Counting the cost: financial implications of complications following pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has been reported to be about 30-53%. These complications can double hospital costs. We sought to explore the financial implications of complications after PD in a large institutional database. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing PD from 2010-2017 was performed. Costs for index hospitalization were divided into categories: operating room, postoperative ward, radiology and interventional radiology. Complications were categorized according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Univariable and mutivariable analysis were performed. RESULTS: Median cost of index admission for 997 patients who underwent PD was $23,704 (range $10,988-$528,531). Patients with major complications incurred significantly greater median costs compared to those without ($40,005 vs $21,306, p < 0.001). Patients with postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) grade A, B and C had progressively increasing costs ($32,164, $50,264 and $102,013, p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis ileus/delayed gastric emptying, respiratory failure, clinically significant POPF, thromboembolic complications, reoperation, duration of surgery >240 minutes and male sex were associated with significantly increased costs. CONCLUSION: Complications after PD significantly increase hospital costs. This study identifies the major contributors towards increased cost post-PD. Initiatives that focus on prevention of complications could reduce associated costs and ease financial burden on patients and healthcare organizations.

Narcotic sparing postoperative analgesic strategies after pancreatoduodenectomy: analysis of practice patterns for 1004 patients.

BACKGROUND: Improved post-operative outcomes have been demonstrated in gastrointestinal procedures where a narcotic sparing strategy has been utilized. Data for pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) patients is limited. This study reviews an institutional database for outcomes based on initial analgesic strategy. METHODS: 1004 consecutive patients who underwent PD at Emory University between 2010 and 2017, were included in the analysis. Patients were divided into groups based on primary analgesic strategy employed: epidural alone (EPI), patient controlled opiate analgesia (PCA), dual (dual-PCA/EPI) and other (non-PCA/EPI). Postoperative outcomes for each group were analyzed utilizing univariate and multivariate linear regression. RESULTS: 448 (44.6%) patients were treated with EPI, 300 (29.9%) were given a PCA, 78 (7.8%) had dual-PCA/EPI and 178 (17.7%) had non-PCA/EPI analgesia. On univariate analysis, increased BMI (p = 0.030), PCA use (p < 0.001), venous thromboembolism (VTE) (p < 0.001), post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) (p < 0.001) and Ileus/delayed gastric emptying (DGE) (p < 0.001) were all correlated with increased LOS. On multivariate linear regression, VTE (b-coefficient 9.07, p = 0.004) POPF (8.846, p = 0.001), Ileus/DGE (4.464, p = 0.004) and PCA use (1.75, p = 0.003) were associated with significantly increased LOS. CONCLUSION: A primary narcotic sparing strategy is associated with a significantly reduced LOS and lower rates of Ileus/DGE. Mean opiate usage was significantly lower in the EPI and non-EPI/PCA groups.

Unravelling the Complexity Myth for Minimally Invasive Right Hepatectomy: Liver Parenchymal Features and their Correlation to Objective Outcomes in Major Anatomical Resections.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive approaches to major liver resection have been limited by presumed difficulty of the operation. While some concerns arise from mastering the techniques, factors such as tumor size and liver parenchymal features have anecdotally been described as surrogates for operative difficulty. These factors have not been systematically studied for minimally invasive right hepatectomy (MIRH). METHODS: Seventy-five patients who underwent MIRH during 2007-2016 by the senior author were evaluated; these were compared to control group of open right hepatectomy. Demographics, operative, and post-operative variables were collected. Operative times and estimated blood loss, two objective parameters of operative difficulty were correlated to volume of hepatic resection, parenchymal transection diameter and liver parenchymal features using regression analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-eight (50.6%) resections were performed for malignant indications. Average tumor size was 5.7 cm (±3.6), mean operative time was 196 min (±74), and mean EBL was 220 mL (±170). Average transection diameter was 10.1 cm (±1.7). There was no correlation between operative difficulty with parenchymal transection diameter or presence of steatosis. Blood loss was higher with increased right hepatic lobe volume and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis of a very defined anatomical resection suggests that the often quoted radiographic and pathologic features indicative of a challenging procedure were not significant in determining operative difficulty.

Post-Pancreatectomy Diabetes Index: A Validated Score Predicting Diabetes Development after Major Pancreatectomy.

BACKGROUND: Literature is varied regarding risk factors associated with diabetes development after major pancreatic resection. The aim was to develop and validate a scoring index that preoperatively predicts the development of diabetes after pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy. STUDY DESIGN: In this prospective study, perioperative fasting and postprandial (OGTT, oral glucose tolerance test) plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin, and c-peptide were measured in select consecutive patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy by the senior author, from 2007 to 2018. American Diabetes Association definitions were used for glycemic classifications. Statistical analyses included multivariate generalized estimated equation for factor identification and variable weighting; area under the receiver operating curve (ROC) c-statistic for predictive ability, and survival analysis risk score grouping. RESULTS: Of 1,083 included patients with preoperative normoglycemia (253; 23.4%), prediabetes (362; 33.4%), and diabetes (468; 43.2%), the overall postoperative incidence of each diabetic class at 120 months was 152 (14.0%), 466 (43.0%), and 465 (42.9%), respectively. The development and validation groups included 1,023 and 60 patients, respectively. Five factors were identified predicting diabetes development, with a total possible score of 8. The C-statistics for development and validation groups were 0.727 (CI 0.696 to 0.759, p < 0.001) and 0.823 (CI 0.718 to 0.928, p < 0.001), respectively. At a cut point of 3 (sensitivity 0.691, specificity 0.644) the Post-pancreatectomy Diabetes Index (PDI) independently predicted diabetes in development (odds ratio [OR] 4.298, relative risk [RR] 2.486, CI 1.238 to 5.704, p < 0.001) and validation (OR 6.970, RR 2.768, CI 2.182 to 22.261, p < 0.001) groups. The PDI similarly predicted pre-diabetes in development (OR 1.961, RR 1.325, CI 1.202 to 2.564, p < 0.001) and validation (OR 4.255, RR 1.798, CI 1.247 to 14.492, p = 0.021) groups. CONCLUSIONS: The Post-pancreatectomy Diabetes Index predicts the development of diabetes and pre-diabetes in patients undergoing major pancreatectomy using routine endocrine laboratories and pre-surgical clinical data.