Goals, Structure and Financing of Surgical Residency Training: A Subcommittee Report of the Blue Ribbon Committee II.

OBJECTIVE: As part of the Blue Ribbon Committee II, review current goals, structure and financing of surgical training in Graduate Medical Education (GME) and recommend needed changes. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Surgical training has continually undergone major transitions with the 80-hour work week, earlier specialization (vascular, plastics and cardiovascular) and now entrustable professional activities (EPAs) as part of competency based medical education (CBME). Changes are needed to ensure the efficiencies of CBME are utilized, that stable graduate medical education funding is secured, and that support for surgeons who teach is made available. METHODS: Convened subcommittee discussions to determine needed focus for recommendations. RESULTS: Five recommendations are offered for changes to GME financing, incorporation of CBME, and support for educators, students and residents in training. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in surgical training related to CBME offer opportunity for change and innovation. Our subcommittee has laid out a potential path forward for improvements in GME funding, training structure, compensation of surgical educators, and support of students and residents in training.

Implementation of entrustable professional activities into fellowship council accredited programs: a pilot project.

OBJECTIVE: The Fellowship Council (FC) is transitioning to a competency-based medical education (CBME) model, including the introduction of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) for training and assessment of Fellows. This study describes the implementation process employed by the FC during a ten-month pilot project and presents data regarding feasibility and perceived value. METHODS: The FC coordinated the development of EPAs in collaboration with the sponsoring societies for Advanced GI/MIS, Bariatrics, Foregut, Endoscopy and Hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) fellowships encompassing the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of care for key competencies. Fifteen accredited fellowship programs participated in this project. The assessments were collected through a unique platform on the FC website. Programs were asked to convene a Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) on a quarterly basis. The pilot group met monthly to support and improve the process. An exit survey evaluated the perceived value of EPAs. RESULTS: The 15 participating programs included 18 fellows and 106 faculty. A total of 655 assessments were initiated with 429 (65%) completed. The average (SD) number of EPAs completed for each fellow was 24(18); range 0-72. Intraoperative EPAs were preferentially completed (71%). The average(SD) time for both the fellow and faculty to complete an EPA was 27(78) hours. Engagement increased from 39% of fellows completing at least one EPA in September to 72% in December and declining to 50% in May. Entrustment level increased from 6% of EPAs evaluated as "Practice Ready" in September to 75% in June. The exit survey was returned by 63% of faculty and 72% of fellows. Overall, 46% of fellows and 74% of program directors recommended full-scale implementation of the EPA framework. CONCLUSION: A competency-based assessment framework was developed by the FC and piloted in several programs. Participation was variable and required ongoing strategies to address barriers. The pilot project has prepared the FC to introduce CBME across all FC training programs.

Increased Intraoperative Faculty Entrustment and Resident Entrustability Does Not Compromise Patient Outcomes After General Surgery Procedures.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative resident autonomy has been compromised secondary to expectations for increased supervision without defined parameters for safe progressive independence, diffusion of training experience, and more to learn with less time. Surgical residents who are insufficiently entrusted during training attain less autonomy, confidence, and even clinical competency, potentially affecting future patient outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine if OpTrust, an educational intervention for increasing intraoperative faculty entrustment and resident entrustability, negatively impacts patient outcomes after general surgery procedures. METHODS: Surgical faculty and residents received OpTrust training and instruction to promote intraoperative faculty entrustment and resident entrustability. A post-intervention OpTrust cohort was compared to historical and pre-intervention OpTrust cohorts. Multivariable logistic and negative binomial regression was used to evaluate the impact of the OpTrust intervention and time on patient outcomes. SETTING: Single tertiary academic center. PARTICIPANTS: General surgery faculty and residents. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Thirty-day postoperative outcomes, including mortality, any complication, reoperation, readmission, and length of stay. RESULTS: A total of 8890 surgical procedures were included. After risk adjustment, overall patient outcomes were similar. Multivariable regression estimating the effect of the OpTrust intervention and time revealed similar patient outcomes with no increased risk (P > 0.05) of mortality {odds ratio (OR), 2.23 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.87-5.6]}, any complication [OR, 0.98 (95% CI, 0.76-1.3)], reoperation [OR, 0.65 (95% CI, 0.42-1.0)], readmission [OR, 0.82 (95% CI, 0.57-1.2)], and length of stay [OR, 0.99 (95% CI, 0.86-1.1)] compared to the historic and pre-intervention OpTrust cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: OpTrust, an educational intervention to increase faculty entrustment and resident entrustability, does not compromise postoperative patient outcomes. Integrating faculty and resident development to further enhance entrustment and entrustability through OpTrust may help facilitate increased resident autonomy within the safety net of surgical training without negatively impacting clinical outcomes.

