Clinical characteristics and risk factors of preventable hospital readmissions within 30 days.

Knowledge regarding preventable hospital readmissions is scarce. Our aim was to compare the clinical characteristics of potentially preventable readmissions (PPRs) with non-PPRs. Additionally, we aimed to identify risk factors for PPRs. Our study included readmissions within 30 days after discharge from 1 of 7 hospital departments. Preventability was assessed by multidisciplinary meetings. Characteristics of the readmissions were collected and 23 risk factors were analyzed. Of the 1120 readmissions, 125 (11%) were PPRs. PPRs occurred equally among different departments (p = 0.21). 29.6% of PPRs were readmitted by a practitioner of a different medical specialty than the initial admission (IA) specialist. The PPR group had more readmissions within 7 days (PPR 54% vs. non-PPR 44%, p = 0.03). The median LOS was 1 day longer for PPRs (p = 0.16). Factors associated with PPR were higher age (p = 0.004), higher socio-economic status (p = 0.049), fewer prior hospital admissions (p = 0.004), and no outpatient visit prior to readmission (p = 0.025). This study found that PPRs can occur at any department in the hospital. There is not a single type of patient that can easily be pinpointed to be at risk of a PPR, probably due to the multifactorial nature of PPRs.

Persistence of Symptoms After Total vs Supracervical Hysterectomy in Women with Histopathological Diagnosis of Adenomyosis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare symptom persistence in women with adenomyosis based on retention or removal of the cervix at the time of hysterectomy. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study and follow-up survey (Canadian Task Force classification xx). SETTING: Tertiary care academic hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. PATIENTS: Women (n = 1580) who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign indications between 2008 and 2012 at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. INTERVENTION: Retrospective chart review and follow-up survey. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among the 1580 women contacted, 762 (48%) responded to the postoperative symptom resolution survey. Of these 762 women, 623 agreed to participate in the study. Menopausal women or those who had undergone bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were excluded. Adenomyosis was identified on histopathologic evaluation of the uterus in 171 of the remaining 443 women (39%). Compared with women without adenomyosis, those with adenomyosis were older on average (mean age, 46.6 ± 6.8 years vs 45.0 ± 5.5 years; p = .009) and more likely to report that abnormal bleeding and pain led to their hysterectomy (87.7% vs 79.8%; p = .03 and 64.9% vs 51.4%; p = .009, respectively). The rates of total and supracervical hysterectomies were similar in the 2 groups. Following surgery, women with adenomyosis were less likely than those without adenomyosis to report persistent pain (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20-0.93; p = .03). Persistent bleeding was similar in the 2 groups (aOR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.49-1.93; p = .94). Among women with adenomyosis, multivariable logistic regression showed no difference in persistence of symptoms with cervical removal or retention at the time of hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: Compared with women without adenomyosis, those with histopathologically proven adenomyosis were less likely to report persistent pain following hysterectomy. Retention of the cervix does not appear to increase the risk of symptom persistence or postprocedure patient satisfaction.

Trends in readmission rate by route of hysterectomy - a single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess the 60-day readmission rates after hysterectomy according to route of surgery and analyze risk factors for postoperative readmission. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study included all women who underwent hysterectomy due to benign conditions from 2009 to 2015 at a large academic center in Boston. Readmission rates were compared among the following four types of hysterectomies: abdominal, laparoscopic, robotic and vaginal. RESULTS: There were 3981 hysterectomy cases over the study period (628 abdominal hysterectomy, 2500 laparoscopic hysterectomy, 155 robotic hysterectomy and 698 vaginal hysterectomy). Intraoperative complications occurred more frequently in women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy (4.8%), followed by robotic hysterectomy (3.9%), vaginal hysterectomy (1.9%) and laparoscopic hysterectomy (1.6%) (p < 0.0001). Readmission rates were not significantly different among the groups; women receiving abdominal hysterectomy had an overall readmission rate of 3.5%, compared with 3.2% after robotic hysterectomy, 2.9% after vaginal hysterectomy and 1.9% after laparoscopic hysterectomy (p = 0.06). When stratifying for relevant variables, women who had an laparoscopic hysterectomy had a twofold reduction of readmission compared with abdominal hysterectomy (odds ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.31-0.87; p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in readmission when robotic hysterectomy or vaginal hysterectomy were compared individually with abdominal hysterectomy. Regarding risk factors related to readmission it was observed that perioperative complications were the largest driver of readmissions (odds ratio 667, 95% confidence interval 158-99; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic approach to hysterectomy was associated with fewer hospital readmissions compared with the abdominal route; vaginal, robotic and abdominal approaches had a similar risk of readmission. Perioperative complications represent the main driver of readmissions. After adjusting for perioperative factors such as surgeon type and complications, no difference in readmissions between the different routes of hysterectomy were found.

Comparison of Morcellation Techniques at the Time of Laparoscopic Hysterectomy and Myomectomy.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare perioperative outcomes associated with the use of 3 techniques for tissue removal at the time of laparoscopic hysterectomy and myomectomy. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: An academic hospital in Boston, MA. PATIENTS: Women who underwent a laparoscopic or robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy or myomectomy involving tissue morcellation in 2014. INTERVENTIONS: One of 3 morcellation techniques: electronic power morcellation (PM), manual vaginal morcellation via the vagina (VM), or manual morcellation via minilaparotomy (ML). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 297 cases included in this study (137 myomectomies, 62 total laparoscopic hysterectomies, and 98 laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomies), 96% of the cases were performed by fellowship-trained surgeons using conventional laparoscopy. Containment bags were used at the time of tissue extraction in 77% of the cases. Baseline characteristics and perioperative outcomes were similar in all groups. In hysterectomy cases, the average specimen size was largest in the ML group (591 ± 419 g in the ML group compared with 368 ± 293 g in the PM group and 449 ± 175 g in the VM group, p = .0009). After multivariate regression, no significant difference was found in blood loss, length of stay, or complications. The operative time was shorter in the PM group compared with the ML group by 16 minutes (mean = 140 minutes [95% confidence interval, 130-149 minutes] compared with 156 [95% confidence interval, 146-167], p = .02); this association remained significant once additionally adjusting for the use or nonuse of containment bags (p = .05). CONCLUSION: We did not detect a significant difference between the 3 morcellation techniques when comparing the perioperative complications although the longest operative times were noted for the minilaparotomy approach. All 3 morcellation techniques represent viable options for tissue extraction at the time of minimally invasive surgery.