Annual Structured Communication Skills Training for Surgery Residents.

INTRODUCTION: There is no formalized communication curriculum for surgical training. The aim of this study is to determine the benefit of annual communication skill-building workshops for surgical residents over several years. METHODS: The general surgery and the integrated cardiothoracic surgery residents in a tertiary care, urban academic center participated in a 2-hour communication skill-building workshop each year from July 2017 to June 2021. Each participant was administered an anonymous pre-session and post-session survey with a 5-point Likert scale to assess their self-reported preparedness and their evaluation of the workshop. Survey responses were divided into three groups based on their experience in this workshop; no experience (Experience 0), 1 y of experience (Experience 1), and two or more years of experience (Experience 2+). They were compared among groups. RESULTS: Seventy-one surgical residents participated in the workshop generating 124 survey results (Experience 0, 71 [57.3%], Experience 1, 41 [33.1%], and Experience 2+, 12 [9.7%]). Self-reported preparedness scores improved for the overall group as well as for each experience group. While scores decreased significantly in the following years, they improved after each workshop. Scores were significantly better with more experience (4, interquartile range [IQR] 3-4 in Experience 0, 4, IQR 3-5 in Experience 1, 4, IQR 4-5 in Experience 2+, P < 0.001 between Experience 0 and Experience 1, P = 0.041 between Experience 1 and Experience 2+). All residents reported an overwhelmingly positive review of the curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: Yearly 2-hour communication skills practice increased surgical residents' self-reported preparedness, and the repetition helped the improvement. Annual workshops are important for residents to be more prepared for serious illness communication.

The Safety and Efficacy of Tracheostomy in Patients Diagnosed With COVID-19: An Analysis of 143 Patients at a Major NYC Medical Center.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the optimal surgical strategy for performing tracheostomy in COVID-19 patients. BACKGROUND: Many ventilated COVID-19 patients require prolonged ventilation. We do not know if tracheostomy will improve their care. Given the paucity of data on this topic, the optimal surgical approach has yet to be elucidated. METHODS: This is a cohort study of 143 ventilator dependent COVID-19 patients undergoing tracheostomy at an academic medical center from April 15th to May 15th, 2020, with follow up until June 1, 2020. We included adult patients admitted to a NYC medical center with COVID-19 who required invasive mechanical ventilation for greater than 2 weeks who were unable to be extubated and determined to have reasonable chance of recovery and fit defined tracheostomy candidate criteria. Patients underwent either a percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) or open surgical tracheostomy (ST) performed by 1 of 3 surgical services. RESULTS: One hundred forty-three patients underwent tracheostomy, 58 (41%) via a ST, and 85 (59%) via a PT. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics between the 2 groups, except that more patients who had a history of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation underwent PT (11% vs 2%, P = 0.049). There were no statistical differences observed between the PT and ST groups with regard to bleeding complications (3.5%vs 10.3%, P = 0.099), tracheostomy related complications (5.9% vs 8.6%, P = 0.528), inpatient death (12% vs 5%, P = 0.178), discharge from hospital (39% vs 36%, P = 0.751) or surgeon illness (0% vs 0%, P = 1). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: The rapid formation of a multi-disciplinary team allows for the efficient evaluation and performance of a large volume of tracheostomies in a resource-limited setting. Bedside tracheostomy in COVID-19 does not cause additional harm to patients if performed after 2 weeks from intubation. It also seems to be safe for proceduralists to perform in this timeframe. The manner of tracheostomy does not change outcomes significantly if it is performed safely and efficiently.

Robotic-Assisted Transabdominal Preperitoneal Ventral Hernia Repair.

Ventral hernia repair is one of the most common operations performed by surgeons worldwide. The widespread adoption of laparoscopic surgery has significantly reduced complications related to traditional open approaches. The most common approach in laparoscopic ventral hernia repair is the intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) approach. This technique, though simple to perform, has limitations, including bridging mesh, intraperitoneal positioning of mesh, transfascial fixation, circumferential mesh fixation, and the use of more expensive composite mesh materials. These limitations are magnified when hernias occur in anatomically difficult sites such as the subxiphoid, suprapubic, and flank regions. Robotic-assisted hernia repair using a transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) approach has emerged as a viable alternative to traditional IPOM by potentially addressing these limitations. We review the operative considerations, intraoperative approach, and current body of literature related to robotic-assisted TAPP ventral hernia repair and conclude that it is feasible and may result in improved outcomes related to the restoration of abdominal wall anatomy and reduced operative costs. Further studies are needed to assess if robotic-assisted TAPP should become the standard approach for repair of ventral hernia defects.

