Improving Accuracy of Administrative Data for Perforated Appendicitis Classification.

INTRODUCTION: Reliance on International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) diagnosis codes may misclassify perforated appendicitis with resultant research, fiscal, and public health implications. We aimed to improve the accuracy of administrative data for perforated appendicitis classification relying on ICD-10-CM codes from 2015 to 2018. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of randomly sampled patients aged ≤18 years diagnosed with acute appendicitis from eight children's hospitals. Patients were identified using the Pediatric Health Information System, and true perforation status was determined by medical record review. We developed two algorithms by leveraging Pediatric Health Information System data elements and data mining (DM) approaches. The two developed algorithm performance was compared against algorithms that exclusively relied on ICD-10-CM codes using area under the curve and other measures. RESULTS: Of 1051 clinically validated encounters that were included, 383 (36.4%) patients were identified to have perforated appendicitis. The two algorithms developed using DM approaches primarily leveraged ICD-10-CM codes and length of stay. DM-developed algorithms had a significantly higher accuracy than algorithms relying exclusively on ICD-10-CM (P value < 0.01): sensitivity and specificity for DM-developed algorithms were 0.86-0.88 and 0.95-0.97, respectively, which were overall higher than algorithms that relied on only ICD-10-CM. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an algorithm that can improve the accuracy of perforated appendicitis classification using commonly available elements in administrative data. We recommend that this algorithm is used in future appendicitis classification to ensure valid reporting, hospital-level benchmarking, and fiscal or public health assessments.

Disparities in Delivery of Ambulatory Surgical Care for Children.

This cross-sectional study characterizes the delivery of ambulatory surgical care for children across freestanding ambulatory surgery centers and hospital-based outpatient centers and tests for differences in patient characteristics and features of procedures being performed.

Disparities in care of pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients with solid tumors: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have demonstrated a variety of social inequalities within pediatric and young adult patients with solid tumors. This systematic review examines and consolidates the existing literature regarding disparities in pediatric and young adult solid tumor oncology. PROCEDURE: A MeSH search was performed on the following databases: MEDLINE, PubMed, OvidSP Cochrane, Central, Embase, Cinhal, and Scopus. The systematic review was performed using Rayyan QCRI. RESULTS: Total 387 articles were found on the initial search, and 34 articles were included in final review. Twenty-seven studies addressed racial and ethnic disparities; 23 addressed socioeconomic disparities. Patients with Hispanic ethnicity, Black race, and lower socioeconomic status were more likely to present at later stages, have differences in treatments and higher mortality rates. CONCLUSION: This qualitative systematic review identified both racial and socioeconomic disparities in pediatric cancer patients across a variety of solid tumor types. Patients with Hispanic ethnicity, Black race, and lower socioeconomic status are associated with disparities in stage at presentation, treatment, and outcome. Characterization of existing disparities provides the evidence necessary to support changes at a systemic level.

Postoperative Respiratory Complications in SARS-CoV-2 Positive Pediatric Patients Across 20 United States Hospitals: A Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Data examining rates of postoperative complications among SARS-CoV-2 positive children are limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 positive status on postoperative respiratory outcomes for children. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included SARS-CoV-2 positive pediatric patients across 20 hospitals who underwent general anesthesia from March to October 2020. The primary outcome was frequency of postoperative respiratory complications, including: high-flow nasal cannula/non invasive ventilation, reintubation, pneumonia, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), and 30-day respiratory-related readmissions or emergency department (ED) visits. Univariate analyses were used to evaluate associations between patient and procedure characteristics and stratified analyses by symptoms were performed examining incidence of complications. RESULTS: Of 266 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, 163 (61.7%) were male, and the median age was 10 years (interquartile range 4-14). The majority of procedures were emergent or urgent (n = 214, 80.5%). The most common procedures were appendectomies (n = 78, 29.3%) and fracture repairs (n = 40,15.0%). 13 patients (4.9%) had preoperative symptoms including cough or dyspnea. 26 patients (9.8%) had postoperative respiratory complications, including 15 requiring high-flow oxygen, 8 with pneumonia, 4 requiring non invasive ventilation, 3 respiratory ED visits, and 2 respiratory readmissions. Respiratory complications were more common among symptomatic patients than asymptomatic patients (30.8% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.01). Higher ASA class and comorbidities were also associated with postoperative respiratory complications. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative respiratory complications are less common in asymptomatic versus symptomatic SARS-COV-2 positive children. Relaxation of COVID-19-related restrictions for time-sensitive, non urgent procedures in selected asymptomatic patients may be reasonably considered. Additionally, further research is needed to evaluate the costs and benefits of routine testing for asymptomatic patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Iii, Respiratory complications.