Gender Differences in Entrustable Professional Activity Evaluations of General Surgery Residents.

OBJECTIVE: To determine differences in entrustable professional activity (EPA) assessments between male and female general surgery residents. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Evaluations play a critical role in career advancement for physicians. However, female physicians in training receive lower evaluations and underrate their own performance. Competency-based assessment frameworks, such as EPAs, may help address gender bias in surgery by linking evaluations to specific, observable behaviors. METHODS: In this cohort study, EPA assessments were collected from July 2018 to May 2020. The effect of resident sex on EPA entrustment levels was analyzed using multiple linear and ordered logistic regressions. Narrative comments were analyzed using latent dirichlet allocation to identify topics correlated with resident sex. RESULTS: Of the 2480 EPAs, 1230 EPAs were submitted by faculty and 1250 were submitted by residents. After controlling for confounding factors, faculty evaluations of residents were not impacted by resident sex (estimate = 0.09, P = 0.08). However, female residents rated themselves lower by 0.29 (on a 0-4 scale) compared to their male counterparts (P < 0.001). Within narrative assessments, topics associated with resident sex demonstrated that female residents focus on the "guidance" and "supervision" they received while performing an EPA, while male residents were more likely to report "independent" action. CONCLUSIONS: Faculty assessments showed no difference in EPA levels between male and female residents. Female residents rate themselves lower by nearly an entire post graduate year (PGY) level compared to male residents. Latent dirichlet allocation -identified topics suggest this difference in self-assessment is related to differences in perception of autonomy.

Peripheral nerve blocks with liposomal bupivacaine are associated with increased opioid use compared to thoracic epidural in patients with an epigastric incision.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic epidurals are commonly recommended in enhanced recovery protocols, though they may cause hypotension and urinary retention. Peripheral nerve blocks using liposomal bupivacaine are a potential alternative, though they have not been extensively studied in major cancer operations with an epigastric incision. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of prospectively collected data following the transition from thoracic epidural to liposomal peripheral nerve blocks in patients undergoing major oncologic surgery. Patients receiving peripheral nerve blocks were compared to those receiving thoracic epidural. Outcome variables included postoperative opioid use (milligram morphine equivalents [MME]), severe pain, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Forty-seven of 102 patients studied (46%) received peripheral nerve blocks. Opioid use was higher in the peripheral nerve block group during the 0-24 h (116 vs. 94 MME, p = 0.04) and 24-48 h postoperative period (94 vs. 23 MME, p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in severe pain, hypotension, urinary retention, or ileus. Peripheral nerve blocks were associated with earlier ambulation (1 vs. 2 days, p = 0.04), though other milestones were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Liposomal peripheral nerve blocks were associated with increased opioid use compared to thoracic epidural. On the basis of our results, thoracic epidural might be preferred in surgical oncology patients with an epigastric incision.

Imaging Assessment of Pancreatic Cancer Resectability After Neoadjuvant Therapy: AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review.

Despite important innovations in the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), PDAC remains a disease with poor prognosis and high mortality. A key area for potential improvement in the management of PDAC, aside from earlier detection in patients with treatable disease, is the improved ability of imaging techniques to differentiate treatment response after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) from worsening disease. It is well established that current imaging techniques cannot reliably make this distinction. This narrative review provides an update on the imaging assessment of pancreatic cancer resectability after NAT. Current definitions of borderline resectable PDAC, as well as implications for determining likely patient benefit from NAT, are described. Challenges associated with PDAC pathologic evaluation and surgical decision making that are of relevance to radiologists are discussed. Also explored are the specific limitations of imaging in differentiating the response after NAT from stable or worsening disease, including issues relating to protocol optimization, tumor size assessment, vascular assessment, and liver metastasis detection. The roles of MRI as well as PET and/or hybrid imaging are considered. Finally, a short PDAC reporting template is provided for use after NAT. The highlighted methods seek to improve radiologists' assessment of PDAC treatment response after NAT.

