Size thresholds for repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms warrant reconsideration.

BACKGROUND: The historical size threshold for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair is widely accepted to be 5.5 cm for men and 5.0 cm for women. However, contemporary AAA rupture risks may be lower than historical benchmarks, which has implications for when AAAs should be repaired. Our objective was to use contemporary AAA rupture rates to inform optimal size thresholds for AAA repair. METHODS: We used a Markov chain analysis to estimate life expectancy for patients with AAA. The primary outcome was AAA-related mortality. We estimated survival using Social Security Administration life tables and published contemporary AAA rupture estimates. For those undergoing repair, we modified survival estimates using data from the Vascular Quality Initiative and Medicare on complications, late rupture, and open conversion. We used this model to estimate the AAA repair size threshold that minimizes AAA-related mortality for 60-year-old average-health men and women. We performed a sensitivity analysis of poor-health patients and 70- and 80-year-old base cases. RESULTS: The annual risk of all-cause mortality under surveillance for a 60-year-old woman presenting with a 5.0 cm AAA using repair thresholds of 5.5 cm, 6.0 cm, 6.5 cm, and 7.0 cm was 1.7%, 2.3%, 2.7%, and 2.8%, respectively. The corresponding risk for a man was 2.3%, 2.9%, 3.3%, and 3.4% for the same repair thresholds, respectively. For a 60-year-old average-health woman, an AAA repair size of 6.1 cm was the optimal threshold to minimize AAA-related mortality. Life expectancy varied by <2 months for repair at sizes from 5.7 cm to 7.1 cm. For a 60-year-old average-health man, an AAA repair size of 6.9 cm was the optimal threshold to minimize AAA-related mortality. Life expectancy varied by <2 months for repair at sizes from 6.0 cm to 7.4 cm. Women in poor health, at various age strata, had optimal AAA repair size thresholds that were >6.5 cm, whereas men in poor health, at all ages, had optimal repair size thresholds that were >8.0 cm. CONCLUSIONS: The optimal threshold for AAA repair is more nuanced than a discrete size. Specifically, there appears to be a range of AAA sizes for which repair is reasonable to minmized AAA-related mortality. Notably, they all are greater than current guideline recommendations. These findings would suggest that contemporary AAA size thresholds for repair should be reconsidered.

Sharing FAIR monitoring program data improves discoverability and reuse.

Data resulting from environmental monitoring programs are valuable assets for natural resource managers, decision-makers, and researchers. These data are often collected to inform specific reporting needs or decisions with a specific timeframe. While program-oriented data and related publications are effective for meeting program goals, sharing well-documented data and metadata allows users to research aspects outside initial program intentions. As part of an effort to integrate data from four long-term large-scale US aquatic monitoring programs, we evaluated the original datasets against the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles and offer recommendations and lessons learned. Differences in data governance across these programs resulted in considerable effort to access and reuse the original datasets. Requirements, guidance, and resources available to support data publishing and documentation are inconsistent across agencies and monitoring programs, resulting in various data formats and storage locations that are not easily found, accessed, or reused. Making monitoring data FAIR will reduce barriers to data discovery and reuse. Programs are continuously striving to improve data management, data products, and metadata; however, provision of related tools, consistent guidelines and standards, and more resources to do this work is needed. Given the value of these data and the significant effort required to access and reuse them, actions and steps intended on improving data documentation and accessibility are described.

Contemporary outcomes of precision banding for high flow hemodialysis access.