Implementation of Enhanced Recovery Protocols for Gastrointestinal Surgery in Children: Practical Tools From Key Stakeholders.

INTRODUCTION: We explored patient, caregiver, and provider recommendations for development of a tool kit to implement enhanced recovery protocols (ERPs) for pediatric patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. ERPs are widely used for adults to decrease hospital length of stay, hospital costs, and complications while hastening patient recovery after surgery. With limited data available for ERPs among pediatric populations informed modification of adult ERPs is needed to facilitate successful implementation for pediatric surgery. METHODS: Using a qualitative research design, semistructured interviews were conducted with hospital-based teams including surgeons, anesthesiologists, gastroenterologists, nursing, and physician assistants. Four in-person focus groups were held at two pediatric hospitals with patients and caregivers. Codes were developed and applied to interview and focus groups transcripts for structural content analysis. Thematic analysis guided by the Active Implementation Framework, included recommendations that informed ERP implementation tool kit development. RESULTS: Key components of the ERP tool kit included the need for a structured and systematic approach, leadership support from key champions, and buy-in from surgical partners and hospital management. Providers identified the need for multimodal educational materials on ERP elements for staff and patients; use of uniform checklists, care sets and an electronic repository to collect outcome data for quality assurance assessment. Patients and caregivers endorsed expansion of the team to include child-life specialists, nutritionists, and patient-parent supporters to help navigate the surgical experience. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to leverage key input from patients, caregivers, and providers to identify practical components for an ERP implementation tool kit for children undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.

Pediatric Patient and Caregiver Agreement on Perioperative Expectations and Self-Reported Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Alignment between pediatric patients and caregiver perspectives on patient-reported outcome (PRO) data is contingent upon context. We aimed to assess agreement between patient and caregiver responses to a series of perioperative domains. METHODS: Agreement between pediatric patients and caregiver responses to preoperative and postoperative surveys about surgery preparedness, perioperative expectations, PRO Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures for overall health and pain, and reaching milestones gathered as part of an ongoing clinical trial for children undergoing gastrointestinal surgery, was evaluated. Gwet's AC and Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated, as appropriate, to assess agreement. RESULTS: Of 209 enrolled patients, 65 (31.1%) dyads completed all three surveys and were included. For the domains of education, expectations, and comprehension, patients and caregivers had good agreement with Gwet AC1 with values of 0.80, 0.61, and 0.64, respectively. For milestones, patients and caregivers had very good agreement (Gwet AC1 of 0.95). Milestones measured whether patients achieved certain goals within a prespecified time, including enteral intake (Gwet AC1 0.91 and 0.92 respectively), transition to oral pain medication (Gwet AC1 0.94), ambulation (Gwet AC1 1.00), and return of bowel function (Gwet AC1 0.97). There was moderate to strong agreement between patients and caregivers on PROMIS pain questions (Spearman's correlation: 0.71 preoperatively and 0.51 postoperatively). On PROMIS global health questions, there was strong agreement (0.69 preoperatively and 0.65 postoperatively). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patient and caregiver agreement on perioperative survey items ranged from moderate to strong. Caregivers' responses may be acceptable when some patient-level responses are not available.

Disparities in surgical health service delivery and outcomes for indigenous children.