OpTrust: An Effective Educational Bundle for Enhancing Faculty-resident Intraoperative Entrustment.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to measure the efficacy of a novel faculty and resident educational bundle focused on development of faculty-resident behaviors and entrustment in the operating room. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: As surgical training environments are orienting to entrustable professional activities (EPAs), successful transitions to this model will require significant faculty and resident development. Identifying an effective educational initiative which prepares faculty and residents for optimizing assessment, teaching, learning, and interacting in this model is critical. METHODS: From September 2015 to June 2017, an experimental study was conducted in the Department of Surgery at the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS). Case observations took place across general, plastic, thoracic, and vascular surgical specialties. A total of 117 operating room observations were conducted during Phase I of the study and 108 operating room observations were conducted during Phase II following the educational intervention. Entrustment behaviors were rated for 56 faculty and 73 resident participants using OpTrust, a validated intraoperative entrustment instrument. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis showed a significant increase in faculty entrustment (Phase I = 2.32 vs Phase II = 2.56, P < 0.027) and resident entrustability (Phase I = 2.16 vs Phase II = 2.40, P < 0.029) scores following exposure to the educational intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows improved intraoperative entrustment following implementation of faculty and resident development, indicating the efficacy of this innovative educational bundle. This represents a crucial component in the implementation of a competency-based assessment framework like EPAs.

Comparison of the Perspectives of Medical Students and Residents on the Surgery Learning Environment.

BACKGROUND: The learning environment plays a critical role in learners' satisfaction and outcomes. However, we often lack insight into learners' perceptions and assessments of these environments. It can be difficult to discern learners' expectations, making their input critical. When medical students and surgery residents are asked to evaluate their teachers, what do they focus on? MATERIALS AND METHODS: Open-ended comments from medical students' evaluations of residents and attending surgeons and from residents' evaluations of attendings during the 2016-2017 academic year were analyzed. Content analysis was used, and codes derived from the data. A matrix of theme by learner role was created to distinguish differences between medical student and resident learners. Subthemes were grouped based on similarity into high-order themes. RESULTS: Two overarching themes were Creating a positive environment for learning by modeling professional behaviors and Intentionally engaging learners in training and educational opportunities. Medical students and residents made similar comments for the subthemes of appropriate demeanor, tone and dialog, respect, effective direct instruction, feedback, debriefing, giving appropriate levels of autonomy, and their expectations as team members on a service. Differences existed in the subthemes of punctuality, using evidence, clinical knowledge, efficiency, direct interactions with patients, learning outcomes, and career decisions. CONCLUSIONS: Faculty development efforts should target professional communication, execution of teaching skills, and relationships among surgeons, other providers, and patients. Attendings should make efforts to discuss their approach to clinical decision making and patient interactions and help residents and medical students voice their opinions and questions through trusting adult learner-teacher relationships.

Academic Advancement in Global Surgery: Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure: Recommendations From the American Surgical Association Working Group on Global Surgery.

: There is growing interest in global surgery among US academic surgical departments. As academic global surgery is a relatively new field, departments may have minimal experience in evaluation of faculty contributions and how they integrate into the existing academic paradigm for promotion and tenure. The American Surgical Association Working Group on Global Surgery has developed recommendations for promotion and tenure in global surgery, highlighting criteria that: (1) would be similar to usual promotion and tenure criteria (eg, publications); (2) would likely be undervalued in current criteria (eg, training, administrative roles, or other activities that are conducted at low- and middle-income partner institutions and promote the partnerships upon which other global surgery activities depend); and (3) should not be considered (eg, mission trips or other clinical work, if not otherwise linked to funding, training, research, or building partnerships).

