Private Equity Investment in Surgical Care.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the extent of private equity investment affecting surgical care. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Over the last decade, investor-backed, for-profit private equity groups have invested in healthcare at an unprecedented rate, but the breadth of these investments affecting surgical practice remains largely unknown. METHODS: Four nationally representative databases were used to identify all merger/acquisitions involving surgical practices between 2015-2019, determine private equity investment in those transactions, and link the acquisitions with a physician dataset. RESULTS: 1,542 unique transactions were identified, of which 539 were financed by private equity. 58 transactions were then classified into their respective categories within surgical care: digestive disease, orthopedics, urology, vascular surgery, and plastic/cosmetic surgery. These transactions accounted for 199 practice sites and 1,405 physicians, averaging 24.2 physicians per transaction. Acquisition activity peaked in 2017 with a total of 63 practices involved. Digestive disease, urology, and orthopedic surgery accounted for the most activity. General surgeons were involved in a small share of the digestive disease practice acquisitions. Three "surgery-adjacent" categories were also identified: anesthesiology, ambulatory surgery centers, and surgical staffing firms. Among these, anesthesia was the largest category in terms of practices (194) and physicians (2,660) involved in transactions across the study period. Medical Service Organizations (MSOs) were a key mechanism through which private equity firms invested in surgical care. CONCLUSIONS: Private equity has engaged in substantial investment within surgical specialties, creating increased practice consolidation. These investments affect all levels of medical care and have notable implications for patients, practitioners, and policymakers.

Radiomic study of antenatal prediction of severe placenta accreta spectrum from MRI.

OBJECTIVES: We previously demonstrated the potential of radiomics for the prediction of severe histological placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) subtypes using T2-weighted MRI. We aim to validate our model using an additional dataset. Secondly, we explore whether the performance is improved using a new approach to develop a new multivariate radiomics model. METHODS: Multi-centre retrospective analysis was conducted between 2018 and 2023. Inclusion criteria: MRI performed for suspicion of PAS from ultrasound, clinical findings of PAS at laparotomy and/or histopathological confirmation. Radiomic features were extracted from T2-weighted MRI. The previous multivariate model was validated. Secondly, a 5-radiomic feature random forest classifier was selected from a randomized feature selection scheme to predict invasive placenta increta PAS cases. Prediction performance was assessed based on several metrics including area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), sensitivity, and specificity. RESULTS: We present 100 women [mean age 34.6 (±3.9) with PAS], 64 of whom had placenta increta. Firstly, we validated the previous multivariate model and found that a support vector machine classifier had a sensitivity of 0.620 (95% CI: 0.068; 1.0), specificity of 0.619 (95% CI: 0.059; 1.0), an AUC of 0.671 (95% CI: 0.440; 0.922), and accuracy of 0.602 (95% CI: 0.353; 0.817) for predicting placenta increta. From the new multivariate model, the best 5-feature subset was selected via the random subset feature selection scheme comprised of 4 radiomic features and 1 clinical variable (number of previous caesareans). This clinical-radiomic model achieved an AUC of 0.713 (95% CI: 0.551; 0.854), accuracy of 0.695 (95% CI 0.563; 0.793), sensitivity of 0.843 (95% CI 0.682; 0.990), and specificity of 0.447 (95% CI 0.167; 0.667). CONCLUSION: We validated our previous model and present a new multivariate radiomic model for the prediction of severe placenta increta from a well-defined, cohort of PAS cases. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Radiomic features demonstrate good predictive potential for identifying placenta increta. This suggests radiomics may be a useful adjunct to clinicians caring for women with this high-risk pregnancy condition.