Warfarin, not direct oral anticoagulants or antiplatelet therapy, is associated with increased bleeding risk in emergency general surgery patients: Implications in this new era of novel anticoagulants: An EAST multicenter study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess perioperative bleeding complications and in-hospital mortality in patients requiring emergency general surgery presenting with a history of antiplatelet (AP) versus direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) versus warfarin use. METHODS: A prospective observational study across 21 centers between 2019 and 2022 was conducted. Inclusion criteria were age 18 years or older, and DOAC, warfarin, or AP use within 24 hours of an emergency general surgery procedure. Outcomes included perioperative bleeding and in-hospital mortality. The study was conducted using analysis of variance, χ 2 , and multivariable regression models. RESULTS: Of the 413 patients, 221 (53.5%) reported AP use, 152 (36.8%) DOAC use, and 40 (9.7%) warfarin use. The most common indications for surgery were obstruction (23% [AP], 45% [DOAC], and 28% [warfarin]), intestinal ischemia (13%, 17%, and 23%), and diverticulitis/peptic ulcers (7%, 7%, and 15%). Compared with DOAC use, warfarin use was associated with significantly higher perioperative bleeding complication (odds ratio [OR], 4.4 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.0-9.9]). There was no significant difference in perioperative bleeding complication between DOAC and AP use (OR, 0.7 [95% CI, 0.4-1.1]). Compared with DOAC use, there was no significant difference in mortality between warfarin use (OR, 0.7 [95% CI, 0.2-2.5]) or AP use (OR, 0.5 [95% CI, 0.2-1.2]). After adjusting for confounders, warfarin use (OR, 6.3 [95% CI, 2.8-13.9]), medical history, and operative indication were associated with an increase in perioperative bleeding complications. However, warfarin was not independently associated with risk of mortality (OR, 1.3 [95% CI, 0.39-4.7]), whereas intraoperative vasopressor use (OR, 4.7 [95% CI, 1.7-12.8]), medical history, and postoperative bleeding (OR, 5.5 [95% CI, 2.4-12.8]) were. CONCLUSION: Despite ongoing concerns about the increase in DOAC use and lack of readily available reversal agents, this study suggests that warfarin, rather than DOACs, is associated with higher perioperative bleeding complications. However, that risk does not result in an increase in mortality, suggesting that perioperative decisions should be dictated by patient disease and comorbidities rather than type of AP or anticoagulant use. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level III.

Anticoagulation in emergency general surgery: Who bleeds more? The EAST multicenter trials ACES study.

BACKGROUND: While direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) use is increasing in the Emergency General Surgery (EGS) patient population, our understanding of their bleeding risk in the acute setting remains limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of perioperative bleeding complications in patients using DOACs versus warfarin and AP therapy requiring urgent/emergent EGS procedures (EGSPs). METHODS: This was a prospective observational trial, conducted between 2019 and 2022, across 21 centers. Inclusion criteria were 18 years or older, DOAC, warfarin/AP use within 24 hours of requiring an urgent/emergent EGSP. Demographics, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected. ANOVA, χ 2 , and multivariable regression models were used to conduct the analysis. RESULTS: Of the 413 patients enrolled in the study, 261 (63%) reported warfarin/AP use and 152 (37%) reported DOAC use. Appendicitis and cholecystitis were the most frequent indication for operative intervention in the warfarin/AP group (43.4% vs. 25%, p = 0.001). Small bowel obstruction/abdominal wall hernias were the main indication for operative intervention in the DOAC group (44.7% vs. 23.8%, p = 0.001). Intraoperative, postoperative, and perioperative bleeding complications and in-hospital mortality were similar between the two groups. After adjusting for confounders, a history of chemotherapy (odds ratio [OR], 4.3; p = 0.015) and indication for operative intervention including occlusive mesenteric ischemia (OR, 4.27; p = 0.016), nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (OR, 3.13; p = 0.001), and diverticulitis (OR, 3.72; p = 0.019) were associated with increased perioperative bleeding complications. The need for an intraoperative transfusion (OR, 4.87; p < 0.001), and intraoperative vasopressors (OR, 4.35; p = 0.003) were associated with increased in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: Perioperative bleeding complications and mortality are impacted by the indication for EGSPs and patient's severity of illness rather than a history of DOAC or warfarin/AP use. Therefore, perioperative management should be guided by patient physiology and indication for surgery rather than the concern for recent antiplatelet or anticoagulant use. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and Epidemiologic; Level III.

Reduction of Unnecessary Gastrostomy Tube Placement in Hospitalized Patients.

BACKGROUND: Many patients undergoing gastrostomy tube placement at one academic medical center were able to resume an oral diet prior to discharge or did not survive hospitalization. The objective of this study was to reduce placement of nonbeneficial gastrostomy tubes and to maintain or improve adherence to gastrostomy tube guidelines. METHODS: In February 2017 the Acute Care Surgery service began an initiative in which gastrostomy tube placement was deferred until the patient was deemed medically stable for discharge. This study retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, January 2014-January 2017, prior to the intervention, and February 2017-December 2019, after the intervention. Primary outcomes included the proportion of patients undergoing PEG tube placement who resumed an oral diet or who died during the index hospital stay. Secondary outcomes included the timing of the PEG tube placement. RESULTS: PEGs were placed in 240 patients in the preintervention period and in 171 patients in the postintervention period. In the postintervention period, there was a lower percentage of patients resuming oral diet after PEG placement (17.1% vs. 7.6%, p = 0.0049), a lower duration between stroke diagnosis and PEG placement (mean of 21.0 days vs. 17,1 days, p = 0.0305), and a lower duration between PEG placement and hospital discharge (mean of 19.7 days vs. 13.6 days, p = 0.0035). CONCLUSION: Intentional delay in PEG placement until patients were medically stabilized and approaching discharge was associated with a reduction in unnecessary procedures and an overall reduction in the number of procedures, while maintaining alignment with clinical guidelines and avoiding delays in discharge attributable to the procedure.