Pancreatic Fistula and Delayed Gastric Emptying Are the Highest-Impact Complications After Whipple.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy are at risk for a variety of adverse postoperative events, including generic complications such as surgical site infection (SSI) and procedure-specific complications such as postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) and delayed gastric emptying (DGE). Knowing which complications have the greatest effect on these patients can help to maximize the value of quality improvement resources. This study aims to quantify the effect of specific postoperative complications on clinical outcomes and resource utilization after pancreaticoduodenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy between January 2014 and December 2016, who were included in the pancreatectomy-targeted American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, were assessed for the development of specific postoperative complications, along with the contributions of these complications toward subsequent clinical outcome and resource utilization. The main outcomes were 30-d end-organ dysfunction, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, nonrounding discharge status, and hospital readmission. Risk-adjusted population attributable fractions were estimated for each complication-outcome pair, with the population attributable fraction representing the anticipated percentage reduction in the outcome where the complication was able to be completely prevented. RESULTS: About 10,922 patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy were included for analysis. The most common postoperative complications were DGE (17.3%), POPF (10.1%), incisional SSI (10.0%), and organ/space SSI (6.2%). POPF and DGE were the only complications that demonstrated sizable effects for all clinical and resource utilization outcomes studied. Other complications had sizable effects for only a few of the outcomes or had small effects for all the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Quality initiatives seeking to minimize the burden imposed by postpancreaticoduodenectomy morbidity should focus on POPF and DGE rather than generic complications.

Predictors and outcomes of converted minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy: a propensity score matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Data-driven patient selection guidelines are not available to optimize outcomes in minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD). We aimed to define risk factors associated with conversion from MIPD to open PD and to determine the impact of conversion on post-operative outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of MIPD using NSQIP from 2014 to 2015. Propensity score was used to match patients who underwent completed MIPD to converted MIPD. RESULTS: 467 patients were included: 375 (80.3%) MIPD and 92 (19.7%) converted. Converted patients were more often male (64% vs. 52%, p = 0.030), had higher rates of dyspnea (10% vs. 3%, p = 0.009), underwent more vascular (44% vs. 14%, p < 0.001) or multivisceral resection (19% vs. 6%, p = 0.0005), and were more likely attempted laparoscopically compared to robotically (76% vs. 51%, p < 0.001). Robotic approach was independently associated with reduced risk of conversion (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.23-0.69), while male gender (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.02-2.84), history of dyspnea (OR 3.85, 95% CI 1.49-9.96), vascular resection (OR 4.32, 95% CI 2.53-7.37), and multivisceral resection (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.05-4.52) were associated with increased risk. Major complications were more common in converted patients (68% vs. 37%, p < 0.001). Converted patients had increased odds of non-home discharge (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.06-9.97) and an associated increased length of stay of 3 days (95% CI 0.1-6.7). CONCLUSION: Patients with a history of dyspnea or tumors requiring vascular or multivisceral resection were at increased risk of conversion, and the robotic platform was associated with a lower rate of conversion. Conversion was independently associated with increased overall complications, increased length of stay, and non-home discharge.

Natural history and cost analysis of surgical bypass versus endoscopic stenting for the palliative management of malignant gastric outlet obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) is managed with palliative surgical bypass or endoscopic stenting. Limited data exist on differences in cost and outcomes. METHODS: Patients with malignant GOO undergoing palliative gastrojejunostomy (GJ) or endoscopic stent (ES) were identified between 2012 and 2015 using the MarketScan® Database. Median costs (payments) for the index procedure and 90-day readmissions and re-intervention were calculated. Frequency of treatment failure-defined as repeat surgery, stenting, or gastrostomy tube-was measured. RESULTS: A total of 327 patients were included: 193 underwent GJ and 134 underwent ES. Compared to GJ, stenting resulted in lower total median payments for the index hospitalization and procedure-related 90-day readmissions ($18,500 ES vs. $37,200 GJ, p = 0.032). For patients treated with ES, 25 (19%) required a re-intervention for treatment-failure, compared to 18 (9%) patients who underwent GJ (p = 0.010). On multivariable analysis, stenting remained significantly associated with need for secondary re-intervention compared to GJ (HR for ES 2.0 [1.1-3.8], p 0.028). CONCLUSION: In patients with malignant GOO, endoscopic stenting results in significant 90-day cost saving, however was associated with twice the rate of secondary intervention. The decision for surgical bypass versus endoscopic stenting should consider patient prognosis, anticipated cost, and likelihood of needing re-intervention.

