The Presence of Implicit Gender Bias in Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency Letters of Recommendation.

BACKGROUND: Selection for colorectal surgery residency relies on letters of recommendation for assessment of candidates' strengths and weaknesses. It is unclear whether this process incorporates implicit gender bias. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the presence of gender bias in letters of recommendation for colorectal surgery residency. DESIGN: Mixed methods assessment of the characteristics described within the blinded letters of the 2019 application cycle to a single academic residency. SETTINGS: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: Blinded letters from the 2019 colorectal surgery residency application cycle. INTERVENTIONS: Characteristics of the letters were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Association of gender with the presence of descriptors within the letters. RESULTS: A total of 111 applicants, 409 letter writers, and 658 letters were analyzed. Forty-three percent of applicants were female. Female and male applicants had an equal mean number of positive (5.4 vs 5.8; p = 0.10) and negative (0.5 vs 0.4; p = 0.07) attributes represented. Female applicants were more likely to be described as having poor academic skills (6.0 vs 3.4%; p = 0.04) and possessing negative leadership qualities (5.2% vs 1.4%; p < 0.01) than male applicants. Male applicants were more likely to be described as kind (36.6% vs 28.3%; p = 0.03), curious (16.4% vs 9.2%; p = 0.01), possessing positive academic skills (33.7% vs 20.0%; p < 0.01), and possessing positive teaching skills (23.5% vs 17.0%; p = 0.04). LIMITATIONS: This study analyzed a single year of applications to an academic center and may not be generalizable. CONCLUSIONS: There are differences in the qualities used to describe female versus male applicants in colorectal surgery residency application letters of recommendation. Female applicants were more often described in negative academic terms and possessing negative leadership qualities. Males were more likely to be described as kind, curious, academically impressive, and possessing good teaching skills. The field may benefit from educational initiatives to reduce implicit gender bias in letters of recommendation. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/C191 . LA PRESENCIA DE SESGO DE GNERO IMPLCITO EN LAS CARTAS DE RECOMENDACIN DE RESIDENCIA EN CIRUGA DE COLON Y RECTO: ANTECEDENTES:La selección para la residencia en cirugía colorrectal se basa en cartas de recomendación para la evaluación subjetiva de las fortalezas y debilidades de los candidatos. No está claro si este proceso incorpora un sesgo de género implícito.OBJETIVO:Evaluar la presencia de sesgo de género en las cartas de recomendación para la residencia en cirugía colorrectal.DISEÑO:Evaluación de métodos mixtos de las características descritas dentro de las cartas selladas del ciclo de solicitud de 2019 a una sola residencia académica.ENTORNO CLÍNICO:Centro médico académico.PACIENTES:Cartas selladas del ciclo de solicitud de residencia en cirugía colorrectal de 2019.INTERVENCIONES:Las características de las cartas se determinaron utilizando medidas cualitativas y cuantitativas.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE VALORACIÓN:Asociación del género con la presencia de descriptores dentro de las cartas.RESULTADOS:Hubo 111 solicitantes, 409 escritores de cartas y se analizaron 658 cartas. El 43% de los solicitantes eran mujeres. Los solicitantes masculinos y femeninos tenían el mismo promedio de atributos positivos (5,4 frente a 5,8; p = 0,10) y negativos (0,5 frente a 0,4; p = 0,07) representados. Las solicitantes femeninas tenían más probabilidades de ser descritas como con deficientes habilidades académicas (6,0 frente a 3,4%, p = 0,04) y poseían cualidades de liderazgo negativas (5,2% frente a 1,4%; p < 0,01) en comparacion con los solicitantes masculinos. Los solicitantes masculinos tenían más probabilidades de ser descritos como amables (36,6 % frente a 28,3%; p = 0,03), curiosos (16,4% frente a 9,2%; p = 0,01), que poseían habilidades académicas positivas (33,7 % frente a 20,0%; p < 0,01), y habilidades docentes positivas (23,5% vs 17,0%; p = 0,04).LIMITACIONES:Este estudio analizó un solo año de solicitudes a un centro académico y puede no ser generalizable.CONCLUSIÓN:Existen diferencias en las cualidades utilizadas para describir a los solicitantes femeninos versus masculinos en las cartas de recomendación de solicitud de residencia en cirugía colorrectal. Las candidatas femeninas se describieron con mayor frecuencia en términos académicos negativos y poseían cualidades de liderazgo negativas. Los hombres eran más propensos a ser descritos como amables, curiosos, académicamente impresionantes y con buenas habilidades docentes. El campo puede beneficiarse de iniciativas educativas para reducir el sesgo de género implícito en las cartas de recomendación. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/C191 . (Traducción-Dr. Ingrid Melo ).