OBJECTIVE: High-flow hemodialysis accesses are a well-recognized source of patient morbidity. Among available management strategies inflow constriction based on real-time physiologic flow monitoring offers a technically straightforward data-driven approach with potentially low morbidity. Despite the benefits offered by this approach, large contemporary series are lacking. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained clinical database was undertaken to capture patients undergoing precision banding within a signal tertiary care institution between 2010 and 2019. Multivariable logistic regression modeling of thrombosis within 30 days and re-banding within 1 year were performed. RESULTS: In total, 297 patients underwent banding during the study period for a total number of 398 encounters. Median [IQR] follow-up was 157 [52-373] days. Most accesses were upper arm with brachial artery inflow (84%) and half of the banding procedures were performed for flow imbalance based on exam, duplex, or fistulogram. Median flow rate reduction was 58%. The 30-day thrombosis rate after banding was 15 of 397 (3.8%) with a median time to event of 5.5 days (2-102). The re-banding rate within a year was 54 of 398 (14%) with a median time to re-banding of 134 days [56-224]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis using a univariate screen did not identify any predictors of 30-day thrombosis. Having a forearm radial-cephalic AVF compared to all other access types was protective against need for rebanding at 1 year (OR 0.12 95% CI 0.02-0.92, p = 0.04), as was flow imbalance as the indication for banding (OR 0.43 95% 0.23-0.79, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Precision banding offers an effective, low-morbidity approach for high-flow hemodialysis accesses. Early thrombosis is a rare event after precision banding, although in the long term, one in four patients will require re-banding to maintain control of flow volumes.

Contemporary indications for open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in the endovascular era.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the emergence of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) as the most common approach to abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, open aneurysm repair (OAR) remains an important option. This study seeks to define the indications for OAR in the EVAR era and how these indicatioxns effect outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed of all OAR at a single institution from 2004 to 2019. Preoperative computed tomography scans and operative records were assessed to determine the indication for OAR. These reasons were categorized into anatomical contraindications, systemic factors (connective tissue disorders, contraindication to contrast dye), and patient or surgeon preference (patients who were candidates for both EVAR and OAR). Perioperative and long-term outcomes were compared between the groups. RESULTS: We included 370 patients in the analysis; 71.6% (265/370) had at least one anatomic contraindication to EVAR and 36% had two or more contraindications. The most common anatomic contraindications were short aortic neck length (51.6%), inadequate distal seal zone (19.2%), and inadequate access vessels (15.7%). The major perioperative complication rate was 18.1% and the 30-day mortality was 3.0%. No single anatomic factor was identified as a predictor of perioperative complications. Sixty-one patients (16.5%) underwent OAR based on patient or surgeon preference; these patients were younger, had lower incidences of coronary artery disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and were less likely to require suprarenal cross-clamping compared with patients who had anatomic and/or systemic contraindications to EVAR. The patient or surgeon preference group had a lower incidence of perioperative major complications (8.2% vs 20.1%; P = .034), shorter length of stay (6 days vs 8 days; P < .001) and no 30-day mortalities. The multivariable adjusted risk for 15-year mortality was lower for patient or surgeon preference patients (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.24-0.80; P = .007) compared with those anatomic or systemic contraindications. CONCLUSIONS: Within a population of patients who did not meet instruction for use criteria for EVAR, no single anatomic contraindication was a marker for worse outcomes with OAR. Patients who were candidates for both aortic repair approaches but elected to undergo OAR owing to patient or surgeon preference have very low 30-day mortality and morbidity, and superior long-term survival rates compared with those patients who underwent OAR owing to anatomic and/or systemic contraindications to EVAR.

Comparative analysis of open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair outcomes across national registries.

OBJECTIVE: In a recent analysis, we discovered lower mortality after open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (OAAA) in the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) database when compared with previously published reports of other national registries. Understanding differentials in these registries is essential for their utility because such datasets increasingly inform clinical guidelines and health policy. METHODS: The VQI, American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), and National Inpatient Sample (NIS) databases were queried to identify patients who had undergone elective OAAA between 2013 and 2016. χ2 tests were used for frequencies and analysis of variance for continuous variables. RESULTS: In total, data from 8775 patients were analyzed. Significant differences were seen across the baseline characteristics included. Additionally, the availability of patient and procedural data varied across datasets, with VQI including a number of procedure-specific variables and NIS with the most limited clinical data. Length of stay, primary insurer, and discharge destination differed significantly. Unadjusted in-hospital mortality also varied significantly between datasets: NIS, 5.5%; NSQIP, 5.2%; and VQI, 3.3%; P < .001. Similarly, 30-day mortality was found to be 3.5% in VQI and 5.9% in NSQIP (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: There are fundamental important differences in patient demographic/comorbidity profiles, payer mix, and outcomes after OAAA across widely used national registries. This may represent differences in outcomes between institutions that elect to participate in the VQI and NSQIP compared with patient sampling in the NIS. In addition to avoiding direct comparison of information derived from these databases, it is critical these differences are considered when making policy decisions and guidelines based on these "real-world" data repositories.

