The application of simultaneous mainstem bronchus dilation with pulmonary artery stenting in the context of hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a congenital diagnosis that necessitates immediate intervention at the beginning of life to ensure survival past infancy and to optimize left-side cardiac function. Often, these required procedures can lead to deleterious side effects and resultant complications. In this case report, we present a 15-month-old patient with HLHS who underwent multiple procedures, including two aortic arch surgeries. After the interventions, the patient experienced left main pulmonary bronchus compression along with pulmonary artery stenosis. In this case, we outline an approach to performing vascular dilation without compromise of airway patency.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol in Bariatric Surgery Leads to Decreased Complications and Shorter Length of Stay.

PURPOSE: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs have been shown in some specialties to improve short-term outcomes following surgical procedures. There is no consensus regarding the optimal perioperative care for bariatric surgical patients. The purpose of this study was to develop a bariatric ERAS protocol and determine whether it improved outcomes following surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An IRB-approved prospectively maintained database was retrospectively reviewed for all patients undergoing bariatric surgery from October 2018 to January 2020. Propensity matching was used to compare post-ERAS implementation patients to pre-ERAS implementation. RESULTS: There were 319 patients (87 ERAS, 232 pre-ERAS) who underwent bariatric operations between October 2018 and January 2020. Seventy-nine patients were kept on the ERAS protocol whereas 8 deviated. Patients who deviated from the ERAS protocol had a longer length of stay when compared to patients who completed the protocol. The use of any ERAS protocol (completed or deviated) reduced the odds of complications by 54% and decreased length of stay by 15%. Furthermore, patients who completed the ERAS protocol had an 83% reduction in odds of complications and 31% decrease in length of stay. Similar trends were observed in the matched cohort with 74% reduction in odds of complications and 26% reduction in length of stay when ERAS was used. CONCLUSIONS: ERAS protocol decreases complications and reduces length of stay in bariatric patients.

Training on a virtual reality cricothyroidotomy simulator improves skills and transfers to a simulated procedure.

Objective: The virtual airway skills trainer (VAST) is a virtual reality simulator for training in cricothyroidotomy (CCT). The goal of the study is to test the effectiveness of training and transfer of skills of the VAST-CCT. Methods: Two groups, control (no training) and simulation (2 weeks of proficiency-based training), participated in this study. Subjects in the control condition did not receive any training on the task whereas those in the simulation received a proficiency-based training on the task during a period of 2 weeks. Two weeks post-training, both groups performed CCT on the TraumaMan to demonstrate the transfer of skills. Results: A total of (n=20) subjects participated in the study. The simulation group performed better than the control group at both the post-test (p<0.001) and retention test (p<0.001) on the simulator. The cumulative sum analysis showed that all subjects in the simulation group reached proficiency with acceptable failure rate within the 2 weeks of training. On the transfer test, the simulation group performed better on skin cut (p<0.001), intubation (p<0.001) and total score (p<0.001) than the control group. Conclusions: The VAST-CCT is effective in training and skills transfer for the CCT procedure. Level of evidence: Not applicable. Simulator validation study.

Complications Following Robotic Hiatal Hernia Repair Are Higher Compared to Laparoscopy.

BACKGROUND: The use of robotic platforms in surgery is becoming increasingly common in both practice and residency training. In this study, we compared the perioperative outcomes between robotic platforms and traditional laparoscopy in paraesophageal hernia repair. METHODS: A retrospective population-based analysis was performed using the National Inpatient Sample for the period of 2010-2015. Adult patients (≥18 years old) who underwent laparoscopic or robotic paraesophageal hernia repairs were included. Weighted multivariable random intercept linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the effects of robotic surgery on patient outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 168,329 patients were included in the study. The overall adjusted rate of complications was significantly higher in patients who underwent robotic paraesophageal hernia (PEH) repair compared to laparoscopic PEH OR (95% CI) = 1.17 (1.07, 1.27). Specifically, respiratory failure OR (95% CI) = 1.68 (1.37, 2.05) and esophageal perforation OR (95% CI) = 2.19 (1.42, 3.93) were higher in robotic PEH patients. A subset analysis was performed looking at high-volume centers (>20 operations per year), and, although the risk of complications was lower in the high volume centers compared to intermediate volume centers, complication rates were still significantly higher in the robotic surgery group compared to laparoscopic. Overall charges per surgery were significantly higher in the robotic group. CONCLUSION: Robotic PEH repair is associated with significantly more complications compared to laparoscopic paraesophageal hernia repair even in high-volume centers.