A Growing Divide? Social Determinants of the Use of Nonoperative Management of Rectal Cancer and Its Impact on Survival.

INTRODUCTION: Nonoperative management (NOM) of locally advanced rectal cancer was described as early as 2004. Initial national data demonstrated increase in utilization of NOM from 1998 to 2010, but newer national utilization data are not available. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study using the National Cancer Database to assess utilization and 5-y overall survival (OS) of NOM of locally advanced rectal cancer. All patients had American Joint Committee on Cancer stage 2 or 3 rectal cancer, were over 40 y old, received both chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and were not being treated with palliative intent. RESULTS: 74,780 patients were analyzed. 64,540 (86.2%) underwent a definitive resection, 10,330 (13.8%) had NOM. Utilization of NOM steadily increased from 11.3% in 2010 to 18.6% in 2018. Multivariate regression identified the highest predictors of utilization of NOM to be uninsured status, government insurance, Black race, and treatment at a community cancer center. Multivariate regression identified NOM as the highest hazard for mortality (hazard ratio = 2.286, confidence interval 2.209-2.366). After propensity score matching, the mean estimated 5-y OS was 52.0% for those managed operatively compared to 39.8% for those managed nonoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: From 2004 to 2018, the utilization of NOM of locally advanced rectal cancer significantly increased. However, there was a significant discrepancy in OS in comparison to surgical resection for these patients. Further study is needed to determine the long-term oncologic safety of NOM.

Primary anastomosis with diverting loop ileostomy versus Hartmann's procedure for acute complicated diverticulitis: analysis of the National Inpatient Sample 2015-2019.

BACKGROUND: Up to 50% of patients with acute complicated diverticulitis require operative management on their index admission. There is ongoing debate as to whether primary anastomosis with diverting ileostomy versus a Hartmann's procedure is the optimal surgical approach for these patients. This study aims to compare postoperative complications in patients undergoing either Hartmann's procedure or primary anastomosis and diverting ileostomy for perforated diverticulitis using recent National Inpatient Sample data. METHODS: Patients who underwent either primary anastomosis with diverting ileostomy or Hartmann's procedure for acute complicated diverticulitis from the 2015 to 2019 NIS database sample were included. Primary outcomes were postoperative in-hospital mortality and morbidity. Secondary outcomes were postoperative cause-specific complications, total admission cost, and length of stay (LOS). Univariate and multivariate regression were utilized to compare the two operative approaches. RESULTS: Overall, 642 patients underwent primary anastomosis with diverting ileostomy and 4,482 patients underwent Hartmann's procedure. There was no difference in in-hospital mortality (OR 0.93, 95%CI 0.45-1.92, p = 0.84) or in-hospital morbidity (OR 1.10, 95%CI 0.90-1.35, p = 0.33). Adjusted analysis suggested shorter postoperative LOS for patients undergoing Hartmann's procedure (MD 0.79 days, 95%CI 0.15-1.43 days, p = 0.013) and decreased total admission cost (MD $4,893.99, 95%CI $1,425.04-$8,362.94, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The present study supports that primary anastomosis with diverting ileostomy is safe for properly selected patients presenting with complicated diverticulitis. Primary anastomosis with diverting ileostomy is associated with greater total hospitalization costs and LOS.

Disparities in access to minimally invasive surgery for inflammatory bowel disease and outcomes by insurance status: analysis of the 2015 to 2019 National Inpatient Sample.

