Predictive Power of the NSQIP Risk Calculator for Early Post-Operative Outcomes After Whipple: Experience from a Regional Center in Northern Ontario.

BACKGROUND: NSQIP Risk Calculator was developed to allow surgeons to inform their patients about their individual risks for surgery. Its ability to predict complication rates and length of stay (LOS) has made it an appealing tool for both patients and surgeons. However, the NSQIP Risk Calculator has been criticized for its generality and lack of detail towards surgical subspecialties, including the hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) surgery. We wish to determine whether the NSQIP Risk Calculator is predictive of post-operative complications and LOS with respect to Whipple's resections for our patient population. As well, we wish to identify strategies to optimize early surgical outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent elective Whipple's procedure for benign or malignant pancreatic head lesions at Health Sciences North (Sudbury, Ontario), a tertiary care center, from February 2014 to August 2016. Comparisons of LOS and post-operative complications between NSQIP-predicted and actual ones were carried out. NSQIP-predicted complications rates were obtained using the NSQIP Risk Calculator through pre-defined preoperative risk factors. Clinical outcomes examined, at 30 days post-operation, included pneumonia, cardiac events, surgical site infection (SSI), urinary tract infection (UTI), venous thromboembolism (VTE), renal failure, readmission, and reoperation for procedural complications. As well, mortality, disposition to nursing or rehabilitation facilities, and LOS were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients underwent Whipple's procedure at our center from February 2014 to August 2016. The average age was 68 (50-85), and there were 22 males and 18 females. The majority of patients had independent baseline functional status (39/40) with minimal pre-operative comorbidities. The overall post-operative morbidity was 47.5% (19/40). The rate of serious complication was 17.5% with four Clavien grade II, two grade III, and one grade V complications. One mortality occurred within 30 days after surgery. NSQIP Risk Calculator was predictive for the majority of post-surgical complication types, including pneumonia, SSI, VTE, reoperation, readmission, and disposition to rehabilitation or nursing home. Our center appears to have a higher rate of UTI than NSQIP predicted (O/E = 3.9), as well, the rate of cardiac complication (O/E = 3.1) also appears to be higher at our center. With respect to readmission rates (O/E = 0.6) and renal failure (O/E = 0), NSQIP provided overestimated rates. The average LOS was 11.9 ± 0.9 days, which was not significantly different from the average LOS of 11.5 ± 0.3 days predicted by NSQIP (p = 0.3). Overall, 80% of discharges occurred less than or within 3 days of that predicted by NSQIP. CONCLUSION: NSQIP Risk Calculator is predictive of post-operative complications and LOS for patients who have undergone Whipple's at our center. A more HPB-focused NSQIP calculator may accurately project post-operative complication in the pre-operative period. Nevertheless, the generic NSQIP has allowed us to examine our existing practice of post-operative care and has paved way to reduce cardiac and urinary complications in the future.

Outcomes of a Single Surgeon-Based Transanal-Total Mesorectal Excision (TATME) for Rectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown the transanal total mesorectal excision (TATME) is emerging as a safe and effective technique for proctectomy. The majority of these studies to date, however, is based on procedures done in centers with teams of two surgeons working simultaneously. Few were performed by single-surgeon teams with sizeable case load. The objective of our study was to identify the feasibility and safety of a single-surgeon TATME. METHODS: Chart review of prospectively collected data on 27 patients who underwent TATME at our institution from June 2015 to September 2016 were included in this study. Indications for TATME included mid and low rectal cancers. Only patients who underwent surgery for neoplastic lesions were included in the study. Outcomes assessed included mesorectal integrity, margin status, operative time, complications, morbidity, LOS, and 30-day readmission. RESULTS: A total of 27 cases were available for inclusion. A single surgeon performed all procedures. The average BMI was 27.2 ± 1.3 kg/m2. The average tumor distance from anal verge was 6.8 ± 0.6 cm. The median operative time was 283 min. No intraoperative complications, including injuries and conversions, occurred. Circumferential resection margin (CRM) and distal resection margin (DRM) were R0 in 96 and 100% of patients, respectively. Mesorectal integrity was "Complete" in 67% and "Near complete" in 33% of patients. There were no incomplete specimens. The total lymph node (LN) harvest was 26 ± 2. The average LOS was 4 days for 75% of all patients. There were no mortalities. The overall morbidity was 33% (9/27). There were 4/27 anastomotic leaks, one required a laparoscopic ileostomy, one had laparoscopic drainage of an abscess, and the other two were endoscopically washed and trans-rectal drains inserted. CONCLUSION: TATME performed by a one-surgeon team is oncologically adequate, and it is safe and feasible. Morbidities are comparable with existing literature data from two-surgeon teams. In addition, resection margins, mesorectal integrity, and LN harvests are also comparable or superior to some of the existing studies.

Transanal minimally invasive surgery for benign large rectal polyps and early malignant rectal cancers: experience and outcomes from the first Canadian centre to adopt the technique.

BACKGROUND: Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) has emerged as a relatively new technique in treating early cancer and benign lesion of the rectum. The technique is likely to be widely adopted, surpassing other comparable techniques owing to its simple setup and cost-effectiveness. We assessed the outcomes of TAMIS at our centre. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected data on 50 patients who underwent TAMIS for benign, malignant T1 or T2 cancers that were unfit for radical surgery over a 4-year period. Outcomes, including 30-day complications and recurrence, as well as our ability to implement and integrate this technique at our centre were assessed. RESULTS: All 50 TAMIS procedures were successful. The average lesion was 7 cm from the anal verge, the average tumour size was 2.5 cm, the average duration of surgery was 73 minutes, the average length of stay was 1.1 days, and the margin negativity was 84%. Major indications in our series included 25 lesions that were too large for endoscopic resection, 14 early cancers or high-grade dysplasia, 10 margin checks postpolypectomy, 6 cases of recurrent polyposis, and 4 medically unfit patients. There were no deaths. The rate of short-term complications, including rectal bleeding, reoperation and urinary retention, was 16%. The rate of long-term complications, including anal incontinence and stenosis, was 4%. Benign and malignant recurrence rates were 2% and 6%, respectively. Overall long-term requirement for invasive procedures, low anterior resection or abdominoperineal resection, was 12%. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first Canadian study showing TAMIS to be an efficient and safe procedure for the treatment of well-selected patients with rectal lesions. Outcomes from our centre are comparable with those found in the literature.

CONTEXTE: La chirurgie transanale mini-invasive (TAMIS) s'est imposée comme une technique relativement nouvelle pour le traitement du cancer précoce et des lésions bénignes du rectum. La technique est en voie d'être adoptée à grande échelle, voire de supplanter d'autres techniques comparables, en raison de sa mise en place facile et de sa rentabilité. Nous avons évalué les résultats de la technique TAMIS dans notre centre. MÉTHODES: Nous avons fait une analyse rétrospective de données recueillies de façon prospective sur 50 patients traités par TAMIS pour cause de cancer T1 ou T2 malin ou bénin et non candidats à la chirurgie radicale, sur une période de 4 ans. Nous avons évalué les résultats, y compris les complications et la récidive sur 30 jours, ainsi que notre capacité d'adopter et d'intégrer cette technique dans notre centre. RÉSULTATS: Les 50 chirurgies TAMIS furent une réussite. La taille moyenne de la lésion était de 7 cm à partir de la marge anale, la taille moyenne de la tumeur était de 2,5 cm, la durée moyenne de la chirurgie était de 73 minutes, la durée moyenne d'hospitalisation était de 1,1 jour et le taux de marges négatives était de 84 %. Parmi les principales indications dans notre série, mentionnons 25 lésions trop grandes pour la résection endoscopique; 14 cancers précoces ou dysplasies de haut grade; 10 vérifications des marges post-polypectomie, 6 cas de récidive de la polypose et 4 patients non candidats au traitement médical. Il n'y a eu aucun décès. Le taux de complications à court terme, incluant le saignement rectal, les interventions répétées et la rétention urinaire, était de 16 %. Le taux de complications à long terme, incluant l'incontinence anale et la sténose anale, était de 4 %. Les taux de récidive bénigne et maligne étaient respectivement de 2 % et de 6 %. Le taux global de besoin à long terme d'une intervention effractive, d'une résection antérieure basse ou d'une résection abdominopérinéale était de 12 %. CONCLUSION: À notre connaissance, notre étude est la première au Canada qui démontre que la technique TAMIS est une intervention efficace et sécuritaire pour le traitement de patients soigneusement choisis atteints de lésions rectales. Les résultats de notre centre sont comparables à ceux trouvés dans la littérature.