Evaluation of the particulate concentration in a gelatin-based phantom for sonographically guided lesion biopsy.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the particulate concentration in a gelatin-based ultrasound phantom for lesion biopsy at 6 cm in depth to reduce visualization of the biopsy needle in the near field, simulating subcutaneous fat and tissue echogenicity, and maintain target lesion visualization. METHODS: Four gelatin-based phantoms with cornstarch at concentrations of 4, 8, 12, and 16 g/L and an anechoic gelatin target at 7 cm in depth were rated on a 5-point scale by readers for visibility of the target lesion, similarity of near-field to abdominal subcutaneous fat echogenicity, and visibility of a 22-gauge spinal needle in the phantom. A timed sonographically guided localization task was performed on the anechoic target by 4 radiology residents using the 22-gauge spinal needle. Results were analyzed by comparative statistical analysis. RESULTS: An increasing particulate concentration did not alter the similarity of near-field to abdominal subcutaneous fat echogenicity (P = .6) but did significantly reduce visibility of the anechoic target at a cornstarch concentration of 16 g/L (P = .04) and the 22-gauge needle at 12 g/L (P = .03). Decreased visualization of the needle or target lesion did not affect the time for needle localization of the anechoic target (P = .96). CONCLUSIONS: The optimal ultrasound phantom cornstarch concentration was 12 g/L to reduce visualization of the spinal needle, simulating subcutaneous fat echogenicity while maintaining target lesion visualization.

Use of an aortic balloon to achieve uterine conservation in a case of placenta accreta spectrum: A case report.

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a rare complication of pregnancy associated with a high risk of massive haemorrhage and caesarean hysterectomy. This is a case report of abdominal aortic balloon occlusion, using intravascular ultrasound, to achieve uterine conservation in a case of severe PAS. The patient was a 34-year-old woman, G2P1, with one prior caesarean section. Antenatal imaging, consisting of transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging, showed features of PAS. The risk of caesarean hysterectomy with PAS was explained, but the patient declared a desire to retain fertility. Following multi-disciplinary discussion, it was considered appropriate to attempt uterine conservation using en-bloc myometrial and placental resection. An elective caesarean delivery was performed at 36 weeks of gestation. An aortic balloon was inserted prior to surgery using intravascular ultrasound, which allowed for radiation-free, point-of-surgery, accurate balloon sizing, by measuring the aortic diameter, and correct placement of the balloon in the abdominal aorta below the renal vessels. Intraoperative findings confirmed PAS, and a myometrial resection was performed. There were no intraoperative complications. Estimated blood loss was 1000 mL and the patient had an uncomplicated postoperative course. This case demonstrates how the use of an intravascular intraoperative aortic balloon can facilitate uterine conservation in a case of severe PAS.

Cesarean scar niche: An evolving concern in clinical practice.

Increasing cesarean section rates have led to an increased awareness of associated complications such as the formation of cesarean scar niche, defined as an indentation at the site of the cesarean scar with a depth of at least 2 mm, diagnosed by ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. The precise prevalence of cesarean scar niche is unclear. The cause of a cesarean scar niche appears to be multifactorial and likely a combination of technical factors (low incision location), anatomical factors (uterine retroflexion), and patient factors, which might impair healing (body mass index, smoking, maternal age). Most patients with cesarean scar niche are asymptomatic; however, women can present with postmenstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, and subfertility. In pregnancy, cesarean scar niches have been associated with placenta accreta spectrum disorder and uterine rupture. Treatment should be reserved for symptomatic women. Hormonal treatment using either the combined oral contraceptive pill or a progesterone-containing intrauterine device may address irregular vaginal bleeding. Surgical management should be reserved for those in whom hormonal manipulation has failed or is contraindicated. The aim of this review was to summarize current literature pertaining to the cause, prevalence, diagnosis, and symptoms of cesarean scar niche and to make recommendations for managing this relatively new condition.

Radiomics-based prediction of FIGO grade for placenta accreta spectrum.