Alignment of Personality Is Associated With Increased Intraoperative Entrustment.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between intraoperative entrustment and personality alignment. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: For surgical residents, achieving operative autonomy has become increasingly difficult. The impact of faculty-resident operative interactions in accomplishing this goal is not well understood. We hypothesized that if operative dyads (faculty and resident) had personality alignment or congruency, then resident entrustment in the operating room would increase. METHODS: We completed a retrospective analysis of 63 operations performed from September 2015 to August 2016. Operations were scored using OpTrust, a validated tool that assesses progressive entrustment of responsibility to surgical residents in the operating room. All dyads were classified as having congruent or incongruent personality alignment as measured by promotion or prevention orientation using the regulatory focus questionnaire. The association between personality congruence and OpTrust scores was identified using multivariable linear regression. RESULTS: A total of 35 congruent dyads and 28 incongruent dyads were identified. Congruent dyads had a higher percentage of "very difficult" cases (33.3 vs. 7.4%, P = 0.017), female residents (37.1 vs. 14.3%, P = 0.042) and faculty with fewer years of experience (10.4 vs. 14.8%, P = 0.028) than incongruent dyads. In addition to post-graduate year level, dyad congruency was independently associated with a 0.88 increase (95% CI [0.27-1.49], P = 0.006) in OpTrust scores (overall range 2-8), after adjusting for case difficulty, faculty experience, and post-graduate year. CONCLUSIONS: Congruent operative dyads are associated with increased operative entrustment as demonstrated by increased OpTrust scores. Developing awareness and strategies for addressing incongruence in personality in the operative dyad is needed.

Adoption of evidence-based novel therapies in the treatment of gastric cancer: A national observational study.

BACKGROUND: The adoption of novel and effective gastric cancer therapies into general clinical practice has crucial implications for patient outcomes. The current study explored trends in treatment use and overall survival in patients with gastric cancer in the United States. METHODS: Patients with adenocarcinoma of the gastric cardia and noncardia were identified in the National Cancer Data Base between 2006 and 2014. Tumor stages were divided into early (IA), locally advanced (IB-IIIC), and metastatic (IV) stage. Treatment use was examined according to tumor stage and location. Time trend analyses of treatment use and overall survival were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 89,098 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma were identified. In those with early-stage cancer, endoscopic treatment increased over time in patients with cardia and noncardia disease. In patients with locally advanced cardia disease, preoperative therapy use increased over time (2013-2014 [vs 2006-2008]: odds ratio [OR], 3.09; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.80-3.41). In patients with locally advanced noncardia disease, the use of preoperative therapy also increased (2013-2014: OR, 3.32; 95% CI, 2.88-3.82) as did the use of perioperative therapy (2013-2014: OR, 4.21; 95% CI, 3.52-5.03) in lieu of postoperative treatment (2013-2014: OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.60-0.71). In patients with metastatic disease, approximately 34% of patients with cardia and 40% of patients with noncardia cancer did not receive treatment. Stage-specific and location-specific overall survival was found to improve over the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Practice patterns for the treatment of gastric cancer in the United States reflect the increased adoption of evidence-based therapies, including endoscopic resection of early-stage cancer and preoperative therapy for patients with locally advanced disease. Treatment for metastatic disease remains markedly underused. Cancer 2018;124:1122-31. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

The Surgeon Volume-outcome Relationship: Not Yet Ready for Policy.

