Role of oxygen reserve index monitoring in patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is a common surgical procedure for the treatment of prostate cancer. Although beneficial, it can lead to intraoperative hypoxia due to high-pressure pneumoperitoneum and Trendelenburg position. This study explored the use of oxygen reserve index (ORi) to monitor and predict hypoxia during RARP. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 329 patients who underwent RARP at the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between July 2021 and March 2023. Various pre- and intraoperative variables were collected, including ORi values. The relationship between ORi values and hypoxia occurrence was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Intraoperative hypoxia occurred in 18.8% of the patients. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed a satisfactory area under the curve of 0.762, with the ideal ORi cut-off value for predicting hypoxia set at 0.16. Sensitivity and specificity were 64.5% and 75.7%, respectively. An ORi value of < 0.16 and a higher body mass index were identified as independent risk factors of hypoxia during RARP. CONCLUSIONS: ORi monitoring provides a non-invasive approach to predict intraoperative hypoxia during RARP, enabling early management. Additionally, the significant relationship between a higher body mass index and hypoxia underscores the importance of individualized patient assessment.

Comparison of Volatile Anesthetics Versus Propofol on Postoperative Cognitive Function After Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of volatile anesthetics and propofol on neurocognitive function after cardiac surgery. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. SETTING: A literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 10 randomized controlled trials comparing volatile anesthetics and propofol in cardiac surgery were included in the study. INTERVENTIONS: The standardized mean difference and risk ratio were calculated to estimate pooled effect sizes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome was the postoperative neurocognitive function score, and the secondary outcome was the incidence of delirium after cardiac surgery. The analysis did not show significant differences in postoperative neurocognitive function scores (standardized mean difference -0.06, 95% CI -0.81-0.69; p = 0.879). The incidences of delirium (risk ratio 1.10, 95% CI 0.81-1.50) between the volatile anesthetics and propofol groups were not significant (p = 0.533). CONCLUSIONS: Unlike noncardiac surgery, there are no differences between volatile anesthetics and propofol regarding postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery.

Comparison between ketorolac- and fentanyl-based patient-controlled analgesia for acute kidney injury after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a retrospective propensity score-matched analysis.

PURPOSE: It is unclear whether ketorolac-based patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) leads to acute kidney injury (AKI) after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in patients susceptible to AKI. We compared the postoperative AKI incidence with ketorolac- and fentanyl-based PCA after RARP. METHODS: After medical record review, eligible patients were divided in ketorolac and fentanyl groups. We conducted propensity score matching of 3239 patients and assigned 641 matched patients to each group, and compared the AKI incidence. We investigated potential risk factors for postoperative AKI, defined according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. We collected preoperative data (age, height, weight, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, medical history, creatinine level, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and hemoglobin level) and intraoperative data (maintenance anesthetics, surgery duration, anesthesia duration, crystalloid amount, colloid use, total amount of fluid administered, estimated blood loss, norepinephrine use, phenylephrine use, and PCA type). RESULTS: The postoperative AKI incidence was significantly higher in the ketorolac than in the fentanyl group, both before (31.1% vs. 20.4%; p < 0.001) and after (31.5% vs. 22.6%; p < 0.001) matching. In the univariate analysis, ketorolac was significantly associated with postoperative AKI, both before (odds ratio [OR], 1.762; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.475-2.105; p < 0.001) and after (OR, 1.574; 95% CI, 1.227-2.019; p < 0.001) matching. In the multivariate analysis, ketorolac-based PCA was independently associated with development of postoperative AKI in the matched groups (OR, 1.659; 95% CI, 1.283-2.147; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Ketorolac-based PCA may increase postoperative AKI incidence after RARP; thus, renal function should be monitored in these patients.

Decreased income, unemployment, and disability after craniotomy for brain tumor removal: a South Korean nationwide cohort study.