INTRODUCTION: Despite being the preferred modality for treatment of colorectal cancer and diverticular disease, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been adopted slowly for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) due to its technical challenges. The present study aims to assess the disparities in use of MIS for patients with IBD. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from October 2015 to December 2019 was conducted. Patients < 65 years of age were stratified by either private insurance or Medicaid. The primary outcome was access to MIS and secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, complications, length of stay (LOS), and total admission cost. Univariate and multivariate regression was utilized to determine the association between insurance status and outcomes. RESULTS: The NIS sample population included 7866 patients with private insurance and 1689 with Medicaid. Medicaid patients had lower odds of receiving MIS than private insurance patients (OR 0.85, 95% CI [0.74-0.97], p = 0.017), and experienced more postoperative genitourinary complications (OR 1.36, 95% CI [1.08-1.71], p = 0.009). In addition, LOS was longer by 1.76 days (p < 0.001) and the total cost was higher by $5043 USD (p < 0.001) in the Medicaid group. Independent predictors of receiving MIS were age < 40 years old, female sex, highest income quartile, diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, elective admission, and care at teaching hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Medicaid are less likely to receive MIS, have longer lengths of stay, and incur higher costs for the surgical management of their IBD. Further investigations into disparities in inflammatory bowel disease care for Medicaid patients are warranted.

What Can an Aging Pouch Tell Us? Outcomes of Ileoanal Pouches Over 20 Years Old.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the long-term functional outcomes of restorative proctocolectomy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine ileoanal pouch outcomes 20 and 30 years postoperatively. DESIGN: This is a retrospective case series. SETTING: This study was conducted at a tertiary care referral center. PATIENTS: Patients who underwent restorative proctocolectomy between 1980 and 1994 were identified. Those with ≥20 years of in-person follow-up were included. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Pouch function, pouchitis, anal stricture, and pouch failure rates were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 203 patients had ≥20 years of follow-up. Of those, 71 had ≥30 years of follow-up. Initial diagnoses included ulcerative colitis (83%), indeterminate colitis (9%), familial adenomatous polyposis (4%), and Crohn's disease (3%). Twenty-one percent of those with ulcerative or indeterminate colitis later transitioned to Crohn's disease. Mean daily stool frequency was 7 (IQR 6-8), 38% experienced seepage, 31% had anal stenosis, 47% experienced pouchitis, and 18% had pouch failure. Over time, stool frequency increased in 41% of patients, stayed the same in 43%, and decreased in 16%. Patients older than 50 years at the time of construction had more daily bowel movements (median 8 vs 6; p = 0.02) and more seepage (77% vs 35%; p = 0.005) than those younger than 50 years. Patients with Crohn's disease had higher stool frequency (median 8 vs 6; p < 0.001) and higher rates of anal stenosis (44% vs 26%; p = 0.02), pouchitis (70% vs 40%; p < 0.001), and pouch failure (38% vs 12%; p < 0.001) compared to non-Crohn's patients. Patients with ≥30 years of follow-up had similar function as those with 20-30 years of follow-up. LIMITATIONS: This was a retrospective, single-institution study. Only 35% of pouches created during the study period had >20 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients maintain reasonably good function and retain their pouches after 20 years. Over time, stool frequency and seepage increase. Older age and Crohn's disease are associated with worse outcomes. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B801. QU NOS DICE UN RESERVORIO A LARGO PLAZO RESULTADOS DE LOS RESERVORIOS ILEOANALES MAYORES DE AOS: ANTECEDENTES:se sabe poco sobre los resultados funcionales a largo plazo de la proctocolectomía restauradora.OBJETIVO:El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar los resultados del reservorio ileoanal 20 y 30 años después de la operación.DISEÑO:Serie de casos retrospectiva.ENTORNO CLÍNICO:Centro de referencia de atención terciariaPACIENTES:Se identificaron pacientes que se sometieron a proctocolectomía restauradora entre 1980 y 1994. Se incluyeron aquellos con ≥20 años de seguimiento en persona.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE VALORACIÓN:Se analizaron la función, inflamación, tasas de falla del reservorio y estenosis anal.RESULTADOS:Un total de 203 pacientes tuvieron ≥20 años de seguimiento. De ellos, 71 tenían ≥30 años de seguimiento. Los diagnósticos iniciales incluyeron colitis ulcerosa (83%), colitis indeterminada (9%), poliposis adenomatosa familiar (4%) y enfermedad de Crohn (3%). El 21% de las personas con colitis ulcerosa o indeterminada pasaron posteriormente a la enfermedad de Crohn. La frecuencia promedio de las deposiciones diarias fue de 7 (rango intercuartil 6-8), el 38% experimentó filtración, el 31% tuvo estenosis anal, el 47% experimentó pouchitis y el 18% tuvo falla del reservorio. Con el tiempo, la frecuencia de las deposiciones aumentó en el 41% de los pacientes, se mantuvo igual en el 43% y disminuyó en el 16%. Los pacientes mayores de 50 años en el momento de la construcción tenían más evacuaciones intestinales diarias (media 8 vs 6, p = 0,02) y más filtraciones (77% vs 35%, p = 0,005) que los menores de 50 años. Los pacientes con enfermedad de Crohn tenían mayor frecuencia de deposiciones (media 8 vs 6, p < 0,001) y tasas más altas de estenosis anal (44% vs 26%, p = 0,02), inflamacion (70% vs 40%, p <0,001) y falla del reservorio (38% frente a 12%, p <0,001) en comparación con pacientes que tenian enfermedad de Crohn. Los pacientes con ≥30 años de seguimiento tuvieron una función similar a aquellos con 20-30 años de seguimiento.LIMITACIONES:Este fue un estudio retrospectivo de una sola institución. Solo el 35% de los reservorios creados durante el período de estudio tuvieron más de 20 años de seguimiento.CONCLUSIONES:La mayoría de los pacientes mantienen una función razonablemente buena y conservan el reservorio después de 20 años. Con el tiempo, la frecuencia de las deposiciones y la filtración aumentan. La vejez y la enfermedad de Crohn se asocian con peores resultados. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B801. (Traducción - Dr. Ingrid Melo).