BACKGROUND: Evidence of health disparities for Indigenous children requiring surgical care is lacking. We present a systematic review of the literature examining possible disparities in surgical care and outcomes for pediatric patients of Indigenous ethnicity. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane, MEDLINE, gray literature. METHODS: Literature review, using PubMed, Cochrane, MEDLINE, and gray literature was conducted to identify articles published more than 2010-2020 examining children's surgical health service delivery (epidemiology, access, operations provided) and outcomes for pediatric patients of Indigenous ethnicity compared with others. Extracted data included study design, setting, participant race/ethnicity, operations examined, and surgical outcomes. Article quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scales. RESULTS: From 411 abstracts, 125 articles were reviewed and 33 included for data abstraction. These were cohort and cross-sectional studies investigating a wide range of patient populations and procedures across the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Articles were organized naturally by theme into birth malformations (15 articles), trauma (6 articles), pediatric general surgery/appendicitis (5 articles), pediatric otolaryngology (6 articles), and renal transplant (1 article) surgery. Four articles also described access and resource utilization related to inpatient care. Notable disparities observed included apparent increased prevalence of gastroschisis, rates of traumatic fatality, non accidental injury, and self harm among North American Indigenous children. CONCLUSIONS: Indigenous children appear to be vulnerable to a number of health and treatment outcome disparities related to conditions treated by surgeons. Surgeons are thus uniquely poised to act in identifying and eliminating Indigenous ethnicity-based pediatric health disparities.

Novel Quality Improvement Targets to Address Healthcare Encounters After Pediatric Appendectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric appendicitis clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) do not typically address postdischarge healthcare encounters. This study aims to examine common indications for returns to the health system to identify novel quality improvement targets. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed patients aged 3 to 18 y undergoing appendectomy at a single institution from July 1, 2019, to July 31, 2020. The primary outcome was physical postdischarge encounters comprising emergency department (ED) visits and hospital readmissions. Indications for each encounter were categorized and stratified by appendicitis type (i.e., simple, gangrenous, or perforated). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate association between appendicitis category and postdischarge encounters. RESULTS: Of 434 patients, 240 (55.3%) had simple appendicitis, 77 (17.7%) gangrenous, and 117 (29.9%) perforated appendicitis. Overall, 48 patients had at least one instance of an unplanned postdischarge encounter with a total of 56 unplanned ED presentations and 24 readmissions. Perforated patients were significantly more likely to experience postdischarge ED (odds ratio 2.55; 95% confidence interval 1.29-5.02) and readmission encounters (odds ratio 6.63; 95% confidence interval 2.28-19.28). Common indications for ED encounters included abdominal pain (n = 20) with 25.0% readmitted, abdominal pain and gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, distention) (n = 16) with 87.5% readmitted, and incision concerns (n = 6) with 16.7% readmitted. Common indications for readmissions included intraabdominal abscesses (n = 8) and small bowel obstruction (n = 4). CONCLUSIONS: Assessing indications for postdischarge healthcare encounters enables identification of novel quality improvement targets, including proactively addressing incision concerns and abdominal pain.

Sex-Based Disparities in Timeliness of Trauma Care and Discharge Disposition.