A multicenter, prospective randomized trial of negative pressure wound therapy for infrainguinal revascularization with a groin incision.

BACKGROUND: Wound complications after open infrainguinal revascularization are a frequent cause of patient morbidity, resulting in increased healthcare costs. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of closed incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT) on groin wound complications after infrainguinal bypass and femoral endarterectomy. METHODS: A total of 242 patients who had undergone infrainguinal bypass (n = 124) or femoral endarterectomy (n = 118) at five academic medical centers in New England from April 2015 to August 2019 were randomized to ciNPT (PREVENA; 3M KCI, St Paul, Minn; n = 118) or standard gauze (n = 124). The primary outcome measure was a composite endpoint of groin wound complications, including surgical site infections (SSIs), major noninfectious wound complications, or graft infections within 30 days after surgery. The secondary outcome measures included 30-day SSIs, 30-day noninfectious wound complications, readmission for wound complications, significant adverse events, and health-related quality of life using the EuroQoL 5D-3L survey. RESULTS: The ciNPT and control groups had similar demographics (age, 67 vs 67 years, P = .98; male gender, 71% vs 70%, P = .86; white race, 93% vs 93%, P = .97), comorbidities (previous or current smoking, 93% vs 94%, P = .46; diabetes, 41% vs 48%, P = .20; renal insufficiency, 4% vs 7%, P = .31), and operative characteristics, including procedure type, autogenous conduit, and operative time. No differences were found in the primary composite outcome at 30 days between the two groups (ciNPT vs control: 31% vs 28%; P = .55). The incidence of SSI at 30 days was similar between the two groups (ciNPT vs control: 11% vs 12%; P = .58). Infectious (13.9% vs 12.6%; P = .77) and noninfectious (20.9% vs 17.6%; P = .53) wound complications at 30 days were also similar for the ciNPT and control groups. Wound complications requiring readmission also similar between the two groups (ciNPT vs control: 9% vs 7%; P = .54). The significant adverse event rates were not different between the two groups (ciNPT vs control: 13% vs 16%; P = .53). The mean length of the initial hospitalization was the same for the ciNPT and control groups (5.2 vs 5.7 days; P = .63). The overall health-related quality of life was similar at baseline and at 14 and 30 days postoperatively for the two groups. Although not powered for stratification, we found no differences among the subgroups in gender, obesity, diabetes, smoking, claudication, chronic limb threatening ischemia, bypass, or endarterectomy. On multivariable analysis, no differences were found in wound complications at 30 days for the ciNPT vs gauze groups (odds ratio, 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.8-2.6; P = .234). CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to other randomized studies, our multicenter trial of infrainguinal revascularization found no differences in the 30-day groin wound complications for patients treated with ciNPT vs standard gauze dressings. However, the SSI rate was lower in the control group than reported in other studies, suggesting other practice patterns and processes of care might have reduced the rate of groin infections. Further study might identify the subsets of high-risk patients that could benefit from ciNPT.

Racial Disparities in Treatment for Rectal Cancer at Minority-Serving Hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Racial disparities exist in patients with rectal cancer with respect to both treatment and survival. Minority-serving hospitals (MSHs) provide healthcare to a disproportionately large percent of minority patients in the USA. We examined the effects of rectal cancer treatment at MSH to understand drivers of these disparities. METHODS: The NCDB was queried (2004-2015), and patients diagnosed with stage II or III rectal adenocarcinoma were identified. Racial case mix distribution was calculated at the institutional level, and MSHs were defined as those within the top decile of Black and Hispanic patients. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of receipt of standard of care treatment. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate adjusted risk of death. Analyses were clustered by facility. RESULTS: A total of 68,842 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 63,242 (91.9%) were treated at non-MSH, and 5600 (8.1%) were treated at MSH. In multivariable analysis, treatment at MSH (OR 0.70 95%CI 0.61-0.80 p < 0.001) and Black race (OR 0.75 95%CI 0.70-0.81 p < 0.001) were associated with significantly lower odds of receiving standard of care. In adjusted analysis, Black patients had a significantly higher risk of mortality (HR 1.20 95%CI 1.14-1.26 p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment at MSH institutions and Black race were associated with significantly decreased odds of receipt of recommended standard therapy for locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma. Survival was worse for Black patients compared to White patients despite adjustment for receipt of standard of care.