The SAGES MASTERS program presents: the 10 seminal articles for the Laparoscopic Right Colectomy Pathway.

BACKGROUND: As one of the 12 clinical pathways of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) Masters Program, the Colorectal Pathway intends to deliver didactic content organized along 3 levels of performance (competency, proficiency and mastery) each represented by an anchoring procedure (laparoscopic right colectomy, laparoscopic left/sigmoid colectomy, and intracorporeal anastomosis during minimally invasive (MIS) ileocecal or right colon resection). In this article, the SAGES Colorectal Task Force presents focused summaries of the top 10 seminal articles selected for laparoscopic right colectomy which surgeons should be familiar with. METHODS: Using a systematic literature search of Web of Science, the most cited articles on laparoscopic right colectomy were identified, reviewed, and ranked by the SAGES Colorectal Task Force and invited subject experts. Additional articles not identified in the literature search were included if deemed impactful by expert consensus. The top 10 ranked articles were then summarized, with emphasis on relevance and impact in the field, findings, strengths and limitations, and conclusions. RESULTS: The top 10 seminal articles selected for the laparoscopic right colectomy anchoring procedure include articles on surgical techniques for benign and malignant disease, with anatomical and video illustrations, comparative outcomes of laparoscopic vs open colectomy, variations in technique with impact on clinical outcomes, and assessment of the learning curve. CONCLUSIONS: The top 10 seminal articles selected for laparoscopic right colectomy illustrate the diversity both in content and format of the educational curriculum of the SAGES Masters Program to support practicing surgeon progression to mastery within the Colorectal Pathway.

Has National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month increased endoscopy screening rates and public interest in colorectal cancer?

BACKGROUND: National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month occurs each March to promote awareness and screening for colorectal cancer. The effectiveness of this public health campaign is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month on rates of screening endoscopies and on public interest in colorectal cancer. METHODS: To examine the impact of National Colon Cancer Awareness Month on screening endoscopy rates, the National Endoscopy Database was retrospectively reviewed from 2002 through 2014. A time series of monthly number of colorectal cancer screening endoscopies per endoscopist in the data set was evaluated. To examine public interest in colorectal cancer, Google Trends data were collected on the monthly rates of terms related to colorectal cancer from January 2004 to July 2019. Impact of the month on screening endoscopies and public interest was assessed through an analysis of variance. Seasonality was tested for by how well a sinusoidal model fit the time series as opposed to a linear model utilizing a sum-of-squares F test. RESULTS: Review of National Endoscopy Database yielded 1,398,996 endoscopies, 94% were colonoscopies and 6% sigmoidoscopies, with 47% for colorectal cancer screening. Colorectal cancer screening endoscopy rates were not impacted by the month of the year, and these rates had no seasonality. However, Google searches related to colorectal cancer were significantly impacted by month of the year, specifically March, with significant seasonality observed in the data. CONCLUSIONS: National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is associated with an increased public interest in colorectal cancer based on user Google search trends. Yet, this has not translated into a demonstrable increase in the rates of screening. This presents an opportunity to capitalize on this increased public interest and harness this enthusiasm into increased screening.