Importance: Differences in time to diagnostic and therapeutic measures can contribute to disparities in outcomes. However, whether there is an association of timeliness by sex for trauma patients is unknown. Objective: To investigate whether sex-based differences in time to definitive interventions exist for trauma patients in the US and whether these differences are associated with outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted from July 2020 to July 2021, using the 2013 to 2016 Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) databases from level I to III trauma centers in the US. Patients 18 years or older with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) greater than 15 and who carried diagnoses of traumatic brain injury, intra-abdominal injury, pelvic fracture, femur fracture, and spinal injury as a result of their trauma were included in the study. Data were analyzed from July 2020 to July 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes assessed timeliness to interventions, using Wilcoxon signed rank and χ2 tests. Secondary outcomes included location of discharge after injury, using propensity score-matched generalized estimating equations modeling. Results: Of the 28 332 patients included, 20 002 (70.6%) were male patients (mean [SD] age, 43.3 [18.2] years) and 8330 (29.4%) were female patients (mean [SD] age, 48.5 [21.1] years), with significantly different distributions of ISS scores (ISS score 16-24: male patient, 10 622 [53.1%]; female patient, 4684 [56.2%]; ISS score 41-74: male patient, 2052 [10.3%]; female patient, 852 [10.2%]). Male patients more frequently had abdominal (4257 [21.3%] vs 1268 [15.2%]) and spinal cord (3989 [20.0%] vs 1274 [15.3%]) injuries, whereas female patients experienced greater proportions of femur (3670 [44.0%] vs 8422 [42.1%]) and pelvic (3970 [47.6%] vs 6963 [34.8%]) fractures. Female patients experienced significantly longer emergency department length of stay (median [IQR], 184 [92-314] minutes vs 172 [86-289] minutes; P < .001), longer time in pretriage (median [IQR], 52 [36-80] minutes vs 49 [34-77] minutes; P < .001), and increased likelihood of discharge to nursing or long-term care facilities instead of home after matching by age, ISS, mechanism, and injury type (male patient:female patient, odds ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.67-0.78). Conclusions and Relevance: Results of this cohort study suggest that female trauma patients experienced slightly longer delays in trauma care and had a higher likelihood of discharge to long-term care facilities than their male counterparts.

Age- and Sex-Specific Needs for Children Undergoing Inflammatory Bowel Disease Surgery: A Qualitative Study.

INTRODUCTION: The use of enhanced recovery protocols (ERP) is extending to pediatric surgical populations, such as patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Given the variation in age- and sex-specific characteristics of pediatric IBD patients, it is important to understand the unique needs of subgroups, such as male versus female or preadolescent versus older patients, when implementing ERPs. We gathered clinician, patient, and caregiver perspectives on age- and sex-specific needs for children undergoing IBD surgery. METHODS: We used semistructured interviews and focus groups to assess ERP needs and perceived differences in needs between preadolescent (10-13 y), older (14-19 y), male, and female IBD patients. Participants included clinicians, patients who had recent IBD surgery, and patients' caregivers. RESULTS: Forty-eight clinicians, six patients, and eight caregivers participated. Three broad categories of themes emerged: concerns, needs, and experiences related to the (1) surgical care process; (2) continuum of IBD care; and (3) suggestions to make surgical care more patient centered. With regard to surgical care processes, stakeholders reported different communication needs for preadolescent and older children. Key themes about the continuum of IBD care were the need (1) for support from child life specialists and (b) to address young women's health issues. Suggestions to make surgical care more patient centered included providing older children with patient experiences that reflect their perspective as young adults. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the need to adopt a patient-centered approach for ERP use that actively addresses age- and sex-specific factors while engaging patients and caregivers as partners with clinicians to improve surgical care for children with IBD.

Effect of surgeon volume on pediatric thyroid surgery outcomes: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric thyroidectomy has been identified as a surgical procedure that may benefit from concentrating cases to high-volume surgeons. This systematic review aimed to address the definition of "high-volume surgeon" for pediatric thyroidectomy and to examine the relationship between surgeon volume and outcomes. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and OpenGrey databases were searched for through February 2020 for studies which reported on pediatric thyroidectomy and specified surgeon volume and surgical outcomes. RESULTS: Ten studies, encompassing 6430 patients, were included in the review. Five single-center retrospective studies reported only on high-volume surgeons, one single center retrospective study reported on only low-volume surgeons, and four national database studies (2 cross sectional, 2 retrospective reviews) reported outcomes for both high-volume and low-volume surgeons. Majority of patients underwent total thyroidectomy (54.9%); common indications for surgery were malignancy (41.7%) and hyperthyroidism/thyroiditis (40.5%). Rates of transient hypocalcemia (11.4% - 74.2%), transient recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (0% - 9.7%), and bleeding (0.5% - 4.3%) varied across studies. Definitions for high-volume pediatric thyroid surgeons ranged from ≥9 annual pediatric thyroid operations to >200 annual thyroid operations (with >30 pediatric cases). Four studies reported significantly better outcomes, including lower post-operative complications and shorter length of hospital stay, for patients treated by high-volume surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: Despite significant variation in caseloads to define volume, pediatric thyroid patients have generally better outcomes when operated on by higher volume surgeons. Concentration thyroidectomy cases to a smaller cohort of surgeons within pediatric practices may confer improved outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; Level IV.