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of quality-of-life deterioration and associated factors in patients who underwent craniotomies for brain tumor removal. Additionally, we examined whether deteriorating quality of life after surgery might affect mortality. METHODS: As a national population-based cohort study, data were extracted from the National Health Insurance Service database of South Korea. Adult patients (≥ 18 years old) who underwent craniotomy for excision of brain tumors after diagnosis of malignant brain tumor between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2017, were included in this study. RESULTS: A total of 4852 patients were included in the analysis. Among them, 2273 patients (46.9%) experienced a deterioration in quality of life after surgery. Specifically, 595 (12.3%) lost their jobs, 1329 (27.4%) experienced decreased income, and 844 (17.4%) patients had newly acquired disabilities. In the multivariable Cox regression model, a lower quality of life was associated with a 1.41-fold higher 2-year all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 1.41, 95% confidence interval: 1.27-1.57; P < 0.001). Specifically, newly acquired disability was associated with 1.80-fold higher 2-year all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 1.80, 95% confidence interval: 1.59-2.03; P < 0.001), while loss of job (P = 0.353) and decreased income (P = 0.599) were not significantly associated. CONCLUSIONS: At 1-year follow-up, approximately half the patients who participated in this study experienced a deterioration in the quality-of-life measures of unemployment, decreased income, and newly acquired disability after craniotomy for excision of brain tumors. Newly acquired disability was associated with increased 2-year all-cause mortality.

Preoperative Statin Use and 90-Day Mortality After Noncardiac Surgery: A Hospital Registry Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between preadmission statin use and 90-day mortality after planned elective noncardiac surgery in adult patients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Statin therapy is known to have pleiotropic effects, which improve the outcomes of various diseases. However, the effect of perioperative statin therapy on postoperative mortality remains controversial. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed the medical records of adult patients who were admitted to a single tertiary academic hospital for elective noncardiac surgery between January 2012 and December 2018. The primary endpoint was 90-day mortality, which was defined as any mortality within 90 days after surgery. The secondary endpoint was overall survival. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, a total of 33,514 patients (16,757 patients in each group) were included in the analysis. The logistic regression analysis of the propensity score-matched cohort indicated that the odds ratio (OR) of 90-day mortality in the statin group was 26% lower than that of the nonstatin group [OR: 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.59 to 0.92; P = 0.009]. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the high-dose intensity statin group had a 61% lower 90-day mortality rate than the nonstatin group (OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.18-0.84; P = 0.016). The overall survival time was significantly longer in the statin group than in the nonstatin group after propensity score matching (P < 0.001 by log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative statin use was associated with lower 90-day mortality and longer overall survival for adult patients who underwent elective noncardiac surgery. This association was more evident for high-intensity statin users.

Blood transfusion had no influence on the 5-year biochemical recurrence after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Although red blood cells (RBC) transfusion is known to be significantly associated with biochemical recurrence in patients undergoing open prostatectomy, its influence on biochemical recurrence after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to validate the effect of RBC transfusion on the 5-year biochemical recurrence in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy at single tertiary academic hospital between October 2007 and December 2014. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to identify any potential variables associated with 5-year biochemical recurrence. RESULTS: A total of 1311 patients were included in the final analysis. Of these, 30 patients (2.3%) were transfused with RBC either during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy or during their hospital stay, which corresponded to 5-year biochemical recurrence of 15.7%. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that RBC transfusion had no influence on the 5-year biochemical recurrence. Variables including pathologic T stage (Hazard ratio [HR] 3.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4-5.1 p < 0.001), N stage (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.5-3.7, p < 0.001), Gleason score (HR 2.4, 95% CI 1.8-3.2, p < 0.001), and surgical margin (HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.5-2.8, p < 0.001) were independently associated with the 5-year biochemical recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: RBC transfusion had no significant influence on the 5-year biochemical recurrence in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

Factors associated with a 30-day unplanned readmission after elective spine surgery: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify factors that are independently associated with the 30-day unplanned readmission rate of patients who underwent elective spine surgery. METHODS: This study was a retrospective cohort study conducted in a single tertiary academic hospital. The study analyzed the electronic health records of adult patients aged 18 years or older who underwent inpatient elective spine surgery under general anesthesia between January 2010 and March 2018. The primary endpoint was an unplanned readmission within 30 days. The study used uni- and multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULT: A total of 7,025 patients were included in the analysis. Among the patients included in the analysis, 215 patients (3.1%) had unplanned readmission within 30 days after being discharged following elective spine surgery. In the complete-case analysis in the multivariable model, the factors associated with a 30-day unplanned readmission were found to be preoperative ASA physical status of ≥ 3 (vs 1) (OR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.27, 3.84; P = 0.005), cancer (OR: 4.60, 95% CI: 2.72, 7.77; P < 0.001), and pRBC transfusion (OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.20, 2.71; P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The present study showed that preoperative ASA physical status of ≥ 3, diagnosis of cancer, and transfusion of pRBC were associated with an increased 30-day unplanned readmission rate after elective spine surgery.