Endoscopic Per-oral Pyloromyotomy for Gastroparesis: Initial Experience and Postoperative Comparison to Predicted Complications Following Laparoscopic Pyloromyotomy as Calculated by the ACS Risk Calculator.

INTRODUCTION: Per-oral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (POP) is a promising new therapy in the treatment of gastroparesis, where the pyloric muscle is cut using an endoscopic tunneling technique. This study was designed to report outcomes from our initial experience and compare the rate of complications to the laparoscopic equivalent using the American College of Surgeons (ACS) risk calculator. METHODS: Patients who underwent POP between August 2018 to May 2019 were prospectively followed in a database approved by the institutional review board. Preoperatively, patients were evaluated objectively with a 4-hour gastric emptying study (GES). Following POP, all patients were invited for repeat GES 3 months postoperatively. The same cohort was entered into the ACS risk calculator using laparoscopic pyloromyotomy (LPM) as the selected procedure. Complication risk of LPM was then compared with the actual complication rate of POP. RESULTS: There were 11 patients that met study criteria (median age 52). Sixty-four percent (7/11) of patients agreed to do repeat GES postoperatively. Of those, 6 of 7 (86%) had normal GES (<10% emptying at 4 h) and the mean improvement was 36.4%. All patients were entered into the ACS risk calculator in which LPM (CPT code 43800) was used as a control. The postoperative complication rate was less than the median predicted risk of LPM in all categories including overall complications (0% vs. 10.05%), return to the operating room, (0% vs. 2.68%), and sepsis (0% vs. 1.42%). The rate of readmission (9% vs. 6.29%, P=0.65) was higher in the POP group than LPM predicted. Length of stay for all patients was significantly shorter than predicted (1.8 vs. 4.6 d, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: All POP patients had objective improvement in their GES and 86% had normal GES following this procedure. POP had significantly lower morbidity and reduced length of stay compared with that predicted of the laparoscopic equivalent using the ACS risk calculator.

Objectively Confirmed Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Following Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy Higher in Obese Patients (BMI>30).

INTRODUCTION: Per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a promising minimally invasive therapy in the treatment of achalasia and other esophageal motility disorders. A concern surrounding POEM is the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) postoperatively. This study was designed to report outcomes and identify risk factors for the development of postoperative GERD. METHODS: Patients who underwent POEM between January 1, 2015 and December 12, 2019 were prospectively followed in an Institutional Review Board approved database. All patients were invited for a full comprehensive workup 6 months post-POEM including symptom scores, pH testing, manometry and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. In a retrospective review of this database, those who developed postoperative GERD were compared with those who did not. RESULTS: There were 82 patients that met study criteria (median age 59). Indications for POEM include 35 type I achalasia, 16 type II achalasia, 21 type III achalasia and other spastic esophageal motility disorders, and 10 esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction. Mean Eckardt scores post-POEM were 2.67 compared with 6.79 pre-POEM (P<0.05). Mean integrated relaxation pressure improvement decreased from 27 to 13.1 (P<0.05). The presence of postoperative GERD was defined as an abnormal DeMeester score (>14.7) with pH testing off-medications or the presence of Grade C/D esophagitis on endoscopy. Thirty-five percent (29/82) of patients developed postoperative GERD following POEM. Negative predictive factors for the development of postoperative GERD include myotomy length and normal body mass index (BMI). Obesity (BMI>30) was a positive predictive risk factor in the development of GERD (P=0.029). CONCLUSIONS: POEM provides symptomatic relief and reduced Eckardt scores in patient with achalasia and other esophageal motility disorders. Patients who undergo POEM are at risk for developing gastroesophageal reflux disease especially in obese patients.