OBJECTIVE: Increasing surgeon volume may improve outcomes for index operations. We hypothesized that there may be surrogate operative experiences that yield similar outcomes for surgeons with a low-volume experience with a specific index operation, such as esophagectomy. BACKGROUND: The relationship between surgeon volume and outcomes has potential implications for credentialing of surgeons. Restrictions of privileges based on surgeon volume are only reasonable if there is no substitute for direct experience with the index operation. This study was aimed at determining whether there are valid surrogates for direct experience with a sample index operation-open esophagectomy. METHODS: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2003-2009) was utilized. Surgeons were stratified into low and high-volume groups based on annual volume of esophagectomy. Surrogate volume was defined as the aggregate annual volume per surgeon of upper gastrointestinal operations including excision of esophageal diverticulum, gastrectomy, gastroduodenectomy, and repair of diaphragmatic hernia. RESULTS: In all, 26,795 esophagectomies were performed nationwide (2003-2009), with a crude inhospital mortality rate of 5.2%. Inhospital mortality decreased with increasing volume of esophagectomies performed annually: 7.7% and 3.8% for low and high-volume surgeons, respectively (P < 0.0001). Among surgeons with a low-volume esophagectomy experience, increasing volume of surrogate operations improved the outcomes observed for esophagectomy: 9.7%, 7.1%, and 4.3% for low, medium, and high-surrogate-volume surgeons, respectively (P = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Both operation-specific volume and surrogate volume are significant predictors of inhospital mortality for esophagectomy. Based on these observations, it would be premature to limit hospital privileges based solely on operation-specific surgeon volume criteria.

OpTrust: Validity of a Tool Assessing Intraoperative Entrustment Behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to establish evidence to support the validity of a novel faculty-resident intraoperative assessment tool for entrustment known as OpTrust. BACKGROUND: Recently, the landscape of surgical training has been altered, in part, because of resident work-hour changes and increased supervision requirements. To address these concerns, a new model for assessment of teaching and learning in surgical residencies must be anchored on progression through milestones and entrustment. METHODS: OpTrust was designed to assess the faculty-resident dyad in the operating room and measure the entrustment exhibited during intraoperative interactions across 5 domains: (i) types of questions asked, (ii) operative plan, (iii) instruction, (iv) problem solving, and (v) leadership by the surgical resident. After initial pilot testing and refinement of OpTrust, 5 individual raters underwent rater training sessions; 49 individual operating room observations were completed based on 28 cases. RESULTS: OpTrust, as a tool for assessing intraoperative entrustment, is supported by strong validity evidence. In part, it demonstrates strong interrater reliability across all faculty domains as measured by intraclass correlation 1 (ICC1) (0.81-0.93). For resident domains the results were similar with ICC1 (0.84-0.94). Cronbach alpha was 0.89 and 0.87 for faculty and resident entrustment respectively, signifying the 5 domains could be combined into a single construct of entrustment. A high correlation existed between faculty and resident scores (Pearson r = 0.94, P < 0.001) indicating a strong positive linear relationship between faculty and resident mean entrustment scores across all scale domains. CONCLUSIONS: OpTrust successfully assesses behaviors associated with entrustment during intraoperative faculty-resident interactions, and has the potential to be adopted across other procedural-based specialties to promote autonomous training progression.

Minimally Invasive Versus Open Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Propensity-matched Study From a National Cohort of Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the perioperative outcomes of minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD) in comparison with open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) in a national cohort of patients. BACKGROUND: Limited well-controlled studies exist comparing perioperative outcomes between MIPD and OPD. METHODS: Patients who underwent MIPD and OPD were abstracted from the 2014 to 2015 pancreas-targeted American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. OPD and MIPD patients were matched 3:1 using propensity score, and perioperative outcomes were compared. RESULTS: A total of 4484 patients were identified with 334 (7.4%) undergoing MIPD. MIPD patients were younger, more likely to be White, and had a lower rate of weight loss. They were more likely to undergo classic Whipple and to have a drain placed. After 3:1 matching, 1002 OPD patients were compared with 334 MIPD patients. MIPD was associated with longer mean operative time (426.6 vs 359.6 minutes; P < 0.01), higher readmission rate (19.2% vs 14.3%; P = 0.04) and lower rate of prolonged length of stay >14 days (16.5% vs 21.6%; P = 0.047). The 2 groups had a similar rate of 30-day mortality (MIPD 1.8% vs OPD 1.3%; P = 0.51), overall complications, postoperative pancreatic fistula, and delayed gastric emptying. A secondary analysis comparing MIPD without conversion or open assist with OPD showed that MIPD patients had lower rates of overall surgical site infection (13.4% vs 19.6%; P = 0.04) and transfusion (7.9% vs 14.4%; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: MIPD had an equivalent morbidity and mortality rate to OPD, with the benefit of a decreased rate of prolonged length of stay, though this is partially offset by an increased readmission rate.

