Volume-outcome relationship in adrenal surgery from 2009-2017 in Germany-a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Adrenal resections are rare procedures of a heterogeneous nature. While recent European guidelines advocate a minimum annual caseload for adrenalectomies (6 per surgeon), evidence for a volume-outcome relationship for this surgery remains limited. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of all adrenal resections in Germany between 2009 and 2017 using hospital billing data was performed. Hospitals were grouped into three tertiles of approximately equal patient volume. METHODS: Descriptive, univariate, and multivariate analyses were applied to identify a possible volume-outcome relationship (complications, complication management, and mortality). RESULTS: Around 17 040 primary adrenal resections were included. Benign adrenal tumors (n = 8,213, 48.2%) and adrenal metastases of extra-adrenal malignancies (n = 3582, 21.0%) were the most common diagnoses. Six hundred and thirty-two low-volume hospitals performed an equal number of resections as 23 high-volume hospitals (median surgeries/hospital/year 3 versus 31, P < .001). Complications were less frequent in high-volume hospitals (23.1% in low-volume hospitals versus 17.3% in high-volume hospitals, P < .001). The most common complication was bleeding in 2027 cases (11.9%) with a mortality of 4.6% (94 patients). Overall in-house mortality was 0.7% (n = 126). Age, malignancy, an accompanying resection, complications, and open surgery were associated with in-house mortality. In univariate analysis, surgery in high-volume hospitals was associated with lower mortality (OR: 0.47, P < .001). In a multivariate model, the tendency remained equal (OR: 0.59, P = .104). Regarding failure to rescue (death in case of complications), there was a trend toward lower mortality in high-volume hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The annual caseload of adrenal resections varies considerably among German hospitals. Our findings suggest that surgery in high-volume centers is advantageous for patient outcomes although fatal complications are rare.

German guideline diverticular disease/diverticulitis: Part II: Conservative, interventional and surgical management.

Diverticulosis and diverticular disease are ranked among the most common gastroenterological diseases and conditions. While for many years diverticulitis was found to be mainly an event occurring in the elder population, more recent work in epidemiology demonstrates increasing frequency in younger subjects. In addition, there is a noticeable trend towards more complicated disease. This may explain the significant increase in hospitalisations observed in recent years. It is not a surprise that the number of scientific studies addressing the clinical and socioeconomic consequences in the field is increasing. As a result, diagnosis and conservative as well as surgical management have changed in recent years. Diverticulosis, diverticular disease and diverticulitis are a complex entity and apparently an interdisciplinary challenge. To meet theses considerations the German Societies for Gastroenterology and Visceral Surgery decided to create joint guidelines addressing all aspects in a truely interdisciplinary fashion. The aim of the guideline is to summarise and to evaluate the current state of knowledge on diverticulosis and diverticular disease and to develop statements as well as recommendations to all physicians involved in the management of patients with diverticular disease.

German guideline diverticular disease/diverticulitis: Part I: Methods, pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical characteristics (definitions), natural course, diagnosis and classification.

Diverticulosis and diverticular disease are ranked among the most common gastroenterological diseases and conditions. While for many years diverticulitis was found to be mainly an event occurring in the elder population, more recent work in epidemiology demonstrates increasing frequency in younger subjects. In addition, there is a noticeable trend towards more complicated disease. This may explain the significant increase in hospitalisations observed in recent years. It is not a surprise that the number of scientific studies addressing the clinical and socioeconomic consequences in the field is increasing. As a result, diagnosis and conservative as well as surgical management have changed in recent years. Diverticulosis, diverticular disease and diverticulitis are a complex entity and apparently an interdisciplinary challenge. To meet theses considerations the German Societies for Gastroenterology and Visceral Surgery decided to create joint guidelines addressing all aspects in a truely interdisciplinary fashion. The aim of the guideline is to summarise and to evaluate the current state of knowledge on diverticulosis and diverticular disease and to develop statements as well as recommendations to all physicians involved in the management of patients with diverticular disease.

Disproportionately high failure to rescue rates after resection for colorectal cancer in the geriatric patient population - A nationwide study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer incidence increases with patient age. The aim of this study was to assess, at the nationwide level, in-hospital mortality, and failure to rescue in geriatric patients (≥ 80 years old) with colorectal cancer arising from postoperative complications. METHODS: All patients receiving surgery for colorectal cancer in Germany between 2012 and 2018 were identified in a nationwide database. Association between age and in-hospital mortality following surgery and failure to rescue, defined as death after complication, were determined in univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Three lakh twenty-eight thousands two hundred and ninety patients with colorectal cancer were included of whom 77,287 were 80 years or older. With increasing age, a significant relative increase in right hemicolectomy was observed. In general, these patients had more comorbid conditions and higher frailty. In-hospital mortality following colorectal cancer surgery was 4.9% but geriatric patients displayed a significantly higher postoperative in-hospital mortality of 10.6%. The overall postoperative complication rate as well as failure to rescue increased with age. In contrast, surgical site infection (SSI) and anastomotic leakage (AL) did not increase in geriatric patients, whereas the associated mortality increased disproportionately (13.3% for SSI and 29.9% mortality for patients with AI, both p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounders showed that geriatric patients had almost five-times higher odds for death after surgery than the baseline age group below 60 (OR 4.86; 95%CI [4.45-5.53], p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Geriatric patients have higher mortality after colorectal cancer surgery. This may be partly due to higher frailty and disproportionately higher rates of failure to rescue arising from postoperative complications.

