Short-term postoperative outcomes of gastric adenocarcinoma patients treated with curative intent in low-volume centers.

BACKGROUND: Quality standards in postoperative outcomes have not yet been defined for gastric cancer surgery. Also, the effect of centralization of gastric cancer surgery on the improvement of postoperative outcomes continues to be debated. Short-term postoperative outcomes in gastric carcinoma patients in centers with low-volume of annual gastrectomies were assessed. The effect of age on major postoperative morbidity and mortality was also analyzed. METHODS: Patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction Siewert III type carcinomas who underwent surgical treatment with curative intent between January 2013 and December 2016 were included. Data were obtained from the population-based surgical registry Esophagogastric Carcinoma Registry of the Comunitat Valenciana (RECEG-CV). The RECEG-CV gathers information on demographic characteristics and comorbidity, preoperative study and neoadjuvant treatment, surgical procedure, pathological study, postoperative outcomes, and follow-up. Seventeen hospitals belonging to the public network participated in this registry. RESULTS: Data from 591 patients were analyzed. Postoperative major morbidity occurred in 154 (26.1%) patients. Overall 30-day or in-hospital mortality, and 90-day postoperative mortality rates were 8.6% and 10.1% respectively. Failure-to-rescue was 39% and it was significantly higher in patients aged 75 years or older in comparison with younger patients (55.3% vs 23.1% p < 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, age ≥ 75 years (p = 0.029), laparoscopic approach (p = 0.005), and total gastrectomy (p = 0.005) were associated with major postoperative morbidity. Age ≥ 75 years (p = 0.027), pulmonary complications (p = 0.001), cardiac complications (p = 0.001), leakage (p = 0.003), and hemorrhage (p = 0.013) were associated with postoperative mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Centralization of gastric adenocarcinoma treatment in centers with higher annual caseload should be considered to improve the short-term postoperative outcomes in low-volume centers. Patients aged 75 or older had a significantly increased risk of major postoperative morbidity and mortality, and higher failure-to-rescue.

Utilidad de la neuromonitorización vagal continua en cirugía tiroidea: experiencia y resultados en un hospital de tercer nivel / The role of continuous vagal intraoperative nerve monitoring in thyroid surgery: experience and results in a third-level hospital

Resumen Objetivo: La lesión del nervio laríngeo recurrente es una grave complicación en cirugía tiroidea. El propósito del presente estudio es analizar la utilidad de la neuromonitorización vagal continua intraoperatoria en un hospital terciario. Materiales y Método: Estudio observacional, analítico y retrospectivo que recoge pacientes intervenidos de cirugía tiroidea con neuromonitorización en un período de 14 meses. La pérdida de señal se define como amplitud final nerviosa < 100 ^V, realizándose laringoscopia postquirúrgica ante la sospecha de lesión nerviosa. El análisis estadístico se realizó con el programa SPSS® V25,0, con p < 0,05. Resultados: Se incluyeron 120 pacientes intervenidos, registrándose en el 24,2% pérdida de señal. Factores de riesgo para lesión fueron bocio intratorácico (OR 5,31; IC 95% 1,56-17,99; p = 0,007), cirugía cervical previa (OR 5,76; IC 95% 0,64-51,97; p = 0,119) y patología maligna (OR 1,44; IC 95% 0,16-12,79; p = 0,743). Fue posible el cambio de estrategia quirúrgica en 7 casos. En el seguimiento posterior se cuantificó parálisis recurrencial transitoria en 27 pacientes y permanente en 4. Discusión: La neuromonitorización parece reducir la incidencia de parálisis laríngea porque aumenta la seguridad en la identificación del nervio recurrente y reduce su manipulación durante la cirugía. Conclusiones: La neuromonitorización intraoperatoria es útil para identificar el nervio laríngeo recurrente y advierte del riesgo potencial de lesión, permitiendo cambiar la estrategia quirúrgica para evitar la parálisis bilateral de cuerdas vocales.

Aim: Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury is a serious complication in thyroid surgery. The purpose of the present study is to analyze the use of intraoperative continuous vagal neuromonitoring in a tertiary hospital. Materials and Method: Observational, analytical and retrospective study that includes patients who underwent thyroid surgery with neuromonitoring in a period of 14 months. Loss of signal is defined as final nerve amplitude < 100 ^V, and postsurgical laryngoscopy is performed due to suspicion of nerve injury. Statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS® V25.0 program, with p < 0.05. Results: 120 operated patients were included, registering loss of signal in 24.2%. Risk factors for injury were intrathoracic goiter (OR 5.31; 95% CI 1.56-17.99; p = 0.007), previous cervical surgery (OR 5.76; 95% CI 0.64-51.97; p = 0.119) and malignant pathology (OR 1.44; 95% CI 0.16-12.79; p = 0.743). A change in surgical strategy was possible in 7 cases. In the subsequent follow-up, transient recurrent paralysis was quantified in 27 patients and permanent in 4. Discussion: Neuromonitoring seems to reduce the incidence of laryngeal paralysis because it increases the security in the identification of the recurrent nerve and reduces its manipulation during surgery. Conclusions: Intraoperative neuromonitoring is useful to identify the recurrent laryngeal nerve and warns of the potential risk of injury, allowing to change the surgical strategy to avoid bilateral vocal cord paralysis.

aLicante sUrgical Community Emergencies New Tool for the enUmeration of Morbidities: a simplified auditing tool for community-acquired gastrointestinal surgical emergencies.

BACKGROUND: In a previous study, we found that Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM) overpredicts morbidity risk in emergency gastrointestinal surgery. Our aim was to find a POSSUM equation adjustment. METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed on 2,361 patients presenting with a community-acquired gastrointestinal surgical emergency. The first 1,000 surgeries constituted the development cohort, the second 1,000 events were the first validation intramural cohort, and the remaining 361 cases belonged to a second validation extramural cohort. RESULTS: (1) A modified POSSUM equation was obtained. (2) Logistic regression was used to yield a statistically significant equation that included age, hemoglobin, white cell count, sodium and operative severity. (3) A chi-square automatic interaction detector decision tree analysis yielded a statistically significant equation with 4 variables, namely cardiac failure, sodium, operative severity, and peritoneal soiling. CONCLUSIONS: A modified POSSUM equation and a simplified scoring system (aLicante sUrgical Community Emergencies New Tool for the enUmeration of Morbidities [LUCENTUM]) are described. Both tools significantly improve prediction of surgical morbidity in community-acquired gastrointestinal surgical emergencies.