Patient Factors Associated With Appendectomy Within 30 Days of Initiating Antibiotic Treatment for Appendicitis.

IMPORTANCE: Use of antibiotics for the treatment of appendicitis is safe and has been found to be noninferior to appendectomy based on self-reported health status at 30 days. Identifying patient characteristics associated with a greater likelihood of appendectomy within 30 days in those who initiate antibiotics could support more individualized decision-making. OBJECTIVE: To assess patient factors associated with undergoing appendectomy within 30 days of initiating antibiotics for appendicitis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this cohort study using data from the Comparison of Outcomes of Antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) randomized clinical trial, characteristics among patients who initiated antibiotics were compared between those who did and did not undergo appendectomy within 30 days. The study was conducted at 25 US medical centers; participants were enrolled between May 3, 2016, and February 5, 2020. A total of 1552 participants with acute appendicitis were randomized to antibiotics (776 participants) or appendectomy (776 participants). Data were analyzed from September 2020 to July 2021. EXPOSURES: Appendectomy vs antibiotics. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Conditional logistic regression models were fit to estimate associations between specific patient factors and the odds of undergoing appendectomy within 30 days after initiating antibiotics. A sensitivity analysis was performed excluding participants who underwent appendectomy within 30 days for nonclinical reasons. RESULTS: Of 776 participants initiating antibiotics (mean [SD] age, 38.3 [13.4] years; 286 [37%] women and 490 [63%] men), 735 participants had 30-day outcomes, including 154 participants (21%) who underwent appendectomy within 30 days. After adjustment for other factors, female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.53; 95% CI, 1.01-2.31), radiographic finding of wider appendiceal diameter (OR per 1-mm increase, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.00-1.18), and presence of appendicolith (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.28-3.10) were associated with increased odds of undergoing appendectomy within 30 days. Characteristics that are often associated with increased risk of complications (eg, advanced age, comorbid conditions) and those clinicians often use to describe appendicitis severity (eg, fever: OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.82-1.98) were not associated with odds of 30-day appendectomy. The sensitivity analysis limited to appendectomies performed for clinical reasons provided similar results regarding appendicolith (adjusted OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.49-3.91). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This cohort study found that presence of an appendicolith was associated with a nearly 2-fold increased risk of undergoing appendectomy within 30 days of initiating antibiotics. Clinical characteristics often used to describe severity of appendicitis were not associated with odds of 30-day appendectomy. This information may help guide more individualized decision-making for people with appendicitis.

Future health disparity initiatives at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

As the United States embarks on health care reform through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to practice medicine will change. Education centered on health disparities and social determinants of health will become increasingly more important as 32 million Americans receive coverage through the ACA. In this paper, we describe future initiatives at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in training medical students on health disparities and social determinants of health through mechanisms such as the Primary Care-Population Medicine Program, the Rhode Island Area Health Education Center, the Scholarly Concentration program and other mechanisms.

Dynamic patterns of histone lysine methylation in the developing retina.

PURPOSE: Histone lysine methylation (HKM) is an important epigenetic mechanism that establishes cell-specific gene expression and functions in development. However, epigenetic control of retinal development is poorly understood. To study the roles of HKM in retinogenesis, the authors examined the dynamic changes of three HKM modifications and of two of their regulators, the histone methyltransferases (HMTases) Ezh2 and G9a, in the mouse retina. METHODS: Retinal sections and lysates from embryonic day 16 through adult were processed for immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting using antibodies against various marks and HMTases. To further analyze the biological functions of HKM, the effects of small molecule inhibitors of HMTases were examined in vitro. RESULTS: Methylation marks of trimethyl lysine 4 and 27 on histone H3 (H3K4me3 and H3K27me3) were detected primarily in differentiated retinal neurons in the embryonic and adult retina. In contrast, dimethyl lysine 9 on histone H3 (H3K9me2) was noted in early differentiating retinal ganglion cells but was lost after birth. The HMTases controlling H3K27me3, H3K9me2, Ezh2, and G9a were enriched in the inner embryonic retina during the period of active retinogenesis. Using the chemical inhibitors of Ezh2 and G9a, the authors reveal a role for HKM in regulating retinal neuron survival. CONCLUSIONS: HKM is a dynamic and spatiotemporally regulated process in the developing retina. Epigenetic regulation of gene transcription by Ezh2- and G9a-mediated HKM plays crucial roles in retinal neuron survival and may represent novel epigenetic targets to enhance viability in retinal neurodegenerative diseases such as glaucoma.