Surgeon perceptions of volume threshold and essential practices for pediatric thyroidectomy✰.

INTRODUCTION: The topics of sub-specialization and regionalization of care have garnered increased attention among pediatric surgeons. Thyroid surgeries are one such sub-specialty and are commonly concentrated within practices. A national survey was conducted examining current surgeon practices and beliefs surrounding pediatric thyroid surgery. METHODS: Non-resident members of the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) were surveyed in October 2020. Respondents were stratified based on self-reported thyroid surgical experience. Those who performed thyroid surgery were asked about surgical technique and operative practices; those who did not were asked about referral patterns. All respondents were asked about perceptions surrounding the volume-outcome relationship for pediatric thyroid surgery. RESULTS: Among 1015 APSA members, 405 (40%) responded, with 79% (317/400) practicing at academic hospitals, 58% (232/401) practicing in major metropolitan area, and 41% (161/392) with over 10 years of attending pediatric surgery experience. Most respondents (88%, n = 356) agreed that thyroid surgery volume affects outcome, though wide variation was reported in the annual case threshold for "high volume" surgery. Eighty-four respondents (21%) reported performing ≥ 1 pediatric thyroid surgery in the past year. Of these, 82% routinely use recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring, 32% routinely send hemithyroidectomy patients home the same day, and there was little consensus surrounding postoperative hypocalcemia management. The majority of respondents endorse performing thyroid procedures with a colleague. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric thyroid surgery appears to be performed by a subset of active pediatric surgeons, most of whom endorse the use of a dual operating team. More evidence is needed to build consensus around additional perioperative practices.

Antibiotic resistance is common in the cultures of intraabdominal abscess drainage after appendectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Intraabdominal abscesses (IAA) are a common complication following appendectomy. Empiric antibiotic regimens may fail to prevent IAA due to changes in bacterial resistance. We aim to describe the bacteriology of pediatric patients requiring drainage of an IAA after an appendectomy for appendicitis. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of patients ≤18 years who underwent percutaneous drainage of an IAA following appendectomy a single U.S. children's hospital between 2015 and 2018. Patient demographics, appendicitis characteristics, antibiotic regimens, and culture data were collected. RESULTS: In total, 71 patients required drainage of an IAA of which 48 (67%) were male, the average age was 9.81 (SD 3.31) years and 68 (95.7%) having complicated appendicitis. Ceftriaxone/metronidazole was the most common empiric regimen prior to IAA drainage occurring in 64 (90.1%) patients. IAA cultures isolated organisms in 34 (47.9%) patients. Of those with positive cultures, 17 (50%) cases demonstrated an antimicrobial resistant organism. Most notably, 20% of Escherichia coli was resistant to the empiric regimen. Empiric antimicrobial regimens did not appropriately cover 92.3% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultures or 100% of Enterococcus species cultures. Antimicrobial regimens were changed following IAA drainage in 30 (42.2%) instances with 23 (32.4%) instances due to resistance in culture results or lack of appropriate empiric antimicrobial coverage. CONCLUSIONS: IAA culture data following appendectomy for appendicitis frequently demonstrates resistance to or lack of appropriate coverage by empiric antimicrobial regimens. These data support close review of IAA culture results to identify prevalent resistant pathogens along with local changes in resistance. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Pilot implementation of opioid stewardship measures using the national surgical quality improvement program-pediatric platform.

