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Background: Caregiving for the adult benign brain tumor (aBBT) population is unique, as patients' extended period of survivorship poses significant challenges related to the long-term sequelae of the disease and the foreboding possibility of recurrence. In this integrative review, we examined the caregiving experience across the spectrum of the aBBT population. Methods: We searched OVID, CINAHL, and PubMed databases from 2000 to 2022. We included studies primarily focused on caregivers of aBBT and written in English. Results: Among 594 papers identified in the initial review, we included a final list of 7 papers. Among these 7 papers, 5 central themes emerged. First, we identified a theme surrounding psychosocial and emotional needs, which included the social isolation of caregiving. The second theme related to informational care needs, including what is considered to be the normal course of recovery after surgery. The third theme focused on access to services, including specialist neurosurgical care, and the fourth theme related to financial strain and the economic burdens associated with long-term follow-up. Lastly, we found a theme surrounding family role changes, which included the shift from spouse to caregiver. Conclusions: In this review, we identified themes highlighting similarities to the high-grade glioma population. However, we uncovered distinct differences in terms of caregiver characteristics, length of survivorship, and the burden of caregiving over time. Collectively, our findings underscore the incomplete understanding of the caregiving experience across the spectrum of the aBBT population.
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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report the authors' experience developing a Lean Six Sigma clinical care pathway (CCP) for endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal operations. METHODS: Using Lean Six Sigma quality improvement principles-including the define, measure, analyze, improve, and control framework-the authors developed a CCP for endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal operations, incorporating preoperative, intraoperative, and inpatient and outpatient postoperative phases of care. Efficacy and quality metrics were defined as postoperative length of stay (LOS), presentation to the emergency department (ED) or readmission within 30 days of discharge, and hospital charges. The study included all adult patients who underwent elective endoscopic endonasal resection for pituitary adenoma, Rathke's cleft cyst, craniopharyngioma, pituicytoma, or arachnoid cyst during the sampling period (April 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022). RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-eight patients met criteria and were included; 94 were treated before and 134 were treated after implementation of the CCP. Differences between groups in age, gender, race, BMI, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, geographic distribution, preoperative serum sodium, tumor size, adenoma functional status, and prior surgery were not significant. The mean postoperative LOS significantly decreased from 4.5 to 1.7 days following CCP implementation (p < 0.0001); LOS variability also decreased, with the standard deviation declining from 3.1 to 1.5 days. The proportion of patients discharged on postoperative day (POD) 1 significantly increased from 0% to 61.9% (p < 0.0001). Fewer than one-quarter of the patients (23.4%) were discharged by POD 2 prior to the CCP, while 88.8% of were discharged by POD 2 after CCP implementation (p < 0.0001). Rates of 30-day ED presentations or readmissions were not significantly different (2.1% vs 6.0%, p = 0.20, and 7.5% vs 6.7%, p > 0.99, respectively). Mean per-patient hospital costs declined from $38,326 to $26,289 (p < 0.0001), with an associated change in cost variability from a standard deviation of $16,716 to $12,498. CONCLUSIONS: CCP implementation significantly improved LOS and costs of endoscopic endonasal resection, without adversely impacting postoperative ED presentations or readmissions.