Crowd-Sourced and Attending Assessment of General Surgery Resident Operative Performance Using Global Ratings Scales.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the extent to which both crowd and intraoperative attending ratings using objective structured assessment of technical skill (OSATS) or global objective assessment of laparoscopic skills (GOALS) would correlate with the system for improving procedural learning (SIMPL) Zwisch and Performance scales. DESIGN: Comparison of directly observed versus crowd sourced review of operative video. SETTING: Operative video captured at 2 institutions. PARTICIPANTS: Six (6) core general surgery procedures, 3 open and 3 laparoscopic, were selected from the American Board of Surgery's Resident Assessments list. Thirty-two cases performed by General Surgery residents across all training levels at 2 institutions were filmed. Videos were condensed using a standardized protocol to include the critical portion of the procedure.  Condensed videos were then submitted to crowd-sourced assessment of technical skills (C-SATS), an online crowd source-driven assessment service, for assessment using the appropriate resident assessment form (GOALS or OSATS) as well as with the SIMPL Zwisch and Performance scales. Crowd workers watched an educational tutorial on how to use the Zwisch and SIMPL Performance rating scales prior to participating. Attendings scored residents using the same tools immediately after the shared operative experience. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Crowd raters evaluated 32 procedures using GOALS/OSATS, Zwisch and Performance (35-50 ratings per video). Attendings also evaluated all 32 procedures using GOALS/OSATS and 26 of the procedures using SIMPL Zwisch and Performance. Pearson correlation coefficients with 95% confidence intervals for crowd ratings were: GOALS and Zwisch -0.40 [-0.73 to 0.10], OSATS and Zwisch 0.11 [-0.41 to 0.57], GOALS and Performance -0.06 [-0.44 to 0.35], and OSATS and Performance 0.22 [-0.46 to 0.20]. Pearson correlation coefficients for attendings were: GOALS and Zwisch (0.77), OSATS and Zwisch (0.65), GOALS and Performance (0.93), and OSATS and Performance (0.59). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, correlations between crowd-sourced ratings using GOALS/OSATS and SIMPL global operative performance ratings tools were weak, yet for attendings, they were strong. Direct attending assessment may be required for evaluation of global performance while crowd sourcing may be more suitable for technical assessment.  Further studies are needed to see if more extensive crowd training would result in improved ability for global performance evaluation.

Concordance Between Expert and Nonexpert Ratings of Condensed Video-Based Trainee Operative Performance Assessment.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the impact of video editing and rater expertise in surgical resident evaluation on operative performance ratings of surgical trainees. DESIGN: Randomized independent review of intraoperative video. SETTING: Operative video was captured at a single, tertiary hospital in Boston, MA. PARTICIPANTS: Six common general surgery procedures were video recorded of 6 attending-trainee dyads. Full-length and condensed versions (n = 12 videos) were then reviewed by 13 independent surgeon raters (5 evaluation experts, 8 nonexperts) using a crossed design. Trainee performance was rated using the Operative Performance Rating Scale, System for Improving and Measuring Procedural Learning (SIMPL) Performance scale, the Zwisch scale, and ten Cate scale. These ratings were then standardized before being compared using Bayesian mixed models with raters and videos treated as random effects. RESULTS: Editing had no effect on the Operative Performance Rating Scale Overall Performance (-0.10, p = 0.30), SIMPL Performance (0.13, p = 0.71), Zwisch (-0.12, p = 0.27), and ten Cate scale (-0.13, p = 0.29). Additionally, rater expertise (evaluation expert vs. nonexpert) had no effect on the same scales (-0.16 (p = 0.32), 0.18 (p = 0.74), 0.25 (p = 0.81), and 0.25 (p = 0.17). CONCLUSIONS: There is little difference in operative performance assessment scores when raters use condensed videos or when raters who are not experts in surgical resident evaluation are used. Future validation studies of operative performance assessment scales may be facilitated by using nonexpert surgeon raters viewing videos condensed using a standardized protocol.

