Contemporary Outcomes of Grade-C Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula in a Nationwide Database.

INTRODUCTION: Grade-C postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPFs) are dreaded complications following pancreaticoduodenectomy. The aim of this study was to quantify the incidence and risk factors associated with grade C POPF in a national database. METHODS: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program targeted user files were queried for patients who underwent elective pancreaticoduodenectomy (2014-2020). Outcomes were compared between clinically relevant (CR) grade B POPF and grade C POPF. RESULTS: Twenty-six thousand five hundred fifty-two patients were included, of which 90.1% (n = 23,714) had No CR POPF, 8.7% (n = 2287) suffered grade B POPF, and 1.2% (n = 327) suffered grade C POPF. There was no change in the rate Grade-C fistula overtime (m = 0.06, P = 0.63), while the rate of Grade-B fistula significantly increased (m = +1.40, P < 0.01). Fistula Risk Scores were similar between grade B and C POPFs (high risk: 34.9% versus 31.2%, P = 0.21). Associated morbidity was increased with grade C POPF, including delayed gastric emptying, organ space infections, wound dehiscence, respiratory complications, renal complications, myocardial infarction, and bleeding. On multivariate logistic regression, diabetes mellitus (odds ratio: 1.41 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.87, P = 0.02) was associated with grade C POPF. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the largest contemporary series evaluating grade C POPFs. Of those suffering CR POPF, the presence of diabetes mellitus was associated with grade C POPF. While modern management has led to grade C POPF in 1% of cases, they remain associated with alarmingly high morbidity and mortality, requiring further mitigation strategies to improve outcomes.

Sex Disparities in Academic Productivity and Rank Among Abdominal Transplant Faculty in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine sex differences in academic rank and productivity among members of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons in the United States. METHODS: Cross-sectional, focusing on current board-certified abdominal transplant surgeons in the United States. Demographic factors such as sex, region, and faculty rank were collected from institutional websites. Academic metrics, including H-index, total publications, and relative citation ratio, were collected from Scopus and iCite. RESULTS: We identified 536 surgeon members of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons with an academic institution. The majority were men (83%). Men were in practice longer than women (17.9 ± 11 vs 11.7 ± 9 years, P < .0001) and had higher academic metrics, including H-index (25.6 ± 20 vs16.4 ± 14, P < .0001) and total publications (110 ± 145 vs 58.8 ± 69, P < .0001). There was a significant difference in faculty appointments by sex (P < .05), with men showing evidence of increased academic advancement. After adjusting for academic rank, PhD status, and location of medical school and residency, women remained associated with a lower H-index on multivariate analysis (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Sex disparities in academic rank and achievement are present among transplant surgical faculty in the United States, and future efforts are needed to promote sex equity in transplant surgery academia.

General Surgery Residency Virtual Recruitment During the Pandemic: An Analysis of Applicant Surveys.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic forced a sudden change from in-person to virtual interviews for the general surgery residency match. General surgery programs and applicants adopted multiple strategies to best mimic in-person recruitment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate applicant opinions of the virtual recruitment format. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Postinterview survey responses for applicants interviewing at a single general surgery residency program in the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 cycles were evaluated. All interviewed applicants were sent an anonymous survey assessing the virtual interview structure, their impression of the program, and their opinions on recruitment in the future. RESULTS: The response rate was 31.2% (n = 60). Most (88.4%) respondents reported a more favorable view of the program after a virtual interview. Factors that were most likely to create a favorable impression were residents (89.6%) and culture (81.0%). 50.8% of applicants favored virtual-only interviews. The majority of applicants (60.3%), however, preferred the virtual interview remain a component of the application process, 34.4% recommended that virtual interviews be used as an initial screen before in-person invites, while 19.0% suggested applicants should interview in-person or virtually without penalty. 62.1% favored capping the number of interviews offered by programs and accepted by applicants. CONCLUSIONS: The virtual interview format for general surgery residency allows applicants to effectively evaluate a residency program. Applicants are in favor of a combination of virtual and in-person interviews in the future. Innovation in the recruitment process, including limiting the number of applications and incorporating virtual events, is supported by applicants.

Biophysiological stress and sleep deprivation among abdominal transplant surgery fellows: A prospective multi-institutional study using a wearable device.

