Red blood cell transfusion requirements for patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a rescue procedure used for cardiac and pulmonary dysfunction. Patients on ECMO often require blood transfusions to maintain oxygen delivery and recover from bleeding complications. Goals of the current study were to determine transfusion requirements while on ECMO, and incidence and transfusion requirements for bleeding complications. METHODS: Packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions and bleeding complications were identified by retrospective chart review of patients on ECMO from 2010 to 2018 at our institution. Patients were categorized into those who did not bleed (group A) and those who bled (group B). Incidence, sites of bleed, and transfusion requirement for each bleeding were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 217 patients including veno-arterial (VA) (n = 148) and veno-venous (VV) (n = 69) ECMO, we identified 62 patients without bleeding complications (group A) and 155 patients with bleeding complications (group B). In group A, transfusion requirement was 0.6 PRBC/day for VA-ECMO (n = 42) and 0.2 PRBC/day for VV-ECMO (n = 20) (p = 0.0015). In group B, number of PRBC given per event per day for bleeding complications during ECMO was mediastinal/thoracic bleed (83 events, 4.7 PRBC/event/day), gastrointestinal bleed (59 events, 4.8 PRBC/event/day), cannulation site bleed (88 events, 3.6 PRBC/event/day), and nasopharyngeal bleed (103 events, 2.8 PRBC/event/day). Thirty-day hospital mortality rate was co-related to transfusion requirement (area under ROC curve: 0.70). CONCLUSION: Patients without clinical bleeding still required transfusion, with higher rates observed with VA- than VV-ECMO. Transfusion requirements dramatically increased when patients developed various bleeding complications and had a significant impact on 30-day mortality rate.

Geographic disparities in surgical treatment recommendation patterns and survival for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have described pessimistic attitudes of physicians toward recommending surgery for early-stage pancreatic adenocarcinoma. However, the impact of geographic region on recommendation patterns of surgical treatment for potentially resectable pancreatic cancer is unknown. METHODS: The SEER registry was used to identify patients with early-stage pancreatic adenocarcinoma (AJCC I-II) [2004-2013]. The exposure of interest was geographic region of diagnosis: Midwest, West, Southeast or Northeast. The endpoints of interest were recommendation of no surgery, and overall survival. RESULTS: A total of 24,408 patients were identified [Midwest - 10.6%, West - 50.1%, Southeast - 21.7% and Northeast - 17.6%]. Overall, 38% of patients had a recommendation of no surgery by their provider. On univariate analysis, the likelihood of having a recommendation of no surgery was lowest in the NE [OR: Northeast (0.8), West (1.6), Southeast (1.3), and Midwest (Ref); p < 0.05 for all]. This association persisted following risk adjustment. Geographic region was an independent predictor of mortality, irrespective of resection status. CONCLUSION: Significant disparities in surgical treatment recommendation patterns and survival for early-stage pancreatic cancer exist based on geographic location. Improved adherence to guideline-driven treatment recommendations, standardization of care processes, and regionalization may help stem the existing variability in care and outcomes.

Narrative review of socioeconomic and racial disparities in the treatment of early stage lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: To review and discuss the current literature regarding socio-economic and racial disparities in the treatment of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Background: Lung cancer is the most lethal solid organ malignancy in the United States, with the second-highest incidence of new malignances for both men and women. While overall survival for lung cancer is improving, significant socioeconomic and racial disparities in outcomes for lung cancer persist. METHODS: Narrative review of peer reviewed literature synthesizing findings retrieved from searches of computerized databases, primary article reference lists, authoritative texts and expert options. RESULTS: The current incidence of lung cancer appears to be similar between White and Black patients. However, Black patients are substantially less likely to receive curative intent surgery. Mitigation strategies do exist to narrow this inequity. Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with a higher incidence of lung cancer, lower utilization of surgery and poorer outcomes after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Race and SES remain closely linked to outcomes in lung cancer. Outcomes are still worse when controlling for stage and specifically, in early-stage disease, surgical therapy is consistently underused in Black patients and patients of low SES.

Complications of Peripheral Cannulation Site in Obese Patients on Adult Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Placement of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in obese patients has been challenging; however, cannulation risk in obese patients has not been clearly investigated. We therefore explored ECMO cannulation complications in this obese population. Data were reviewed from adult ECMO database from 2010 to 2019. Patients were stratified by body mass index (BMI) (normal weight [NW] [BMI 18.5-24.9], overweight [BMI 25-29.9], class I [BMI 30-34.9], class II [BMI 35-39.9], class III [BMI >40]). Patients with central cannulation were excluded from this study. Combined ECMO cannulation complications and survival data were retrospectively analyzed. There were 233 patients, 156 venoarterial (VA) ECMO patients (45 [28%] NW, 51 [33%] overweight, 37 [24%] class I, 12 [8%] class II, and 11 [7.0%] class III) and 77 venovenous (VV) ECMO patients (14 [18%] NW, 13 [17%] overweight, 17 [22%] class I, 11 [14%] class II, and 22 [29%] class III). There were significantly more cannulation site bleeds in VA class III (55%) patients compared with VA NW patients (22%), p = 0.006. There was no significant difference in cannulation site bleeding between BMI groups for VV ECMO. There was no difference in 30 day mortality, ECMO survival for all BMI groups in both VA and VV ECMO. There is significant increased risk of bleeding with peripheral VA cannulation of obese patients with BMI > 35. Cannulating surgeon should be aware of this bleeding risk in morbidly obese patient who undergo VA ECMO.

The Pathway to Low Outlier Status in Venous Thromboembolism Events: An Analysis of Pancreatic Surgery in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

Purpose: Our institution's hepatopancreaticobiliary surgery service (HPBS) has demonstrated low rates of venous thromboembolism (VTE). We sought to determine whether the HPBS's regimented multimodal VTE prophylaxis pathway, which includes the use of mechanical prophylaxis, pharmacological prophylaxis, and ambulation, plays a role in achieving low VTE rates. Methods: We compared pancreatic surgeries in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) participant user file with our institution's data from 2011 to 2016 using univariate, multivariate, and matching statistics. Results: Among 36,435 NSQIP operations, 850 (2.3%) underwent surgery by the HPBS. The HPBS achieved lower VTE rates than the national cohort (2.0% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.018). Upon multivariate analysis, having an operation performed by the HPBS independently conferred lower odds of VTE incidence in the matched cohort (odds ratio = 0.530, p = 0.041). Conclusions: We identified an independent correlation between the HPBS and decreased VTE incidence, which we believe to be due to strict adherence to and team participation in a high risk VTE prophylaxis pathway, including inpatient pharmacological prophylaxis, thromboembolic deterrent stockings, sequential compression devices, and mandatory ambulation.