INTRODUCTION: Data surrounding optimal pediatric postoperative opioid prescribing are incomplete. The objective of this study was to leverage the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric (NSQIP-P) and assess feasibility of added data collection surrounding pediatric perioperative pain management practices including opioid prescribing at discharge. METHODS: Nineteen (19) novel data elements were added to NSQIP-P data collection of selected patients, ages 5-18 years, who had undergone surgery at a single, free-standing children's hospital. Metrics around data abstraction and completion of variables were collected. Univariate analyses (using Chi-square or Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests) and multiple logistic regressions were performed to describe predictors of opioid prescribing at discharge and to monitor adherence to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prescribing recommendations. RESULTS: Median abstraction time of the novel variables decreased from 12 to 5 min per patient over 13 months with 94% variable completion rate. Of 878 patients, 302 (36.4%) were prescribed opioids at discharge. Factors associated with an opioid prescription included older age (p < 0.001), white race (p < 0.05), undergoing an orthopedic surgery (p < 0.001), and receiving a regional block perioperatively (p < 0.001). All opioid prescriptions met FDA guidelines with no patients receiving codeine, and 98% of patients receiving opioid prescriptions < 50 morphine milli-equivalents per day. CONCLUSION: Collecting data on current pain management practices, opioid prescribing, and adherence to safety recommendations is feasible using the NSQIP-P with little added burden. Further expansion of data collection is needed to develop generalizable optimal prescribing practices for post-discharge pain management for children.

Provider education leads to sustained reduction in pediatric opioid prescribing after surgery.

BACKGROUND: The majority of opioid overdose admissions in pediatric patients are associated with prescription opioids. Post-operative prescriptions are an addressable source of opioids in the household. This study aims to assess for sustained reduction in opioid prescribing after implementation of provider-based education at nine centers. METHODS: Opioid prescribing information was collected for pediatric patients undergoing umbilical hernia repair at nine centers between December 2018 and January 2019, one year after the start of an education intervention. This was compared to prescribing patterns in the immediate pre- and post-intervention periods at each of the nine centers. RESULTS: In the current study period, 29/127 (22.8%) patients received opioid prescriptions (median 8 doses) following surgery. There were no medication refills, emergency department returns or readmissions related to the procedure. There was sustained reduction in opioid prescribing compared to pre-intervention (22.8% vs 75.8% of patients, p<0.001, Fig. (1). Five centers showed statistically significant improvement and the other four demonstrated decreased prescribing, though not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our multicenter study demonstrates sustained reduction in opioid prescribing after pediatric umbilical hernia repair after a provider-based educational intervention. Similar low-fidelity provider education interventions may be beneficial to improve opioid stewardship for a wider variety of pediatric surgical procedures. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: (treatment study)-level 3.

Postoperative complications in pediatric patients with cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: To assess surgical outcomes of patients with cerebral palsy (CP) and if they differ from patients without CP. METHODS: The NSQIP-Pediatric database from 2012 to 2019 was used to compare differences in presenting characteristics and outcomes between patients with and without CP. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to determine significance. RESULTS: 119,712 patients, 433 (0.4%) with CP, 119,279 (99.6%) without, were identified. Patients with CP had more postoperative complications (19.4% vs. 6.9%, p < 0.001) with an OR of 3.2, (95%CI 2.5-4.1, p < 0.001) on univariable analysis. They underwent fewer laparoscopic procedures (79.1% vs. 90.8%, p < 0.001), had more readmissions (10.2% vs. 3.8%, p < 0.001), reoperations (5.1% vs. 1.2%, p < 0.001), and longer length of stays (LOS) (median 3 versus 1 day, p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, having CP did not increase the odds of postoperative morbidity (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.7-1.3), but higher ASA class, congenital lung malformation, gastrointestinal disease, coagulopathy, preoperative inotropic support, oxygen use, nutritional support, and steroid use significantly increase the odds of morbidity, all of which were more common in patients with CP. CONCLUSION: Patients with CP have more postoperative complications, open procedures, and longer LOS. Patient complexity may account for these differences and risk-directed perioperative planning may improve outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Addressing ethical clinical dilemmas with quality improvement methodology.

Application of Quality Improvement methodology to nuanced clinical scenarios may be useful to ensure consistent delivery of equitable and comprehensive care. The purpose of this article is to inform the pediatric surgical readership of opportunities where quality improvement methodology may aid in navigating ethical nuances of complex surgical care. We present three case scenarios and discuss how quality improvement methodology could be utilized to address issues of provider autonomy, patient autonomy, and justice.