Concurrent urinary and bowel diversion: Surgical modification with sigmoid colon that avoids a bowel anastomosis.

OBJECTIVE: Cystectomy with urinary diversion is the gold standard for muscle invasive bladder cancer. It also may be performed as part of pelvic exenteration for non-urologic malignancy, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, and chronic conditions that result in a non-functional bladder (e.g., interstitial cystitis, radiation cystitis). Our objective is to describe the surgical technique of urinary diversion using large intestine as a conduit whilst creating an end colostomy, thereby avoiding a primary bowel anastomosis and to show its applicability with respect to urologic conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed five cases from a single institution that utilized the described method of urinary diversion with large intestine. We describe operative times, hospital length of stay (LOS), and describe post-operative complications. RESULTS: Five patients with a variety of urologic and oncologic pathology underwent the described procedures. Their operative times ranged from 5 hours to 11 hours and one patient experienced a Clavien III complication. CONCLUSION: We describe five patients who underwent this procedure for various medical indications, and describe their outcomes, and believe dual diversion of urinary and gastrointestinal systems with colon as a urinary conduit to be an excellent surgical option for the appropriate surgical candidate.

c-Cbl Expression Correlates with Human Colorectal Cancer Survival and Its Wnt/ß-Catenin Suppressor Function Is Regulated by Tyr371 Phosphorylation.

The proto-oncogene ß-catenin drives colorectal cancer (CRC) tumorigenesis. Casitas B-lineage lymphoma (c-Cbl) inhibits CRC tumor growth through targeting nuclear ß-catenin by a poorly understood mechanism. In addition, the role of c-Cbl in human CRC remains largely underexplored. Using a novel quantitative histopathologic technique, we demonstrate that patients with high c-Cbl-expressing tumors had significantly better median survival (3.7 years) compared with low c-Cbl-expressing tumors (1.8 years; P = 0.0026) and were more than twice as likely to be alive at 3 years compared with low c-Cbl tumors (P = 0.0171). Our data further demonstrate that c-Cbl regulation of nuclear ß-catenin requires phosphorylation of c-Cbl Tyr371 because its mutation compromises its ability to target ß-catenin. The tyrosine 371 (Y371H) mutant interacted with but failed to ubiquitinate nuclear ß-catenin. The nuclear localization of the c-Cbl-Y371H mutant contributed to its dominant negative effect on nuclear ß-catenin. The biological importance of c-Cbl-Y371H was demonstrated in various systems, including a transgenic Wnt-8 zebrafish model. c-Cbl-Y371H mutant showed augmented Wnt/ß-catenin signaling, increased Wnt target genes, angiogenesis, and CRC tumor growth. This study demonstrates a strong link between c-Cbl and overall survival of patients with CRC and provides new insights into a possible role of Tyr371 phosphorylation in Wnt/ß-catenin regulation, which has important implications in tumor growth and angiogenesis in CRC.