Adjuvant Therapy Is Associated With Improved Survival in Resected Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma: A Propensity Matched Study.

BACKGROUND: There are limited well-controlled studies that conclusively demonstrate a benefit of adjuvant therapy in resected perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. Most studies include all biliary tract tumors as one entity despite the heterogeneity of these diseases. METHODS: We identified patients with resected perihilar cholangiocarcinoma from the National Cancer Database between 2006 and 2013. Patients who received adjuvant therapy (AT) were compared to an observation (OB) cohort by propensity score matching. RESULTS: We identified 1846 patients: 1053 patients (57%) in the OB group, and 793 (43%) in the AT group. Patients who received adjuvant therapy were more likely to be younger, have a higher rate of private insurance, have higher T and N stage tumors, and were more likely to have positive resection margins. After 1:1 propensity score matching, 577 OB group patients were compared with 577 AT group patients. The AT cohort was associated with better overall survival compared with the OB cohort (hazard ratio [HR] 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64-0.83). The median survival was 29.5 and 23.3 months for the AT and OB groups, respectively (P < 0.01). Subgroup analysis demonstrated a survival advantage for adjuvant therapy in disease with positive resection margins (HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.42-0.67). CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant therapy is associated with improved survival in resected perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, especially in disease with positive resection margins. This study supports the use of adjuvant therapy in high-risk patients.

Comparison of Overall Survival Between Preoperative Chemotherapy and Chemoradiotherapy for Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Preoperative therapy is being increasingly used in the treatment of resectable pancreatic cancer. Because there are only limited data on the optimal preoperative regimen, we compared overall survival (OS) between preoperative chemotherapy (CT) and preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Patients and Methods: Patients receiving preoperative therapy and resection for clinical T1-3N0-1M0 adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were identified in the National Cancer Database for 2006 through 2012. We constructed inverse probability of treatment weights to balance baseline group differences, and compared OS between CT and CRT, as well as pathologic and postoperative findings. Results: We identified 1,326 patients (CT: 616; CRT: 710). Differences in OS were not significant between CRT and CT (median survival, 25 vs 26 months; P=.10; weight-adjusted hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.77-1.02). Compared with patients in the CT group, those in the CRT group had lower pathologic T stage (ypT0/T1/T2: 36% vs 21%; P<.01), less lymph node involvement (ypN1: 35% vs 59%; P<.01), and fewer positive resection margins (14% vs 21%; P=.01), but had more postoperative unplanned readmissions (9% vs 6%; P=.01) and increased 90-day mortality (7% vs 4%; P=.03). Those in the CRT group were also less likely to receive postoperative therapy (26% vs 51%; P<.01). Conclusions: Preoperative CT and CRT have similar OS, but CRT is associated with more favorable pathologic features at the cost of higher postoperative morbidity and mortality. Additional trials investigating preoperative therapy are needed for patients with resectable pancreatic cancer.

Racial and ethnic disparities in a national cohort of ampullary cancer patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Racial and ethnic variations have been described in the different malignancies, but no such data exists for ampullary cancer. The aim of this study was to present an updated report on the epidemiology, treatment patterns, and survival of a national cohort of ampullary cancer patients. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with ampullary cancer between 2004 and 2014 were identified in the National Cancer Database. Overall survival was estimated and compared between racial/ethnic groups using the log-rank test. RESULTS: A total of 14 879 patients were identified; 78% of the patients were White, 9% Hispanic, 8% Black, and 5% Asian. We noted significant differences in disease presentation, socioeconomic status, and outcomes. Blacks had the lowest median overall survival at 18.9 months followed by Whites at 23.9 months, Hispanics at 32.7 months, and Asians at 37.4 months. On a multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model, being Black was associated with worse survival compared to being White while being Asian and Hispanic were associated with better survival. CONCLUSIONS: Overall survival of ampullary cancer patients was independently associated with race and ethnicity. Further studies are needed to clarify whether these disparities are primarily due to socioeconomic status or biologic factors.