Local versus Radical Excision of Early Distal Rectal Cancers: A National Cancer Database Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Local excision (LE) has been proposed as an alternative to radical resection for early distal rectal cancer, for which the optimal oncologic treatment remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to compare the overall survival of rectal cancer patients with early distal tumors who underwent LE versus abdominoperineal resection (APR) using a large contemporary database. METHODS: The National Cancer Database (2004-2013) was used to identify patients with early T-stage rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent LE or APR. Patients were split into groups based on T stage and type of surgery (LE vs. APR). The primary outcome measure was overall survival. An adjusted Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the impact of treatment strategy on survival. RESULTS: Overall, there were 2084 patients with T1 tumors and 912 patients with T2 tumors. For patients with T1 disease, after adjusting for age, sex, income level, race, Charlson score, insurance payor, and tumor size, there was no significant difference in survival between the LE and APR groups (hazard ratio [HR] 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-1.22; P = 0.49). For patients with T2 disease, after adjusting for age, Charlson score, and tumor size, there was no significant difference in survival between patients undergoing LE + chemoradiation therapy (CRT) and APR (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.84-1.45; P = 0.47). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with early distal rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent LE had similar survival to patients who underwent APR. LE is an acceptable oncologic treatment strategy for patients with T1 rectal cancers, and LE with CRT is an acceptable oncologic treatment for patients with T2 distal rectal cancers.

Emergency intraoperative vascular surgery consultations at a tertiary academic center.

OBJECTIVE: Vascular surgeons are frequently called on to provide emergency assistance to surgical colleagues. Whereas previous studies have included elective preoperative vascular consultations, we sought to characterize the breadth of assistance provided during unplanned intraoperative consultations at a single tertiary academic center. METHODS: We queried our institutional billing department during a 15-year period and reviewed the records (January 1, 2002-December 31, 2016) and identified unanticipated unplanned vascular surgery intraoperative consultations from all surgical services. Patients' demographics and comorbidities were recorded along with the consulting services, type of index operation, reasons for vascular consultation, regions of anatomic interventions, type of vascular interventions performed, and outcomes achieved. RESULTS: There were 419 emergency intraoperative consultations identified. Patients were 51% male, with an average age of 57 years and body mass index of 28.3 kg/m2. The most frequently consulting subspecialties included surgical oncology (n = 139 [33.2%]), cardiac surgery (n = 82 [19.6%]), and orthopedics (n = 44 [10.5%]). Index cases were elective/nonurgent (n = 324 [77.3%]), urgent (n = 27 [6.4%]), and emergent (n = 68 [16.2%]), with a majority involving tumor resection (n = 240 [57.3%]). The primary reasons for vascular consultation were revascularization (n = 213 [50.8%]), control of bleeding (n = 132 [31.5%]), assistance with dissection or exposure (n = 46 [11%]), embolic protection (n = 24 [5.7%]), and other (n = 4 [1.1%]). The primary blood vessel and anatomic field of intervention were categorized. Most cases (n = 264 [63%]) included preservation of blood flow, including primary arterial repair (n = 181 [43.2%]), patch angioplasty (n = 83 [19.8%]), bypass (n = 63 [15%]), and thrombectomy (n = 38 [9.1%]). Postoperative mean length of stay was 15 days, with 30-day and 1-year mortality of 7.2% and 26.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular surgeons are called on to provide unplanned open surgical consultations for a wide variety of specialties over wide-ranging anatomic regions, employing a variety of skills and techniques. This study testifies to the essential services supplied to hospitals and our surgical colleagues along with the broad skills and training necessary for modern vascular surgeons.