BACKGROUND: Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a rare, life-threatening complication of pregnancy. Predicting PAS severity is critical to individualise care planning for the birth. We aim to explore whether radiomic analysis of T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can predict severe cases by distinguishing between histopathological subtypes antenatally. METHODS: This was a bi-centre retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study conducted between 2018 and 2022. Women who underwent MRI during pregnancy and had histological confirmation of PAS were included. Radiomic features were extracted from T2-weighted images. Univariate regression and multivariate analyses were performed to build predictive models to differentiate between non-invasive (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics [FIGO] grade 1 or 2) and invasive (FIGO grade 3) PAS using R software. Prediction performance was assessed based on several metrics including sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) at receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: Forty-one women met the inclusion criteria. At univariate analysis, 0.64 sensitivity (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.0-1.00), specificity 0.93 (0.38-1.0), 0.58 accuracy (0.37-0.78) and 0.77 AUC (0.56-.097) was achieved for predicting severe FIGO grade 3 PAS. Using a multivariate approach, a support vector machine model yielded 0.30 sensitivity (95% CI 0.18-1.0]), 0.74 specificity (0.38-1.00), 0.58 accuracy (0.40-0.82), and 0.53 AUC (0.40-0.85). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate a predictive potential of this machine learning pipeline for classifying severe PAS cases. RELEVANCE STATEMENT: This study demonstrates the potential use of radiomics from MR images to identify severe cases of placenta accreta spectrum antenatally. KEY POINTS: • Identifying severe cases of placenta accreta spectrum from imaging is challenging. • We present a methodological approach for radiomics-based prediction of placenta accreta. • We report certain radiomic features are able to predict severe PAS subtypes. • Identifying severe PAS subtypes ensures safe and individualised care planning for birth.

Placenta accreta spectrum ultrasound stage and fetal growth.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate fetal growth in pregnancies complicated by placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) and to compare fetal growth between cases stratified by ultrasound stage of PAS. METHODS: This was a prospective multicenter cohort study of women diagnosed with PAS between January 2018 and December 2021. We grouped participants into cases by ultrasound stage (PAS stage 1-3) and controls (PAS0). Fetal growth centiles at three timepoints with median gestational ages of 21 ± 1 weeks (interquartile range [IQR], 20 ± 1-22 ± 0 weeks), 28 ± 0 weeks (IQR, 27 ± 0-28 ± 5 weeks), and 33 ± 0 weeks (IQR, 32 ± 1-34 ± 0 weeks) and birth weight centiles were compared between cases and controls and between those with PAS stratified by ultrasound stage. RESULTS: A total of 53 women met inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 37 years (standard deviation, ±4.0 years) and body mass index of 27 kg/m2 (standard deviation, ±5.8 kg/m2 ). Median (IQR) fetal weight centiles were around the 50th centile at each timepoint, with no difference between groups. The incidence of small for gestational age (birth weight ≤ 10th percentile) and large for gestational age (birth weight ≥ 90th percentile) was 11.3% (n = 6) and 15.1% (n = 8), respectively, with no differences by ultrasound stage. The median birth weight centile was 64 (IQR, 26-85), with no differences between cases and controls or by ultrasound stage. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort, a diagnosis of PAS was not associated with fetal growth restriction.

Spermatic vein embolization as a treatment for symptomatic varicocele.

INTRODUCTION: Varicocele is a relatively common condition in men that causes pain in approximately 10% of cases. There have been few studies to date assessing the improvements in both pain and quality of life parameters associated with spermatic vein embolization (SVE) as a treatment for patients with symptomatic varicocele, so we aimed to assess this. METHODS: A review was carried out of consecutive SVE procedures performed at our institution from 2013-2019. Only patients with painful varicocele were included after other causes of testicular pain were excluded. The technique employed was a combination of distal coil embolization of the spermatic vein with 4-6 mm coils at the level of the inguinal canal, as well as sclerotherapy to prevent reflux of sclerosant. Furthermore, a prospective validated Pain Impact Questionnaire-6 (PIQ-6) was performed to assess for improvement in quality of life. A matched pair Student two-tailed t-test was used to compare mean scores pre- and post-treatment, with 95% confidence intervals presented as T scores and their associated p-values. RESULTS: Over six years, 62 SVE procedures were performed for symptomatic varicocele. Success rate was 95%, with a median followup of nine months. Two patients had a failed procedure on two occasions requiring subsequent surgical ligation. There was one clinically significant recurrence. All components of PIQ-6 score showed a statistically significant reduction post-SVE, most noticeably pain severity and impact on leisure activities. CONCLUSIONS: SVE is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated treatment for symptomatic varicocele, improving pain and quality of life.