BACKGROUND: Transplant surgery fellowship is physically and emotionally demanding. The objective of this study was to characterize biophysiological stress and sleep patterns among transplant surgery fellows. METHODS: Participating fellows wore a biophysical monitor over a 28-day period and completed biweekly surveys. Sleep patterns were dichotomized as normal or sleep deprived, and heart rate variability (HRV) was used to assess stress. RESULTS: Seventeen fellows participated. Fellows were frequently sleep deprived (43.9% of nights) and stress was near universal (87.2% of days). Burnout was reported by 2 fellows (11.8%). Only 4 fellows (23.5%) reported compliance with the Transplant Accreditation and Certification Council managed time policy; these fellows experienced fewer days of stress than non-compliant fellows (79.8% vs 89.2% p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to quantify sleep deprivation and stress among transplant fellows. Future work is needed to evaluate the effects of sleep deprivation, and stress on burnout and patient outcomes.

Experience of surgical subspecialty residents on general surgery rotations.

BACKGROUND: Surgical subspecialty residents complete 5-6 years of training which includes general surgery rotations. A lack of data exists evaluating these rotations. This study aims to identify discrepancies in subspecialty training and improve the quality of surgical education. METHODS: Case logs for surgical subspecialty residents and general surgery residents at our institution were analyzed and queried for cases performed on general surgery rotations. A survey was distributed to subspecialty residents regarding their perceptions of these rotations. RESULTS: 50 residents were included in the study and the majority were male (n = 27, 54%). Subspecialty residents perform fewer cases per month compared to general surgery residents (13 vs 21, p < 0.001). 75% of subspecialty residents were satisfied with their experience on general surgery rotations. CONCLUSIONS: Subspecialty residents perform fewer operations on general surgery rotations. Despite this, most are satisfied with off-service rotations and believe they are an important part of their education.

Incidence of attrition among early-career abdominal transplant surgeons.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of burnout and depression among abdominal transplant surgeons has been well described. However, the incidence of early-career transplant surgeons leaving the field is unknown. The objective of this study was to quantify the incidence of attrition among early-career abdominal transplant surgeons. METHODS: A custom database from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network with encrypted surgeon-specific identifiers was queried for transplant surgeons who entered the field between 2008 and 2019. Surgeons who experienced attrition, defined as not completing a subsequent transplant after a minimum of 5, were identified. Surgeon-specific case volumes, case mix, and recipient outcomes were modeled to describe their association with attrition. RESULTS: Between 2008 and 2018, 496 abdominal transplant surgeons entered the field and performed 76,465 transplant procedures. A total of 24.4% (n = 121) experienced attrition, with a median time to attrition of 2.75 years. Attrition surgeons completed fewer kidney (7 vs 21, P < .01), pancreas (0.52 vs 1.43, P < .01), and liver transplants (1 vs 4, P < .01) in their first year of practice. Attrition surgeons completed a smaller proportion of their transplant center's volume (9% vs 18%, P < .01) and were less likely to participate in pediatric transplants (26.5% vs 52.5%, P < .01) and living donor kidney transplants (64.5% vs 84.5%, P < .01). On multivariable analysis, performing fewer kidney (odds ratio: 0.98, 95% confidence interval: 0.98-0.99) and liver transplants (odds ratio: 0.98, 95% confidence interval: 0.97-0.98) by year 5 and completing a smaller proportion of their centers' volume (odds ratio: 0.96, 95% confidence interval: 0.94-0.98) were associated with attrition. Furthermore, attrition surgeons had worse allograft and patient survival for liver transplant recipients (both log-rank P < .01). CONCLUSION: This investigation was the first to quantify the high incidence of attrition experienced by early-career abdominal transplant surgeons and its association with surgeon-specific case volumes, case mix, and worse recipient outcomes. These findings suggested the abdominal transplant workforce is struggling to retain their fellowship-trained surgeons.

Laparoscopic Appendectomy and Cholecystectomy Timing Predicts Hand-Offs but Not Miscounts.