Reduction in Cardiac Arrhythmias Within an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program in Colorectal Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a multimodal perioperative care pathway designed to achieve early recovery by preserving preoperative organ function and minimizing the stress response following surgery. Few studies have assessed the association between ERAS and postoperative cardiac complications. The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of ERAS on postoperative cardiac complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of colorectal patients who underwent surgery at a tertiary colorectal cancer referral center was carried out. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors including demographics, comorbidities, medications, and fluid administration were recorded. The primary outcome was postoperative cardiac arrhythmia, and secondary outcomes included other postoperative complications. RESULTS: A total of 800 patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery were identified. Four hundred seventeen patients (52%) were in the control group and 383 patients (48%) were in the ERAS group. Patients in both groups were similar with regard to demographics and clinical characteristics. There were significantly higher rates of cardiac arrhythmia in the control group (5.3%) compared with the ERAS group (1.8%), p = 0.009. Multivariable analysis revealed that ERAS was an independent predictor of decreased postoperative cardiac arrhythmia (OR 0.30, 95%CI 0.17-0.55, p < 0.001) while older age was an independent predictor of increased postoperative cardiac arrhythmia (OR 1.08, 95%CI 1.02-1.13, p = 0.008). Patients receiving lower amounts of intravenous fluids had significantly decreased postoperative cardiac arrhythmia (OR = 0.25, 95%CI 0.09-0.67, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: ERAS and goal-directed fluid therapy are associated with significant reductions in postoperative cardiac arrhythmias.

Association of Domestic Responsibilities With Career Satisfaction for Physician Mothers in Procedural vs Nonprocedural Fields.

Importance: Physicians who are mothers face challenges with equal distribution of domestic duties, which can be an obstacle in career advancement and achieving overall job satisfaction. Objectives: To study and report on the association between increased domestic workload and career dissatisfaction and if this association differed between proceduralists and nonproceduralists. Design, Setting, and Participants: Data for this study were gathered from April 28 to May 26, 2015, via an online survey of 1712 attending physician mothers recruited from the Physician Moms Group. Statistical analysis was performed from August 25, 2017, to November 20, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures: Univariate analysis was performed for respondents who reported sole responsibility for 5 or more vs fewer than 5 main domestic tasks. Independent factors associated with career dissatisfaction or a desire to change careers were identified using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Of the 1712 respondents, most were partnered or married (1698 [99.2%]), of which 458 (27.0%) were in procedural specialties. Overall, respondents reported having sole responsibility for most domestic tasks, and there were no statistically significant differences between procedural and nonprocedural groups. Physician mothers in procedural specialties primarily responsible for 5 or more domestic tasks reported a desire to change careers more often than those responsible for fewer than 5 tasks (105 of 191 [55.0%] vs 114 of 271 [42.1%]; P = .008). This difference was not noted in physician mothers in nonprocedural specialties. In multivariate analysis of the proceduralist cohort, primary responsibility for 5 or more tasks was identified as a factor independently associated with the desire to change careers (odds ratio, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-2.2; P = .05). Conclusions and Relevance: Physician mothers report having more domestic responsibilities than their partners. For proceduralist mothers, self-reported higher levels of domestic responsibility were associated with career dissatisfaction. Increasing numbers of mothers in the medical workforce may create a demand for more equitable distribution and/or outsourcing of domestic tasks.

Value and Barriers to Use of the SIMPL Tool for Resident Feedback.

OBJECTIVE: The System for Improving and Measuring Procedural Learning (SIMPL) is a smart-phone application used to provide residents with an evaluation of operative autonomy and feedback. This study investigated the perceived benefits and barriers to app use. DESIGN: A database of previously performed SIMPL evaluations was analyzed to identify high, low, and never users. Potential predisposing factors to use were explored. A survey investigating key areas of value and barriers to use for the SIMPL application was sent to resident and faculty users. Respondents were asked to self-identify how often they used the app. The perceived benefits and barriers were correlated with the level of usage. Qualitative analysis of free text responses was used to determine strategies to increase usage. SETTING: General surgery training programs who are members of the Procedural Learning and Safety Collaborative. PARTICIPANTS: Surgical residents and faculty. RESULTS: At least 1 SIMPL evaluation was created for 411 residents and 524 faculty. Thirty percent of both faculty and residents were high-frequency users. Thirty percent of faculty were never users. One hundred eighty-eight residents and 207 faculty (response rate 46%) completed the survey. High-frequency resident users were more likely to perceive a benefit for both numerical evaluations (76% vs 30%) and dictated feedback (92% vs 30%). Faculty and residents commonly blamed each other for not creating and completing evaluations regularly (87% of residents, 81% of faculty). Suggested strategies to increase usage included reminders and integration with existing data systems. CONTRIBUTIONS: Frequent users perceive value from the application, particularly from dictated feedback and see a positive impact on feedback in their programs. Faculty engagement represents a major barrier to adoption. Mechanisms which automatically remind residents to initiate an evaluation will help improve utilization but programs must work to enhance faculty willingness to respond and dictate feedback.