The effect of statin use and intensity on stroke and myocardial infarction after carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Statin use in patients with cerebrovascular disease undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has been advocated for prevention of stroke and cardiovascular events. However, the effect of statin therapy on long-term outcomes after CEA still needs to be delineated. METHODS: OptumLabs Data Warehouse, a comprehensive, longitudinal, real-world dataset with deidentified lives across claims and clinical information, was used to analyze the rates of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and statin use after CEA. Both duration and intensity of statin therapy were investigated. RESULTS: There were 21,277 patients who underwent CEA from 2004 to 2014. The average age was 70 years, and 59.4% were male. The average Elixhauser index score was 4.2. Follow-up was a median of 2.4 years (range, 0.2-10.0 years). Long-term statin use was observed in 57.4%. Statin distribution included atorvastatin 35%, simvastatin 35%, pravastatin 11%, rosuvastatin 10%, and lovastatin 7%. The 30- and 90-day stroke rates were 1.3% and 2.2%, and the MI rates were 0.5% and 1.1%, respectively. Postoperative statin use was associated with a lower perioperative stroke rate at 30 days (odds ratio [OR], 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.98; P = .036) and 90 days (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.62-0.90; P = .002). Postoperative statin use did not show a protective effect on 30-day or 90-day MI rates (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.69-1.46; P = .975) or 90-day MI rates (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.66-1.11; P = .213). High-intensity statin use when compared with standard therapy did not affect 30-day stroke outcomes (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.60-1.5; P = .847) or 90-day stroke outcomes (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.74-1.5; P = .762); or 30-day MI (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.39-1.68; P = .576) or 90-day MI (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.79-1.96; P = .339). Statin use was independently protective against long-term stroke (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.75-0.91; P < .001) and MI (hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.75-.92; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative statin use among patients undergoing CEA was associated with a decreased risk of stroke at 30 and 90 days, as well as a long-term protective effect against MI and stroke. High-intensity statin use compared with standard use did not show an effect on outcomes of stroke or MI at 30 and 90-days after CEA.

Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery for IBD: A Common but Rarely Addressed Problem.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism after abdominal surgery occurs in 2% to 3% of patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. However, no evidence-based guidelines currently exist to guide postdischarge prophylactic anticoagulation. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the use of postoperative postdischarge venous thromboembolism chemical prophylaxis, 90-day venous thromboembolism rates, and factors associated with 90-day thromboembolic events in IBD patients following abdominal surgery. DESIGN: This was a retrospective evaluation of an administrative database. DATA SOURCE: Data were obtained from Optum Labs Data Warehouse, a large administrative database containing claims on privately insured and Medicare Advantage enrollees. PATIENTS: Seven thousand seventy-eight patients undergoing surgery for Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis were included in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes were rates of postdischarge venous thromboembolism prophylaxis and 90-day rates of postdischarge thromboembolic events. In addition, patient clinical characteristics were identified to determine predictors of postdischarge venous thromboembolism. RESULTS: Postdischarge chemical prophylaxis was given to only 0.6% of patients in the study. Two hundred thirty-five patients (3.3%) developed a postdischarge thromboembolic complication. Postdischarge thromboembolism was more common in patients with ulcerative colitis than with Crohn's disease (5.8% vs 2.3%; p < 0.001). Increased rates of venous thromboembolism were seen in patients undergoing colectomy or proctectomy with simultaneous stoma creation compared with colectomy or proctectomy alone (5.8% vs 2.1%; p < 0.001). The strongest predictors of thromboembolic complications were stoma creation (adjusted OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.34-2.84), J-pouch reconstruction (adjusted OR, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.65-4.29), preoperative prednisone use (adjusted OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.19-2.08), and longer length of stay (adjusted OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.41-2.52). LIMITATIONS: This study is limited by its retrospective design. CONCLUSIONS: The use of postdischarge venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in this patient sample was infrequent. Development of evidence-based guidelines, particularly for high-risk patients, should be considered to improve the outcomes of IBD patients undergoing abdominal surgery.

Can the national surgical quality improvement program provide surgeon-specific outcomes?

BACKGROUND: Efforts to improve the quality of surgical care and reduce morbidity and mortality have resulted in outcomes reporting at the service and institutional level. Surgeon-specific outcomes are not readily available. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to compare surgeon-specific outcomes from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and 100% capture institutional quality data. DESIGN: We conducted a cohort study evaluating institutional and surgeon-specific outcomes following colorectal surgery procedures at 1 institution over 5 years. PATIENTS: All patients who underwent an operation by a colorectal surgeon at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2012 were identified. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Thirty-day mortality, reoperation, urinary tract infection, deep vein thrombosis, pneumonia, superficial surgical site infection, and organ space infection were the primary outcomes measured. ANALYSIS: We compared annual and 5-year institutional and surgeon-specific adverse event rates between the data sets. In addition, we categorized individual surgeons as low-outlier, average, or high-outlier in relation to aggregate averages and determined the concordance between the data sets in identifying outliers. Concordance was designated if the 2 databases classified outlier status similarly for the same adverse event category. RESULTS: In the 100% capture institutional data, 6459 operative encounters were identified in comparison with 1786 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program encounters (28% sampled). Annual aggregate adverse event rates were similar between the institutional data and the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. For annual surgeon-specific comparisons, concordance in identifying outliers between the 2 data sets was 51.4%, and gross discordance between outlier status was in 8.2%. Five-year surgeon-specific comparisons demonstrated 59% concordance in identifying outlier status with 8.2% gross discordance for the group. LIMITATIONS: The inclusion of data from only 1 academic referral center is a limitation of this study. CONCLUSIONS: Each surgeon was identified as a "high outlier" in at least 1 adverse event category. Comparisons at the annual and 5-year points demonstrated poor concordance between our 100% capture institutional data and the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data.