Maternal morbidity in placenta accreta spectrum following introduction of a multi-disciplinary service compared to standard care: an Irish perspective.

AIM: The purpose of this study is to compare maternal outcomes in patients with placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) when managed as part of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) compared to standard care. METHODS: Patients in the standard care group were retrospectively identified from pathology records, with patients in the MDT group prospectively collected on an electronic database. Data on maternal demographics, delivery, estimated blood loss (EBL), transfusion requirements, and morbidity were recorded. RESULTS: Sixty patients were diagnosed with PAS between 2006 and 2019, of whom 32 were part of the standard care group and 28 in the MDT group. Compared to standard care, MDT care was associated with an increase in antenatal diagnosis from 56.3 to 92.9% (p < 0.0001), a significant reduction in EBL (4150 mL (800-19500) vs 1975 (495-8500), p < 0.0001), and transfusion requirements (median 7 (0-30) units of RCC vs 1 (0-13), p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: PAS is associated with significant maternal morbidity and warrants management in an MDT setting with specialist input, which is associated with improved outcomes.

Detected peritoneal fluid in small bowel obstruction is associated with the need for surgical intervention.

BACKGROUND: Predicting the clinical course in adhesional small bowel obstruction is difficult. There are no validated clinical or radiologic features that allow early identification of patients likely to require surgical intervention. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 100 patients consecutively admitted to a tertiary level teaching hospital over a 3-year period (2002-2004) who had acute adhesional small bowel obstruction and underwent computed tomography (CT). The primary outcomes that we assessed were conservative management or the need for surgical intervention. We investigated time to physiologic gastrointestinal function recovery as a secondary outcome. We examined independent predictors of surgical intervention in a bivariate analysis using a stepwise logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 100 patients investigated, we excluded 12. Of the 88 remaining patients, 58 (66%) were managed conservatively and 30 (34%) underwent surgery. Peritoneal fluid detected on a CT scan (n = 37) was associated more frequently with surgery than conservative management (46% v. 29%, p = 0.046, chi(2)). Logistical regression identified peritoneal fluid detected on a CT scan as an independent predictor of surgical intervention (odds ratio 3.0, 95% confidence interval 1.15-7.84). CONCLUSION: The presence of peritoneal fluid on a CT scan in patients with adhesional small bowel obstruction is an independent predictor of surgical intervention and should alert the clinician that the patient is 3 times more likely to require surgery.

Pseudoaneurysm of the brachial artery following humeral fracture.

The frequency of peripheral artery aneurysms in the upper extremities is less than in the lower extremities. Diagnosis and surgical treatment are important because upper extremity aneurysms can severely compromise the function of a limb and possibly lead to the loss of an arm or fingers. Very rarely, posttraumatic upper extremity pseudoaneurysms show symptoms after a long period of time. Diagnosis can be made on review of the patient's history and a physical examination. Surgical reconstruction is the preferred treatment for such patients. We present a case of a brachial artery pseudoaneurysm following humeral fracture.

Effort thrombosis of the upper extremity in a young sportsman: Paget-Schroetter syndrome.

Paget-Schroetter syndrome is the spontaneous thrombosis of the axillary/subclavian vein. A 16-year-old male presented with acute onset of right upper limb swelling after vigorous weight training. A venogram confirmed the diagnosis of Paget-Schroetter syndrome. He was started on intravenous thrombolytics followed by oral anticoagulation therapy. His symptoms resolved and he was symptom free at six-month follow-up. Thrombolytics and anticoagulation is the most widely accepted first-line therapy for this syndrome. Defining any anatomical anomaly as the predisposing factor in this condition is essential in the selection of which patients will benefit from thoracic outlet decompression.