Effects of magnesium on the dose of rocuronium for deep neuromuscular blockade: A randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Magnesium is known to enhance the effect of rocuronium, but the extent is not quantified. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to quantify the effect of magnesium on the dose of rocuronium for deep neuromuscular blockade. DESIGN: A randomised controlled study. SETTING: A single tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS: Seventy males scheduled to undergo robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, aged between 20 and 80 years with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification 1 or 2, were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomised to either the magnesium group or control group. The magnesium group were infused with 50 mg kg-1 of magnesium, followed by a continuous intra-operative infusion at 15 mg kg-1 h-1 while the control group were infused with the same volumes of 0.9% saline. Deep neuromuscular blockade was maintained with a continuous infusion of rocuronium and was reversed using sugammadex. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the dose of rocuronium administered to maintain deep neuromuscular blockade. The secondary outcomes were recovery time, defined as the time from the administration of sugammadex to train-of-four ratio 0.9, and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. RESULTS: The dose of rocuronium administered to maintain deep neuromuscular blockade was significantly lower in the magnesium group (7.5 vs. 9.4 µg kg-1 min-1, P = 0.01). There was no difference in recovery time or the incidence of nausea and vomiting. CONCLUSION: Magnesium reduced the dose of rocuronium required for deep neuromuscular blockade by approximately 20% without affecting the recovery time after administration of sugammadex. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04013243.

Comparison of the effects of sugammadex and neostigmine on hospital stay in robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Sugammadex reduces postoperative complications. We sought to determine whether it could reduce the length of hospital stay, post-anesthetic recovery time, unplanned readmission, and charges for patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) when compared to neostigmine. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study of patients who underwent RALP between July 2012 and July 2017, in whom rocuronium was used as a neuromuscular blocker. The primary outcome was the length of hospital stay after surgery in patients who underwent reversal with sugammadex when compared to those who underwent reversal with neostigmine. The secondary outcomes were post-anesthetic recovery time, hospital charges, and unplanned readmission within 30 days after RALP. RESULTS: In total, 1430 patients were enrolled. Using a generalized linear model in a propensity score-matched cohort, sugammadex use was associated with a 6% decrease in the length of hospital stay (mean: sugammadex 7.7 days vs. neostigmine 8.2 days; odds ratio [OR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.89, 0.98], P = 0.008) and an 8% decrease in post-anesthetic recovery time (mean: sugammadex 36.7 min vs. neostigmine 40.2 min; OR 0.92, 95% CI [0.90, 0.94], P < 0.001) as compared to neostigmine use; however, it did not reduce the 30-day unplanned readmission rate (P = 0.288). The anesthesia charges were higher in the sugammadex group than in the neostigmine group (P < 0.001); however, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of postoperative net charges (P = 0.061) and total charges (P = 0.100). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the reversal of rocuronium effects with neostigmine, reversal with sugammadex after RALP was associated with a shorter hospital stay and post-anesthetic recovery time, and was not associated with 30-day unplanned readmission rates and net charges.