The effect of preoperative oral nutritional supplementation on surgical site infections among adult patients undergoing elective surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Mixed findings are reported on the effect of oral nutritional supplements in reducing Surgical Site Infections (SSIs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: PubMED, EMBASE and Cochrane were searched. Studies from inception to July 2022 were included if they involved adults undergoing elective surgery and compared preoperative macronutrient oral nutritional supplements to placebo/standard diet. RESULTS: Of 372 unique citations, 19 were included (N â€‹= â€‹2480): 13 RCTs (N â€‹= â€‹1506) and 6 observational studies (N â€‹= â€‹974). Moderate-certainty evidence suggested that nutritional supplements SSI risk (OR 0.54, 95% C.I. 0.40-0.72, N â€‹= â€‹2718 participants). In elective colorectal surgery, this risk-reduction was 0.43 (95% C.I. 0.26-0.61, N â€‹= â€‹835 participants) and among patients who received Impact 0.48 (95% C.I. 0.32-0.70, N â€‹= â€‹1338). CONCLUSION: Oral nutritional supplements prior to adult elective surgery may significantly reduce SSIs, with an overall 50% protective effect. This protective effect persisted in subgroup analysis of colorectal surgery patients and the use of Impact.

Horseshoe Fistulae in the Age of LIFT.

BACKGROUND: Horseshoe fistula is a challenging benign anorectal condition to treat. The aim of this study was to assess the utilization and success of different definitive fistula repair techniques in the treatment of horseshoe fistula. METHODS: This was a retrospective case series which included all patients who were treated for horseshoe fistula from 2006 to 2019 at a single, tertiary care center and whom had at least one follow-up visit. Patients were excluded if < 18 years of age or carried a diagnosis of Crohn's disease. Patients were assessed for fistula recurrence and incontinence. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients were identified. On average, they were 47 years old, 63% male, and 18% current smokers. Seventy-nine percent required seton during their treatment course. Of the 8 first attempts at fistula repair, the types of repair included flap (15%), LIFT (35%), fistulotomy (31%), plug (12%), and fistulotomy and immediate reconstruction (1%). Recurrence for these procedures was as follows: flap 30%, LIFT 21%, fistulotomy 14%, plug 88%, and fistulotomy and immediate reconstruction 0%. Twelve patients who recurred underwent 17 additional procedures to attempt to cure their fistula. Overall, of those who underwent any attempt at definitive repair, 82% of patients were cured of their fistula, 12% had a chronic seton, and 6% had a chronic fistula. Thirteen percent of those who were cured had incontinence. The mean follow-up time was 1.1 years. Patients required a median of 3 procedures (range 1-11). CONCLUSION: Horseshoe fistula remains a complex anorectal condition. Successful repair can be performed in > 80% of patients. However, repair can often require multiple surgical procedures.

Impact of the first COVID-19 surge on the outcomes of diverticulitis.

Introduction: During the first surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare utilization changed. We sought to examine the impact of the first COVID-19 surge on the outcomes of patients whose elective surgeries for diverticulitis were postponed and those who underwent urgent surgery during the surge. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study from a single tertiary center in the Northeast of the US. Patients whose elective surgeries were delayed, or who underwent urgent surgery for diverticulitis during the first COVID-19 surge (3/16/2020 to 8/1/2020) were included. A cohort from 2019 was used for comparison. Variables were compared between groups including: procedure, death, length of stay, disposition, stoma rate, technique for surgery, and leak rate. Results: Forty-five patients were included in the COVID-19 group and 44 patients in the 2019 group. Twenty-seven patients had elective surgeries delayed during the COVID-19 surge. Ten (37%) required more urgent surgery, 80% with complicated disease. Six (22%) were admitted to the hospital and 13 (48%) required additional antibiotics. Eight (30%) patients postponed their surgeries indefinitely and 7 (26%) had surgery once permitted. There were no observed differences between the two groups in the rate of complicated disease, leaks, technique for surgery or stoma rate. Conclusions: During the first COVID-19 surge, over 1/3 of patients whose elective diverticulitis surgeries were postponed required urgent surgery, a majority of whom had complicated disease. There were no apparent differences in outcomes when compared to a pre-pandemic cohort, highlighting the importance of a triage system with the ability to escalate surgery in a timely manner.