[Temporal sequence of bile duct clearance with simultaneous cholecystolithiasis or choledocholithiasis-Preoperative, intraoperative or postoperative?] / Zeitliche Sequenz der Gallengangssanierung bei simultaner Cholezystocholedocholithiasis ­ prä-, intra- oder postoperativ?

Approximately 10% of patients with symptomatic cholecystolithiasis also have choledocholithiasis. The probability of this can be estimated on the basis of sonographic and laboratory chemistry parameters. If the probability is high, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) or cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) should be performed and if the probability is low, cholecystectomy can be performed without further diagnostics. If the findings are equivocal, further work-up should be performed to detect or exclude choledocholithiasis by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). If choledocholithiasis is detected, it can be treated by ERC preoperatively, intraoperatively or postoperatively or alternatively by laparoscopic cholangiography. Regarding the temporal sequence, there is no clear advantage of a specific time point; however, considering the high availability of ERCP in German-speaking countries, preoperative clearance of choledocholithiasis seems reasonable. With respect to the time interval between clearance of choledocholithiasis and cholecystectomy, a number of multicenter studies and a meta-analysis have shown that a short time interval or a procedure during the same period of hospitalization is advantageous.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on appendicitis treatment in Germany-a population-based analysis.

PURPOSE: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common reasons for emergency medical consultation. While simple appendicitis can be treated with antibiotics or surgery, complex appendicitis including gangrene, abscess, and perforation requires appendectomy. During the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, an overall drop in emergency room consultations was observed. We therefore aimed to investigate the incidence and treatment strategies of acute appendicitis during that period. METHODS: Data of insurance holders with the ICD code for "acute appendicitis" or OPS procedure of appendectomy of a major health insurance company in Germany were analyzed retrospectively. Groups were built, containing of the means of March-June of 2017, 2018, and 2019, defined as "pre-COVID group" with the "COVID group," defined as data from March to June of 2020. Data was analyzed by age, sex, comorbidities, length of hospital stay, diagnoses, and treatment. Data of the COVID group was analyzed for simultaneous COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: During the COVID-19 pandemic of early 2020, an overall reduction by 12.9% of patients presenting with acute appendicitis was noticeable. These results were mainly due to decreased rates of uncomplicated appendicitis, while complicated appendicitis was scarcely affected. Especially in the group of females < 40 years, a drastic reduction was visible. Rates of extended surgery did not change. Likewise, the complication rate like appendix stump leakage or need for re-operation did not differ. In March 2020, 4.8% of acute appendicitis patients had concomitant COVID-19 infection. CONCLUSION: In line with the overall drop of emergency room visits during the COVID-19 pandemic of spring 2020 in Germany, a significantly lowered number of patients with uncomplicated appendicitis were noticeable, whereas complicated appendicitis did not differ. Also, treatment and complication rate of acute appendicitis did not change. These findings might be a hint that acute appendicitis is not a progressing disease but caused by different entities for uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis and therefore another clue that uncomplicated appendicitis can be treated with antibiotics or observation. Nevertheless provided data does not cover outpatient treatment; therefore, no statement observation or antibiotics in outpatients can be made.

Dual-room twin-CT scanner in multiple trauma care: first results after implementation in a level one trauma centre.

PURPOSE: The trauma centre of the Wuerzburg University Hospital has integrated a pioneering dual-room twin-CT scanner in a multiple trauma pathway. For concurrent treatment of two trauma patients, two carbon CT examination and intervention tables are positioned head to head with one sliding CT-Gantry in the middle. The focus of this study is the process of trauma care with the time to CT (tCT) and the time to operation (tOR) as quality indicator. METHODS: All patients with suspected multiple trauma, who required emergency surgery and who were initially diagnosed by the CT trauma protocol between 05/2018 and 12/2018 were included. Data relating to time spans (tCT and tOR), severity of injury and outcome was obtained. RESULTS: 110 of the 589 screened trauma patients had surgery immediately after finishing primary assessment in the ER. The ISS was 17 (9-34) (median and interquartile range, IQR). tCT was 15 (11-19) minutes (median and IQR) and tOR was 96.5 (75-119) minutes (median and IQR). In the first 30 days, seven patients died (6.4%) including two within the first 24 h (2%). There were two ICU days (1-6) (median and IQR) and one (0-1) (median and IQR) ventilator day. CONCLUSION: The twin-CT technology is a fascinating tool to organize high-quality trauma care for two multiple trauma patients simultaneously.