Management of Massive Flank Hernia After Lateral Lumbar Fusion: Preoperative Botulinum Toxin Injections and Open Repair - A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Incisional flank hernias represent a complication after lateral lumbar spine surgery. Given the increasing rate of lateral lumbar interbody fusions, the rate of incisional flank hernias will increase. Since there are no reports of open massive flank hernia repair utilizing preoperative botulinum injections, we sought to publish this technique to provide surgeons with an innovative method for preoperatively treating patients with massive flank hernias. CASE REPORT A 75-year-old man with a history of coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, and abdominal hernia repair presented for evaluation of left lateral abdominal and left lower back bulging for 5 months. The symptoms began after an L2-L4 lateral lumbar spinal fusion. Physical examination revealed a left posterior lateral flank bulge. Computed tomography (CT) showed a fat-containing left posterolateral abdominal hernia. The patient was scheduled for CT-guided lateral abdominal wall botulinum injections, followed by open flank hernia repair. He tolerated the surgery well, was admitted for pain control, and discharged on day 2. Repeat imaging with CT at 3 months showed no evidence of patient's prior hernia defect. CONCLUSIONS Open flank hernia repair, in conjunction with preoperative botulinum toxin injections, allows for optimal visualization and re-approximation of the myofascial components of flank hernia defects. Failure to achieve adequate myofascial and skin closure, along with mesh reinforcement, in open flank hernia repair can result in various surgical site complications, including incisional flank hernia recurrence. We recommend further investigation on the benefits of botulinum injections as an adjunct in management of massive flank hernias.

Impact of Insurance Type on Access to Pain Management Specialists for the Treatment of Lower Back Pain.

Background Low back pain is known to be one of the leading causes of disability among the young and elderly population. Low back pain can stem from multiple sources, including spinal degeneration, injury, herniated discs, sciatica, and other contributing causes. This symptom significantly influences the quality of life of affected individuals. Its implications include extensive social and economic costs. Economic considerations arise from the fact that not all healthcare facilities accept the insurance plans available to retired individuals under Medicare. This places an additional burden on patients who must bear the financial responsibility for healthcare services not covered by their insurance plan. Florida, renowned as a favored state for retirement, consists of a demographic composition wherein 21% of its residents are aged 65 or older. A significant proportion of this demographic qualifies for Traditional Medicare (TM) and/or Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Thus, understanding the disparities in healthcare access between Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans is crucial. This study aims to evaluate different Medicare insurances available in the market and their impact on the ease of accessibility to pain management specialists for the treatment of lower back pain in Florida patients. Methods We analyzed the Florida Department of Health database to identify the four counties in Florida with the highest Medicare enrollment rates in 2022: Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Broward, and Pinellas County. Using the U.S. News and Report directory, 25 Pain Management-trained anesthesiologists were randomly selected from each of the four counties. Each office was contacted four times via telephone by four different team members to assess appointment availability for a fictional 65-year-old grandfather seeking treatment for chronic low back pain. The study examined appointment availability and accepted insurance types, including Cigna (commercial insurance), TM, Humana Gold Plus HMO (Medicare Advantage plan), and Blue Medicare Select PPO (Medicare Advantage plan). Practices without contact information or retired physicians were excluded from the analysis. Time to appointment was measured in business days. Results Of the 100 Pain Management Physicians contacted, 44 fit the inclusion criteria of being non-retired physicians, still practicing in one of the four counties with open offices and valid contact information. Blue Medicare Select PPO was accepted by 47.73%, Humana Gold Plus HMO by 56.82%, TM by 93.18%, and Cigna by 93.18% of the encounters. Blue Medicare select PPO and Humana Gold Plus HMO were accepted at significantly lower rates when compared to Traditional Medicare and Cigna with P values of P < .00001 and P < .000176, respectively. There was no significant difference found in the time to appointment between insurances with P value < 7. Conclusion The study found that patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans have significantly decreased access to care when compared to those enrolled in TM or commercial insurance. Further research is needed to elucidate the reasons behind differences in access to care across different insurances, as identified in the study.

Time Period of Treatment's Effect on the Association Between Race and Survival in Patients With Malignant Colorectal Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignancies diagnosed in the United States, with 126,240 new cases diagnosed in 2020. Past studies have shown that disparities may exist between certain patient populations, but it is unknown how they are affected over time as treatments evolve. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the decade of treatment modifies the association between race and five-year survival in adults diagnosed and treated for malignant colorectal adenocarcinomas since the 1970s. METHODS: This was a non-concurrent retrospective cohort study using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database of the National Cancer Institute. The inclusion criteria involved patients with primary malignant colorectal adenocarcinoma between the years 1975 and 2018. Exclusion criteria included previous malignancies or missing information on any of the variables. The exposure variable was the patient's race, and the main outcome variable was average five-year survival rates. The effect modifier was the time period in which the patient received treatment. The covariates of the study included age, sex, Hispanic status, surgical intervention recommendation, and disease stage. Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox regression models. RESULTS: As the interaction term between race/ethnicity and year of diagnosis was statistically significant, the data were stratified according to year of diagnosis. Black patients in both time periods had a higher mortality rate from malignant colorectal carcinoma after adjustment for the covariates (1975-1990: HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.06-1.15; 1991-2018: HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.16-1.23) when compared with White patients. American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Asian patients were found to have lower mortality in both time periods when compared with White patients (1975-1990: HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.95; 1991-2018: HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89-0.96). CONCLUSION: Our data found that despite the evolution in the standard of care treatment for malignant colorectal adenocarcinoma since the year 1975, Black patients had lower five-year survival rates when compared with their White counterparts as well as increased rates of being diagnosed with this disease. Overall, addressing these disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes is critical for improving public health and reducing healthcare costs.