INTRODUCTION: Intraoperative hand-offs are poorly coordinated and associated with risk of surgical miscount. We evaluated hand-off patterns for nursing staff during two common operations hypothesizing that hand-off patterns would be associated with increased surgical miscounts and vary during operations performed standard versus nonstandard operating hours. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed laparoscopic cholecystectomy (N = 3888) and appendectomy (N = 1768) from 2012 to 2021 at a single institution using electronic medical records. We evaluated intraoperative hand-off patterns and the presence of miscounts for operations performed during standard versus nonstandard hours. Standard operating hours were defined as M-F 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. RESULTS: Across 5656 operations, 10 cases had surgical miscounts and were significantly longer than those without (156.5 versus 101 min P = 0.0178). More than half (51.3%) of cases had no identified hand-offs, and 42.9% of cases occurred during nonstandard hours. Cases during standard versus nonstandard hours were more likely to have hand-offs (56.0% versus 38.9%), P < 0.0001 and had shorter interval between hand-offs (64 versus 75 min), P < 0.0001. The period between patient entry to the room and intubation, which includes initial counts, had a disproportionately high percentage of hand-offs (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Variability in hand-off occurrence and frequency in operations performed during standard and nonstandard hours suggest that hand-offs are influenced by staffing patterns. Few surgical miscounts occurred but were associated with longer cases. Hand-offs disproportionately occurred between patient entry and intubation, with a potential for disruption of initial instrument counts. Future work optimizing hand-off coordination is an opportunity to mitigate risk to patients.

The volume-outcomes relationship in donation after circulatory death liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Donation after circulatory death (DCD) liver transplantation (LT) has become an effective mechanism for expanding the donor pool and decreasing waitlist mortality. However, it is unclear if low-volume DCD centers can achieve comparable outcomes to high-volume centers. METHODS: From 2011 to 2019 utilizing the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database, liver transplant centers were categorized into tertiles based on their annual volume of DCD LTs. Donor selection, recipient selection, and survival outcomes were compared between very-low volume (VLV, n = 1-2 DCD LTs per year), low-volume (LV, n = 3-5), and high-volume (HV, n > 5) centers. RESULTS: One hundred and ten centers performed 3273 DCD LTs. VLV-centers performed 339 (10.4%), LV-centers performed 627 (19.2%), and HV-centers performed 2307 (70.4%) LTs. 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year patient and graft survival were significantly increased at HV-centers (all P < .05). Recipients at HV-centers had shorter waitlist durations (P < .01) and shorter hospital lengths of stay (P < .01). On multivariable regression, undergoing DCD LT at a VLV-center or LV-center was associated with increased 1-year patient mortality (VLV-OR:1.73, 1.12-2.69) (LV-OR: 1.42, 1.01-2.00) and 1-year graft failure (VLV-OR: 1.79, 1.24-2.58) (LV-OR: 1.28, .95-1.72). DISCUSSION: Increased annual DCD liver transplant volume is associated with improved patient and graft survival.

Systemic Therapy for Resected Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: How Much is Enough?

BACKGROUND: Systemic therapy is an essential part of treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, not all patients receive every cycle of chemotherapy and even if they do, the impact of reduced dose density (DD) on survival is not known. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A single institutional prospective database was queried for patients with PDAC who underwent curative resection between 2009 and 2018. The primary outcome was DD, defined as the percentage of total planned chemotherapy actually received and associated survival. RESULTS: Of the 126 patients included, 38.9% underwent a neoadjuvant approach, which was associated with a greater median number of completed chemotherapy cycles (5 cycles versus 4 cycles, p < 0.01) and a higher median total DD (93.0% versus 65.0%, p < 0.01), compared with an adjuvant treatment approach. In both groups, adjuvant chemotherapy completion rates were low, with only 55 patients completing all adjuvant cycles. After sequential survival analysis, patients who received a DD ≥ 80% had improved median overall survival (OS) (27.1 months versus 18.6 months, p = 0.01), compared with patients who achieved a DD < 80%. On multivariate Cox proportional-hazards modeling, only the presence of lymphovascular invasion (HR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.04-2.99, p = 0.04) and DD < 80% (HR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.23-3.00, p = 0.01) were associated with decreased OS. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort study, patients who received ≥ 80% DD had significantly better OS. DD should be considered an important prognostic metric in pancreatic cancer, and strategies are needed to improve chemotherapy tolerance to improve patient outcomes.

Examining the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the operative volumes of US general surgery residents.