How to Get Ahead: Early-Career Colorectal Surgeons Reflect on Their First Few Years in Practice.

OBJECTIVE: To identify strategies and barriers to career progression in early-career colorectal surgeons. DESIGN: Qualitative research study performed via semi-structured interviews with early-career, board-certified colon, and rectal surgeons. Responses were analyzed, coded, and categorized to understand strategies towards career progression, perceived barriers to career progression, beliefs about case mix, and referral patterns. SETTING: Interviews conducted in person and via telephone across the United States and Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Early-career board-certified colorectal surgeons RESULTS: Twenty-two board-certified colorectal surgeons currently employed in 14 states and 1 foreign country were interviewed. Fourty-five percent were female. Their current practice environment was described as academic (77%), private practice (18%), or military (5%). Seventy-seven percent of surgeons were satisfied with their career progression. Seventy-two percent were satisfied with the case volume. Seventy-two percent were satisfied with their case mix. When asked about strategies for career progression, surgeons made 77 comments focused on three main themes: optimization of their job search, optimization of relationships while on the job, and efforts to augment individual achievement. When asked about barriers to career advancement, surgeons most frequently commented on a lack of time and a lack of mentors. When asked about case mix, 63% of surgeons felt that they had no control over it. They were evenly divided between believing that a broad case mix or a niche specialized case mix was more instrumental for career progression. CONCLUSIONS: Early-career colorectal surgeons were mostly satisfied with their career progression, volume, and case mix. In discussing their careers, many have developed a number of strategies focused on growth as an individual as well as relationship building. They also identified a number of barriers including lack of time and lack of mentorship. Early-career surgeons may be able to utilize these strategies and anticipate barriers prior to starting their first job, leading to greater likelihood of career satisfaction.

Genetic and Environmental Considerations for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract driven by an exaggerated immune response to luminal microbiota in susceptible individuals. It presents with a heterogenous pattern of clinical disease severity, location, and behavior. Understanding the interaction between the host genome, gut microbiome, and further environmental exposures in the development of IBD is in the early stages, and factors that trigger onset of disease in susceptible individuals remain unknown. This article addresses the genetic, microbial, and environmental influences on development of inflammatory bowel disease and the ability to manipulate these factors through surgery and medical therapy.

Drosophila serpin 4 functions as a neuroserpin-like inhibitor of subtilisin-like proprotein convertases.

The proteolytic processing of neuropeptide precursors is believed to be regulated by serine proteinase inhibitors, or serpins. Here we describe the molecular cloning and functional expression of a novel member of the serpin family, Serine protease inhibitor 4 (Spn4), that we propose is involved in the regulation of peptide maturation in Drosophila. The Spn4 gene encodes at least two different serpin proteins, generated by alternate splicing of the last coding exon. The closest vertebrate homolog to Spn4 is neuroserpin. Like neuroserpin, one of the Spn4 proteins (Spn4.1) features a unique C-terminal extension, reminiscent of an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention signal; however, Spn4.1 and neuroserpin have divergent reactive site loops, with Spn4.1 showing a generic recognition site for furin/SPC1, the founding member of the intracellularly active family of subtilisin-like proprotein convertases (SPCs). In vitro, Spn4.1 forms SDS-stable complexes with the SPC furin and directly inhibits it. When Spn4.1 is overexpressed in specific peptidergic cells of Drosophila larvae, the animals exhibit a phenotype consistent with disrupted neuropeptide processing. This observation, together with the unique combination of an ER-retention signal, a target sequence for SPCs in the reactive site loop, and the in vitro inhibitory activity against furin, strongly suggests that Spn4.1 is an intracellular regulator of SPCs.