Oncologic outcomes for low rectal adenocarcinoma following low anterior resection with coloanal anastomosis versus abdominoperineal resection: a National Cancer Database propensity matched analysis.

PURPOSE: Low anterior resection with coloanal anastomosis (CAA) for low rectal cancer is a technically difficult operation with limited data available on oncologic outcomes. We aim to investigate overall survival and operative oncologic outcomes in patients who underwent CAA compared to abdominoperineal resection (APR). METHODS: The National Cancer Database (2004-2013) was used to identify patients with non-metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent CAA or APR. Patients were 1:1 matched on age, gender, Charlson score, tumor size, tumor grade, pathologic stage, and radiation treatment with propensity scores. The primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes included 30-day mortality and resection margins. RESULTS: Following matching, 3536 patients remained in each group. No significant differences in matched demographic, treatment, or tumor variables were seen between groups. There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality (1.24% vs. 1.39%, p = 0.60). Following resection, margins were more likely to be negative after CAA compared with APR (5.26% vs. 8.14%, p < 0.001). When stratified by pathologic stage, there was a significant survival advantage for individuals undergoing CAA compared to APR (stage 1 HR 0.72, [95% CI 0.62-0.85], p < 0.001; stage 2 HR 0.76, [95% CI 0.65-0.88], p < 0.001; stage 3 HR 0.76, [95% CI 0.67-0.85], p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing CAA compared with APR for rectal cancer have better overall survival and are less likely to have positive margins despite the technically challenging operation.

How Many Observations are Needed to Assess a Surgical Trainee's State of Operative Competency?

OBJECTIVE: To establish the number of operative performance observations needed for reproducible assessments of operative competency. BACKGROUND: Surgical training is transitioning from a time-based to a competency-based approach, but the number of assessments needed to reliably establish operative competency remains unknown. METHODS: Using a smart phone based operative evaluation application (SIMPL), residents from 13 general surgery training programs were evaluated performing common surgical procedures. Two competency metrics were investigated separately: autonomy and overall performance. Analyses were performed for laparoscopic cholecystectomy performances alone and for all operative procedures combined. Variance component analyses determined operative performance score variance attributable to resident operative competency and measurement error. Generalizability and decision studies determined number of assessments needed to achieve desired reliability (0.80 or greater) and determine standard errors of measurement. RESULTS: For laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 23 ratings are needed to achieve reproducible autonomy ratings and 17 ratings are needed to achieve reproducible overall operative performance ratings. For the undifferentiated mix of procedures, 60 ratings are needed to achieve reproducible autonomy ratings and 40 are needed for reproducible overall operative performance ratings. CONCLUSION: The number of observations needed to achieve reproducible assessments of operative competency far exceeds current certification requirements, yet remains an important and achievable goal. Attention should also be paid to the mix of cases and raters in order to assure fair judgments about operative competency and fair comparisons of trainees.

Female Representation and Implicit Gender Bias at the 2017 American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons' Annual Scientific and Tripartite Meeting.