Pre-operative chronic opioid or glucocorticoid use and mortality after noncardiac surgery: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The chronic use of opioids and glucocorticoids is associated with serious side effects. Moreover, both medications are related to poor long-term postoperative outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the association between pre-operative chronic opioid and glucocorticoid use and 90-day mortality after noncardiac surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective, population-based cohort study. SETTING: Single tertiary academic hospital. PATIENTS: The study enrolled adult (≥18 years of age) patients admitted to Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, between January 2012 and December 2018 for planned, elective, noncardiac surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The study compared the 90-day mortality for patients using opioids or glucocorticoids chronically (≥3 months) prior to surgery and for opioid-naïve and glucocorticoid-naïve patients. RESULTS: A total of 112 606 patients were included in the study. Among them, 107 843 (95.9%) were opioid-naïve and glucocorticoid-naïve patients; 3373 (3.0%), 1199 (1.1%) and 191 patients (0.2%) were chronic users of opioids, glucocorticoids or both, respectively. In the multivariable model, compared with opioid-naïve and glucocorticoid-naïve patients, the odds of dying within 90 days were significantly higher for chronic users of opioids [3.56-fold; 95% confidence intervals (CIs) 2.36 to 5.38; P < 0.001], glucocorticoids (4.17-fold; 95% CI 3.28 to 5.29; P < 0.001) and combined opioids and glucocorticoids (7.66-fold; 95% CI 3.91 to 15.01; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Chronic pre-operative use of opioids and glucocorticoids, together or individually, were associated with increased 90-day mortalities after noncardiac surgery, compared with opioid-naïve and glucocorticoid-naïve patients. Our results suggest that chronic pre-operative use of opioids and glucocorticoids should be managed carefully.

Peri-operative serum lactate level and postoperative 90-day mortality in a surgical ICU: A retrospective association study.

BACKGROUND: There is inadequate information on the association of pre-operative and postoperative peak level of lactate with mortality of surgical ICU patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between peri-operative lactate level and 90-day mortality in patients admtted to the surgical ICU. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: ICUs in single tertiary academic hospital. PATIENTS: Adult patients postoperatively admitted to the ICU between January 2012 and December 2017. INTERVENTION: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hazard ratios of 90-day mortality according to the following serum lactate levels were assessed: pre-operative lactate level; peak lactate levels on postoperative day (POD) 0 to 3; and delta values of the lactate level on POD 0 to 3 from pre-operative lactate level. Multivariable Cox regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses were used. RESULTS: Overall 9248 patients were included, among whom 2511, 8690 and 1958 had measured pre-operative lactate levels, lactate levels within POD 0 to 3, and lactate levels measured at both timepoints, respectively. When the peak lactate level on POD 0 to 3 and delta lactate level all increased by 1 mmol l, 90-day mortality increased by 15% [hazard ratio: 1.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11 to 1.19; P < 0.001] and 14% (hazard ratio: 1.14; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.18; P < 0.001), respectively; the pre-operative lactate level was not significantly associated with 90-day mortality (P = 0.069). The area under the curve for peak level of lactate on POD 0 to 3 (0.72, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.74) was higher than that of pre-operative lactate level (0.58, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.60) in the receiver operating characteristic analysis. CONCLUSION: In patients admitted postoperatively to the ICU, higher peri-operative lactate levels were associated with increased 90-day mortality. The peak level of lactate during POD 0 to 3 showed the most significant contribution to this association.

Preadmission Statin Use and 90-day Mortality in the Critically Ill: A Retrospective Association Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the association between preadmission statin use and 90-day mortality in critically ill patients and to investigate whether this association differed according to statin type and dose. We hypothesized that preadmission statin use was associated with lower 90-day mortality. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed the medical records of all adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit in a single tertiary academic hospital between January 2012 and December 2017. Data including preadmission statin use, statin subtype, and daily dosage were collected, and the associations between these variables and 90-day mortality after intensive care unit admission were examined. The primary endpoint was 90-day mortality. RESULTS: A total of 24,928 patients (7,396 statin users and 17,532 non-statin users) were included. After propensity score matching, 5,354 statin users and 7,758 non-statin users were finally included. The 90-day mortality rate was significantly higher in non-statin users (918 of 7,758; 11.8%) than in statin users (455 of 5,354; 8.5%; P < 0.001). In Cox regression analysis, the 90-day mortality rate was lower among statin users than among non-statin users (hazard ratio: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.63 to 0.79; P < 0.001). Rosuvastatin use was associated with 42% lower 90-day mortality (hazard ratio: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.72; P < 0.001). There were no specific significant differences in the association between daily statin dose and 90-day mortality. In competing risk analysis, the risk of noncardiovascular 90-day mortality in statin users was 32% lower than that in non-statin users (hazard ratio: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.78; P < 0.001). Meanwhile, cardiovascular 90-day mortality was not significantly associated with statin use. CONCLUSIONS: Preadmission statin use was associated with a lower 90-day mortality. This association was more evident in the rosuvastatin group and with noncardiovascular 90-day mortality; no differences were seen according to daily dosage intensity.