Implementing PDSA Methodology for Pediatric Appendicitis Increases Care Value for a Tertiary Children's Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: We used the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) framework to develop and implement an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) within an urban, tertiary children's referral center. METHODS: We developed an evidence-based CPG for appendicitis using iterative PDSA cycles. Similar CPGs from other centers were reviewed and modified for local implementation. Adjuncts included guideline-specific order sets and operative notes in the electronic medical record system. Outcomes included length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmissions, hospital costs, and patient and family experience (PFE) scores. Our team tracked outcome, process, and balancing measures using Statistical Process Charts. Outcome measures were compared over 2 fiscal quarters preimplementation and 3 fiscal quarters postimplementation, using interrupted time series, student t test, and chi-square tests when appropriate. RESULTS: LOS for simple (uncomplicated) appendicitis decreased to 0.87 days (interquartile range [IQR] 0.87-0.94 days) from 1.1 days (IQR 0.97-1.42 days). LOS for complicated appendicitis decreased to 4.96 days (IQR 4.95-6.15) from 5.58 days (IQR 5.16-6.09). This reduction equated to an average cost-savings of $1,122/patient. Thirty-day readmission rates have remained unchanged. PFE scores increased across all categories and have remained higher than national benchmarks. CONCLUSION: Development and Implementation of a CPG for pediatric appendicitis using the PDSA framework adds value to care provided within a large tertiary center.

Trends and Variation in the Use of Observation Stays at Children's Hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Observation status could improve efficiency of healthcare resource use but also might shift financial burdens to patients and hospitals. Although the use of observation stays has increased for adult patient populations, the trends are unknown among hospitalized children. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to describe recent trends in observation stays for pediatric populations at children's hospitals. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Both observation and inpatient stays for all conditions were retrospectively studied using the Pediatric Health Information System database (2010 to 2019). EXPOSURE, MAIN OUTCOMES, AND MEASURES: Patient type was classified as inpatient or observation status. Main outcomes included annual percentage of observation stays, annual percentage of observation stays having prolonged length of stay (>2 days), and growth rates of observation stays for the 20 most common conditions. Risk adjusted hospital-level use of observation stays was estimated using generalized linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: The percentage of observation stays increased from 23.6% in 2010 to 34.3% in 2019 (P < .001), and the percentage of observation stays with prolonged length of stay rose from 1.1% to 4.6% (P < .001). Observation status was expanded among a diverse group of clinical conditions; diabetes mellitus and surgical procedures showed the highest growth rates. Adjusted hospital-level use ranged from 0% to 67% in 2019, indicating considerable variation among hospitals. CONCLUSION: Based on the increase in observation stays, future studies should explore the appropriateness of observation care related to efficient use of healthcare resources and financial implications for hospitals and patients.

A Retrospective Cohort Study of Optimal Contrast for Successful Intussusception Reduction: Institutional Practices Matter.

BACKGROUND: The first-line treatment for intussusception is radiologic reduction with either air-contrast enema (AE) or liquid-contrast enema (LE). The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between self-reported institutional AE or LE intussusception reduction preferences and rates of operative intervention and bowel resection. METHODS: Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) hospitals were contacted to assess institutional enema practices for intussusception. A retrospective study using 2009-2018 PHIS data was conducted for patients aged 0-5 y to evaluate outcomes. Chi-squared tests were used to test for differences in the distribution of surgical patients by hospital management approach. RESULTS: Of the 45 hospitals, 20 (44%) exclusively used AE, 4 (9%) exclusively used LE, and 21 (46%) used a mixed practice. Of 24,688 patients identified from PHIS, 13,231 (54%) were at exclusive AE/LE hospitals and 11,457 (46%) were at mixed practice hospitals. Patients at AE/LE hospitals underwent operative procedures at lower rates than at mixed practice hospitals (14.8% versus 16.5%, P< 0.001) and were more likely to undergo bowel resection (31.1% versus 27.1%, P= 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Practice variation exists in hospital-level approaches to radiologic reduction of intussusception and mixed practices may impact outcomes.