundred seventy nine patients underwent PD and were chronologically split into derivation (443 patients) and validation (236 patients) groups. There was no difference in demographics or perioperative outcomes between groups. Overall thirty-day SSI was observed in 17.2% (n = 117). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation, intraoperative red blood cell transfusion, operative time greater than 7 h, preoperative bile stent/drain, and vascular resection were associated with SSI in univariate analysis (all p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, preoperative bile stent/drain and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were independent predictors of SSI, each assigned 1 point (both p < 0.001). Patients with 0, 1, and 2 points, respectively, had 0%, 32%, and 64% predicted risk of SSI (AUC = 0.73, R2 = 0.93). The model performed equivalently in the validation group (AUC = 0.77, R2 = 0.99). CONCLUSION: This novel, validated risk score accurately predicts SSI risk after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Identifying the highest risk patients can help target interventions to reduce SSI.

Time to Surgery and Outcomes in Cauda Equina Syndrome: An Analysis of 45 Cases.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to analyze time to surgery as both a continuous and discrete variable to determine its association with outcomes in cauda equina syndrome (CES). METHODS: Patients at a single center whose medical record allowed precise calculation of time to surgery were included. CES was defined as at least four of the following: bladder dysfunction, saddle anesthesia, lower extremity weakness, lower extremity sensory disturbance, bowel dysfunction, or acute lower back or leg pain. Time to surgery was analyzed as a continuous variable using logistic and ordered logistic regression, and as a discrete variable by comparing patients treated before and after set thresholds. RESULTS: Forty-five patients were identified. Analysis of time as a continuous variable did not reveal any significant association with outcomes. A parsimonious model with adjustment for age, sex, race, acute onset of CES, saddle anesthesia, motor deficit, and bowel dysfunction at presentation was used to analyze the continuous influence of time to surgery on bladder dysfunction and an aggregate outcome of symptoms. Neither time to surgery nor any of the covariates were significantly associated with either outcome. Discrete analysis of outcomes across thresholds of 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours did not reveal prognostic time points. CONCLUSION: In this single-center CES series, time to surgery did not have a convincing continuous or discrete relationship with outcome. Future prospective studies are needed to determine the best timing for surgery in patients with CES.