BACKGROUND: In March 2020, the COVID-19 virus global pandemic forced healthcare systems to institute regulations including the cancellation of elective surgical cases, which likely decreased resident operative experience. The objective of this study was to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected operative experiences of US general surgery residents. METHODS: The operative experience of general surgery residents was examined nationally and locally. Aggregate Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) case logs for 2018 to 2019 (pre-COVID) and 2019 to 2020 (COVID) graduates were compared using national mean cumulative operative volume for total major and surgeon chief cases. Locally, ACGME case logs were used to analyze the operative experience among residents at a single, academic center. Average operative volumes per month per resident during peak COVID-19 quarantine months were compared with those the previous year. RESULTS: Compared with 2019 graduates, 2020 graduates completed 1.5% fewer total major cases (1055 ± 155 vs 1071 ± 150, P = .011). This was most evident during chief year, with 8.4% fewer surgeon chief cases logged in 2020 compared with 2019 (264 ± 67 vs 289 ± 69, P < .001). Institutional data revealed that during the peak of the pandemic, residents across all levels completed 42.5% fewer total major operations (12 ± 11 vs 20 ± 14, P < .001). This effect was more pronounced among junior residents compared with senior and chief residents. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with decreased resident case volume. The ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic for operative competency and autonomy should be carefully examined.

Impact of Integrated Thoracic Residency on General Surgery Residents' Thoracic Operative Volume.

BACKGROUND: Integrated thoracic surgery (I-6) programs have become popular over traditional general surgery (GS) pathways since their inception in 2007. However the effect of I-6 programs on GS resident training remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of I-6 programs on the thoracic operative experience of co-located GS residents. METHODS: Thoracic surgery cases recorded by residents in GS programs co-located with I-6 programs until 2019 were analyzed. Cases were reviewed 5 years before (TSR-5) through 5 years after (TSR-5) the matriculation of the first thoracic resident in the co-located I-6 program. To contextualize the overall trends in the field Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education GS resident case logs from 1990 to 2018 were analyzed and total thoracic surgery cases recorded. Statistical analysis was performed with linear regression. RESULTS: Residents in 19 GS programs with co-located I-6 programs showed an increase in total thoracic cases from 3710 to 4451 (Δ/year of +85.05 cases a year; P = .03) balanced by an increase in GS residents from 107 to 126 (Δ/year of +1.45; P = .01) with no significant overall change in the median thoracic operative case volume (31.00 at both thoracic residency before and after 5 years). Nationally from 1990 to 2018 there was no change in the total thoracic operative experience for GS graduates. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of I-6 programs did not negatively impact thoracic operative experience for residents in co-located GS programs. Adequate training of both I-6 and GS residents at the same institution is feasible.

Who is Committed to Education? An Analysis of Surgical Education Research Publications.

OBJECTIVE: Advances in surgical training have led to the recent emergence of surgical education research. While the importance of surgical education research is well recognized, not all surgical journals are publishing these works. The objective of this study was to analyze the volume and types of surgical education publications in general surgery and surgical subspecialty journals. DESIGN: A PubMed search string was developed to identify surgical education publications in general surgery (GS, n = 10) and surgical subspecialty (SS, n = 16) journals from 2015 to 2019. Publications were catalogued into 7 categories: curriculum and/or teaching, trainee assessment, program evaluation, wellness and/or burnout, resident research, case outcomes with resident involvement, and other. Journals were also categorized by impact factor into 3 groups. Statistical analysis was performed using linear regression and Wilcoxon rank-sum to analyze differences in education publication number and percent between GS and SS journals, as well as between different impact factor groups. RESULTS: The median proportion of surgical education publications was 1.2% (IQR 0.3-2.8%) of total publications for journals queried. The highest proportion of surgical education publications by a journal was 13.9%. All other journals had median ≤ 5.5%. GS journals had a significantly higher median percent of surgical education publications than SS journals (2.9% [IQR 1.7-4.8%] vs 0.5% [IQR 0.0-1.4%] p < 0.01). Additionally, no significant differences were found for number of surgical education publications when journals were categorized by IF (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Education research is an important component of the surgical literature, with similar publication rates among journals of different impact factors. Publication volume is higher among general surgery than surgical subspecialty journals. With the ever-changing paradigm of surgical training, a rigorous scientific approach is needed to ensure effective training of future surgeons. Subspecialty journals should promote surgical education research to further understand and develop training in their field.

A narrative review of socioeconomic disparities in the treatment of esophageal cancer.