BACKGROUND: Women surgeons are underrepresented in academic surgery and may be subject to implicit gender bias. In colorectal surgery, women comprise 42% of new graduates, but only 19% of Diplomates in the United States. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the representation of women at the 2017 American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Scientific and Tripartite Meeting and assessed for implicit gender bias. DESIGN: This was a prospective observational study. SETTING: The study occurred at the 2017 Tripartite Meeting. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measured was the percentage of women in the formal program relative to conference attendees and forms of address. METHODS: Female program representation was quantified by role (moderator or speaker), session type, and topic. Introductions of speakers by moderators were classified as formal (using a professional title) or informal (using name only), and further stratified by gender. RESULTS: Overall, 31% of meeting attendees who are ASCRS members were women, with higher percentages of women as Candidates (44%) and Members (35%) compared with Fellows (24%). Women comprised 28% of moderators (n = 26) and 28% of speakers (n = 80). The highest percentage of women moderators and speakers was in education (48%) and the lowest was in techniques and technology (17%). In the 41 of 47 sessions evaluated, female moderators were more likely than male moderators to use formal introductions (68.7% vs 54.0%, p = 0.02). There was no difference when female moderators formally introduced female versus male speakers (73.9% vs 66.7%, p = 0.52); however, male moderators were significantly less likely to formally introduce a female versus male speaker (36.4% vs 59.2%, p = 0.003). LIMITATIONS: Yearly program gender composition may fluctuate. Low numbers in certain areas limit interpretability. Other factors potentially influenced speaker introductions. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, program representation of women was similar to meeting demographics, although with low numbers in some topics. An imbalance in the formality of speaker introductions between genders was observed. Awareness of implicit gender bias may improve gender equity and inclusiveness in our specialty. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A802.

Local Excision Versus Radical Resection for 1- to 2-cm Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Rectum: A National Cancer Database Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The optimal surgical management for 1- to 2-cm, nonmetastatic rectal neuroendocrine tumors remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine overall survival and operative outcomes in patients who underwent local excision versus radical resection of rectal neuroendocrine tumors. DESIGN: The National Cancer Database (2004-2013) was queried to identify patients with nonmetastatic rectal neuroendocrine tumors who underwent local excision or radical resection. SETTING: The study included national data. PATIENTS: There were 274 patients in the local excision group and 47 patients in the radical resection group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes included 30-day mortality, hospital length of stay, and procedural outcomes. RESULTS: There were no differences in demographics between the 2 groups. Patients who underwent radical resection had slightly larger tumors with higher stage and grade. Patients undergoing local excision had higher rates of positive margins (8.23% vs 0%; p = 0.04). There were no deaths within 30 days in either group, but patients who had radical resection had longer median hospital length of stay (0 vs 3 d; p < 0.01). After adjusting with a Cox proportional hazards model, no difference was seen in survival between the 2 patient groups (HR = 2.39 (95% CI, 0.85-6.70); p = 0.10). LIMITATIONS: There are several limitations, which include that this work is a retrospective review; the data set does not include variables such as depth of tumor invasion, which may influence surgical treatment or local recurrence rates; and patients were not randomly assigned to treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: There is no survival benefit to radical resection of 1- to 2-cm, nonmetastatic rectal neuroendocrine tumors. This suggests that local excision may be a feasible and less morbid option for intermediate-sized rectal neuroendocrine tumors. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A744.

Colorectal Cancer in Ukraine: Regional Disparities and National Trends in Incidence, Management, and Mortality.

Purpose: The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing worldwide, and the greatest increase is in low- to middle-income countries, such as Ukraine. Better knowledge of epidemiology of CRC in Ukraine is needed to understand how best to decrease the burden of disease. Methods: The National Cancer Registry of Ukraine (NCRU) was queried for CRC incidence, mortality, stage, and treatment in Ukraine and assessed for regional variation from 1999 to 2015. Joinpoint analysis was used to analyze the trends. Results: The incidence of colon cancer increased from 10.6 to 13.3 occurrences per 100,000, which provided an average annual percent change (AAPC) of 1.48 (95% CI, 1.3 to 1.7; P < .05). The incidence of rectal and anal cancers also increased from 9.9 to 11.5 occurrences per 100,000, which provided an AAPC of 1.0 (95% CI, 0.8 to 1.3; P < .05). Mortality remained the same (AAPC, 0.1; 95% CI, -0.3 to 0.2; P = .4). The proportion of patients who received cancer-specific treatment increased from 54.6% to 68.5% for colon cancer and from 61% to 74.4% for rectal and anal cancers. Overall, 34.5% of patients with colon cancer and 27.5% of patients with rectal cancer died within a year of diagnosis in 2015. Great regional variations in 1-year mortality and treatment received were identified. Conclusion: The incidence of CRC in Ukraine is increasing. Despite stable mortality rates, many do not receive cancer-specific treatment, and a large proportion of patients die within a year of diagnosis. These findings illustrate the need to promote establishment of a screening program and to improve access to cancer-specific therapy in Ukraine.