Short-term outcomes in older patients with peritoneal malignancy treated with cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC: Experience with 245 patients from a national centre.

BACKGROUND: Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is increasingly accepted as the optimal management of selected patients with peritoneal malignancy. There is limited published evidence on outcomes in older patients treated by this complex therapeutic strategy. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospective database of all patients who underwent CRS with HIPEC in a single institution over seven years. A comparative analysis of outcomes in patients under 65 undergoing CRS and HIPEC with patients ≥65 years was performed. The key endpoints were morbidity, mortality, reintervention rate and length of stay in the high dependency/intensive care (HDU/ICU) units. RESULTS: Overall, 245 patients underwent CRS and HIPEC during the study period, with 76/245 (31%) ≥65 years at the time of intervention. Tumour burden measured by the peritoneal carcinomatosis index (PCI) score was a median of 11 for both groups. Median length of hospital stay in the ≥65-year-old group was 14.5 days versus 13 days in the <65-year-old group (∗p = 0.01). Patients aged ≥65-years spent a median of one more day in the critical care unit ∗(p = 0.001). Significant morbidity (Clavien-Dindo ≥ Grade IIIa) was higher in the ≥65-year than the <65-year group (18.4% versus 11.2%). There were no perioperative deaths in the ≥65-year group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates higher perioperative major morbidity in ≥65-year group, but with low mortality in patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC for disseminated intraperitoneal malignancy. This increased morbidity does not translate into higher rates of re-interventions and highlights the importance of optimal patient selection.

Acute Appendicitis in the Adult Population: Modelled Decision Analysis Supports a Conservative Approach.

INTRODUCTION: Acute appendicitis represents the commonest cause of acute intra-abdominal pathology. Appendectomy and antibiotics are the mainstay of therapy for appendicitis. Evidence is emerging that antibiotics alone may adequately treat most cases of appendicitis. Decision analysis is a quantitative method of examining alternate treatment strategies. This study describes a modelled decision analysis comparing operative and conservative management of appendicitis. METHODS: The base case patient is a healthy, 23-year-old male presenting with migratory pain to the right iliac fossa (RIF) and elevated inflammatory markers. A decision tree was constructed comparing operative and conservative treatment. Rates of complications, failure of conservative therapy, recurrence and utilities were calculated via a systematic literature review. Variables were tested for sensitivity. RESULTS: Overall, conservative management gives a significantly better outcome (51.51 vs 49.87 QALYs). Three variables proved sensitive. Once operative complication rates are lower than 11.5 %, surgical treatment becomes the optimal strategy. If rates of failure of conservative management exceed 12.9 %, surgery becomes optimal. If the utility assigned to a post-operative complication exceeds 0.44, surgery becomes optimal. CONCLUSIONS: This decision analysis supports a conservative strategy, albeit with caveats. If operative complications are low or rates of failure of conservative management remain high, surgery is the preferable strategy.