The persistent challenges of disparities in healthcare have led to significantly distinct outcomes among patients from different racial, ethnic, and underserved populations. Esophageal Cancer, not unlike other surgical diseases, has seen significant disparities in care. Esophageal cancer is currently the 6th leading cause of death from cancer and the 8th most common cancer in the world. Surgical disparities in the care of patients with Esophageal Cancer have been described in the literature, with a prevailing theme associating minority status with worse outcomes. The goal of this review is to provide an updated account of the literature on disparities in Esophageal Cancer presentation and treatment. We will approach this task through a conceptual framework that highlights the five main themes of surgical disparities: patient-level factors, provider-level factors, system and access issues, clinical care and quality, and postoperative outcomes, care and rehabilitation. All five categories play a complex role in the delivery of high-quality, equitable care for patients with Esophageal Cancer. While describing disparities in care is the first step to correcting them, moving forward, we should focus on developing effective interventions to mitigate disparities, policies linking disparities to quality-of-care metrics, and delivery system change to enable minority patients to more easily access high volume centers.

An analysis of applicant competitiveness to general surgery, surgical subspecialties, and integrated programs.

BACKGROUND: General surgery was once the gateway into a career in surgery. Over time, surgical subspecialties developed separate residency programs, and recently, integrated programs have emerged. It is unknown what impact the presence of surgical subspecialties and integrated programs have had on general surgery. Our objective was to evaluate match trends and quantify competitiveness of the general surgery, integrated programs, and surgical subspecialties matches. METHODS: National Residency Matching Program match data and applicant characteristics from 2010 through 2020 were analyzed for US senior allopathic applicants. Integrated programs were defined as plastic and vascular surgery, and surgical subspecialties were defined as otolaryngology, orthopedic surgery, and neurosurgery. Trends were evaluated using linear regression, programs were compared on 10 metrics by Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and a logistic regression was used to rank each specialty match. RESULTS: The number of US senior applicants per position to integrated programs decreased and approached that of general surgery and surgical subspecialties, but the median number of applicants per position to general surgery was lower than to surgical subspecialties or integrated programs (1.21 interquartile range). Our logistic regression showed United States Medical Licensing Examination scores, research experience, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society membership, and graduation from a top medical school to be the most important factors in the match, and our weighted rank score found general surgery (2.85) to be less competitive than surgical subspecialties (1.92) or integrated programs (1.17). CONCLUSION: Throughout the last decade, integrated programs and surgical subspecialties have matched more competitive applicants based on the most significant predictors of the match. Moving forward, it is important that general surgery strives to attract the best and brightest out of medical school.

Keeping the lights on: Telehealth, testing, and 6-month outcomes for orthotopic liver transplantation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has seen transplant volume decrease nationwide, resulting in a 2.2-fold increase in waitlist mortality. In particular, solid organ transplant patients are subjected to increased morbidity and mortality from infection. In the face of these challenges, transplant centers need to develop innovative protocols to ensure high-quality care. METHODS: A multidisciplinary protocol was developed that included the following: virtual selection meetings, coronavirus disease 2019 negative donors, pretransplant symptom screening, rapid testing on presentation, telehealth follow-up, and weekly community outreach town halls. All orthotopic liver transplants completed between January 2018 and August 2020 were included in the study (n = 344). The cohort was stratified from January 2018 to February 2020 as "pre-COVID-19," and from March 2020 to August 2020 as "COVID-19." Patient demographics and postoperative outcomes were compared. RESULTS: From March 2020 to August 2020, there was a significant decrease in average monthly referrals for orthotopic liver transplantation (29.8 vs 37.1, P = .01). However, listings (11.0 vs 14.3, P = .09) and transplant volume remained unchanged (12.2 vs 10.6, P = .26). Rapid testing was utilized on arrival for transplant, zero patients tested positively preoperatively, and median time from test result until abdominal incision was 4.5 h [interquartile range, 1.2, 9.2]. Simultaneously, telehealth visits increased rapidly, peaking at 85% of all visits. It is important to note that there was no difference in outcomes between cohorts. CONCLUSION: Orthotopic liver transplant can be accomplished safely and effectively in the COVID-19 era without compromising outcomes through increasing utilization of telehealth, rapid COVID-19 testing, and multidisciplinary protocols for managing immunosuppressed patients.