Midterm Analysis of Survival and Cause of Death Following Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

PURPOSE: To assess rates of complications, secondary interventions, survival, and cause of death following endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair over a 10-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-institution retrospective cohort study of all patients undergoing primary endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) between July 2006 and June 2015. The population constituted 175 patients with 163 fusiform and 12 saccular AAAs. Of these, 149 (85%) were male, with mean age 75.4 (±7.1) years. Patients were followed up until June 30, 2016. Cause of death was determined from the national death register. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 34.4 (±24.4) months. The secondary intervention rate was 9.7%, and there were 4 aneurysm ruptures (0.8% annual incidence). Thirty-day mortality was 0.6%. Survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 93.1%, 84%, and 64.9%, respectively. Forty-eight patients died during follow-up, 3 secondary to rupture, leading to overall and aneurysm-related death rates of 9.7 and 0.6 per 100 person-years. All other deaths were due to nonaneurysm causes, most commonly cardiovascular (n = 15), pulmonary (n = 13), and malignancy (n = 9). Baseline renal impairment ( P < .001), ischemic heart disease ( P < .05), age greater than 75 years ( P < .05), and urgent/emergency EVAR were associated with inferior long-term survival. Type II endoleak negatively influenced fusiform aneurysm sac regression ( P = .02), but there was no association between survival and occurrence of any complication or secondary intervention. CONCLUSION: The majority of deaths during medium-term follow-up post-EVAR are due to nonaneurysm-related causes. Survival is determined by the following baseline factors: renal impairment, ischemic heart disease, advanced age, and the presence of a symptomatic/ruptured aneurysm.

Does neoadjuvant doxorubicin drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization improve survival in patients undergoing liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma?

PURPOSE: We aimed to compare the overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) for hepatocellular carcinoma who did and did not have neoadjuvant doxorubicin drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE). METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 94 patients with HCC transplanted between 2000 and 2014 in a single tertiary center. Pre- and postoperative features, DFS and OS were compared between patients who received pre-OLT DEB-TACE (n=34, DEB-TACE group) and those who did not (n=60, non-TACE group). Radiologic and histologic response to neoadjuvant treatment as well as its complications were also studied. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in post-transplantation DFS and OS rates between groups (5-year DFS: 70% in DEB-TACE group vs. 63% in non-TACE group, P = 0.454; 5-year OS: 70% in DEB-TACE group vs. 65% in non-TACE group, P = 0.532). The DEB-TACE group had longer OLT waiting time compared with the non-TACE group (110 vs. 72 days; P = 0.01). On univariate and multivariate analyses, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels >500 ng/mL prior to OLT were associated with decreased OS and DFS regardless of neoadjuvant approach (hazard ratio of 6, P = 0.001 and 5.5, P = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSION: Patients who underwent neoadjuvant DEB-TACE and OLT for hepatocellular carcinoma had no statistically different OS or DFS at 3 and 5 years from patients undergoing OLT alone.

Severe Postcoital Bleeding From a Uterine Artery Pseudoaneurysm 4 Months After Cesarean Delivery.

BACKGROUND: Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm is considered a rare complication of gynecologic and obstetric procedures. The delayed diagnosis of this condition may result in life-threatening hemorrhage. CASE: A 34-year-old woman underwent an urgent cesarean delivery for labor dystocia. The procedure was complicated with hemorrhage from the uterine incision angles requiring extra hemostatic suture. She presented with secondary postpartum hemorrhage on day 14 and again with life-threatening postcoital vaginal bleeding 4 months after cesarean delivery. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography revealed a uterine artery Pseudoaneurysm, which was treated with uterine artery embolization. CONCLUSION: Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with postpartum hemorrhage, especially if bleeding is significant and recurrent, particularly after an operative delivery. The diagnosis of a pseudoaneurysm can be made by color Doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography.