"Enhanced Recovery" Protocol Compliance Influences Length of Stay: Resolving Barriers to Implementation.

Initial implementation and maintenance of an enhanced recovery protocol (ERP) is complex and has not been adequately described. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of an ERP at a tertiary care academic institution. A secondary aim was to identify barriers to implementation and continued protocol compliance (PC) to further decrease length of stay (LOS). Patients undergoing colon resection from February 2, 2011 to December 19, 2014 were compared with patients that followed implementation of an ERP from August 10, 2015 to July 14, 2016. The primary endpoint was LOS. Secondary endpoints were PC, analgesia requirements, time to return of bowel function, and ileus. One hundred and seventy-seven historical controls were compared with 68 ERP patients. LOS was shorter in study patients (4.9 vs 7.1 days for open surgery; 3.3 vs 6.1 for laparoscopic surgery). Intraoperative IVF balance, morphine equivalents, and length of time to return of bowel function were significantly less in the ERP group (1445.89 ± 845.25 mL vs 3006.08 ± 1197.97 mL), (64.48 ± 114.49 vs 232.90 ± 541.47), (2.41 ± 1.32 days vs 3.82 ± 2.00 days). Rate of ileus was less in study patients (4.8 vs 14.7%). The readmission rate and 30-day National Surgical Quality Improvement Program complication rates were not significantly different. PC was negatively associated with LOS (r = -0.35, P = 0.0026). Similar to prior studies, this study demonstrates the efficacy of an ERP. Increased PC is associated with decreased LOS, thus providing further evidence that ERPs should be the standard of care. Scheduled interdisciplinary meetings to discuss patient outcomes and methods to increase PC can help further improve efficacy of ERPs.

The Ferguson Operating Anoscope for Resection of T1 Rectal Cancer.

The Ferguson Operating Anoscope (FOA) is a surgical instrument, which can facilitate transanal excision of appropriate rectal tumors within 15 cm of the anal verge. Previous work showed low recurrence (4.3%) for favorable T1 tumors (no lymphovascular invasion, well/moderate differentiation, negative margins). This follow-up study evaluates outcomes in rectal cancer excised with FOA at a tertiary care center. T1 rectal cancer patients were identified in a prospectively maintained database. Tumor pathology and patient characteristics were reviewed. Primary outcomes include tumor recurrence and patient and disease-free survival. Secondary outcomes are quality of excision (intact specimen). Twenty-eight patients had pathologic stage T1 rectal cancer (average 8 ± 2.6 cm from the anal verge). Final path demonstrated 14 per cent to be well differentiated, 82 per cent moderately differentiated, and 93 per cent without angiolymphatic invasion. All specimens removed were intact. One patient had a true local recurrence and underwent a salvage operation 24 months after her index operation. Patient survival was 96.4 per cent (n = one death from primary lung cancer) at median follow-up 64 ± 35 months. With appropriate tumor selection and quality of initial resection, FOA has demonstrated utility in achieving optimal oncologic resection of T1 rectal tumors.

Quality of documented consent for the de-escalation of care on a general and trauma surgery service.

Postoperative and posttrauma mortality in the acute care setting often occurs after a decision for de-escalation of care. It is important that the quality of consent for de-escalation of care is maintained to ensure patient autonomy. This retrospective review aims to determine the quality of the consent process for care de-escalation in patients on a trauma and general surgery service who sustained in-hospital mortality. One hundred thirty-three patients (99 trauma) were identified who died in 1 year. Of these patient deaths, 80 (60%) involved de-escalation of care. In three (3%) cases, there were no documented discussions for de-escalation consent. Of the remaining cases, documentation was considered optimal 21 per cent of the time. Only nine (11%) patients were able to participate in a discussion of their end-of-life care. The other 23 patients who were initially competent lost their ability to participate in discussions after a debilitating event. In this study, the majority of patients who died on a surgical service underwent a de-escalation of care. The documentation quality was suboptimal in most cases. Earlier and more thorough discussion of the patient's end-of-life wishes may improve the de-escalation of care consent process.

Local excision of stratified T1 rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Local excision has been accepted therapy for T1 rectal cancers. A recent study demonstrated that primary tumors with deeper submucosal invasion were associated with a higher rate of lymph node metastases than those with shallow invasion. Our aim was to determine the effect of the depth of submucosal penetration on recurrence and mortality rates following transrectal excision of T1 tumors. METHODS: This was a 34-year retrospective review of patients who had transrectal excision with clear margins for T1 rectal cancer. Tumors were stratified into submucosal (SM) levels, and recurrence and mortality rates were determined. RESULTS: Of 101 patients with T1 rectal cancer undergoing local excision, 31 had a full-thickness transrectal excision. Eight (26%) of the 31 patients developed a local recurrence, 2 of whom had both a local and distant recurrence. Four patients (13%) died from metastatic rectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The recurrence rate for transrectal excision of T1 rectal cancer is high. It may be beneficial for patients with early rectal cancer to have postoperative chemoradiation therapy or a more radical surgical procedure.