Trends in chronic opioid use and association with five-year survival in South Korea: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) was developed to provide population data for medical research. The aim of this study was to estimate trends in prescription opioid use in South Korea, and to determine the association between chronic opioid use and 5-yr mortality in cancer and non-cancer patients. METHODS: A population-based cohort study was conducted amongst the South Korean adult population using data from the NHIS. Those prescribed a continuous supply of opioids for ≥90 days were defined as chronic opioid users. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association between chronic opioid use and 5-yr mortality. RESULTS: The proportion of chronic weak opioid users increased from 1.03% in 2002 to 9.62% in 2015. The proportion of chronic strong opioid users increased from 0.04% in 2002 to 0.24% in 2015. In the 2010 cohort (n=822 214), compared with non-users, chronic weak opioid users had a significantly lower 5-yr mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.89-0.96; P<0.001), and chronic strong opioid users had a significantly higher 5-yr mortality (HR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.28-1.63; P<0.001). Similar results were observed in non-cancer patients, but chronic weak opioid users were not significantly associated with 5-yr mortality in cancer patients (P=0.063). CONCLUSIONS: In South Korea, chronic opioid use has increased since 2002. Chronic strong opioid use was associated with a higher 5-yr mortality, and chronic weak opioid use was associated with a slightly lower 5-yr mortality. However, the findings regarding chronic weak opioid users should be interpreted carefully because there might be residual confounders in this study. Further study is needed to confirm these retrospective findings.

Preadmission chronic opioid usage and its association with 90-day mortality in critically ill patients: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of chronic opioid usage with 90-day mortality in critically ill patients after admission to the ICU. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analysed the medical records of adult patients admitted to ICUs in a tertiary academic hospital between January 2012 and December 2017. Patients taking opioids regularly for more than 4 weeks before ICU admission were defined as chronic opioid users, whereas the others were defined as opioid-naïve patients. RESULTS: We selected 18 409 patients for this study, including 757 (4.1%) chronic opioid users. After propensity matching, 2990 patients (chronic opioid users, 757; opioid-naïve, patient: 2233) were included in the analysis. The odds of 90-day mortality were higher in chronic opioid users than in opioid-naïve patients using both the generalised estimating equation model for the propensity-matched cohort (odds ratio=1.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.57-2.31; P<0.001) and the multivariable logistic regression model for the entire cohort (odds ratio=2.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.81-2.66; P<0.001). Additionally, this association was significant in cancer patients and non-chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and was not significant in non-cancer and CKD patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that in a cohort of critically ill adult patients, chronic opioid use is associated with an increase in 90-day mortality. This association was more evident in cancer patients and non-CKD patients.

Association of Preoperative Serum Chloride Levels With Mortality and Morbidity After Noncardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative hyperchloremia is known to be related to increases in mortality and morbidity after surgery. However, the relationship between preoperative hyperchloremia and hypochloremia and postoperative mortality and morbidity is not well established. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between preoperative hyperchloremia or hypochloremia, as assessed using preoperative serum chloride tests, and 90-day mortality and morbidity after noncardiac surgery. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed the medical records of patients >20 years of age who underwent noncardiac surgery between January 2010 and December 2016. Patients were categorized into one of the following groups on the basis of the results of serum chloride testing performed within 1 month before surgery: normochloremia, 97-110 mmol·L; hyperchloremia, >110 mmol·L; and hypochloremia, <97 mmol·L. The primary end point of this study was the difference in postoperative 90-day mortality among the preoperative serum chloride groups. The secondary end point was the difference in postoperative acute kidney injury incidence among the preoperative serum chloride groups. RESULTS: A total of 106,505 patients were included in the final analysis (2147 were allocated to the preoperative hypochloremia group and 617 to the hyperchloremia group). Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed significantly increased 90-day mortality in the hypochloremia (hazard ratio, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.16-1.84; P = .001) and hyperchloremia (hazard ratio, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.13-2.73; P = .013) groups when compared with the normochloremia group. In addition, multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed a 1.83-fold increased odds of acute kidney injury in the preoperative hypochloremia group when compared with the normochloremia group (odds ratio, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.53-2.19; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative hypochloremia and hyperchloremia were related to increased 90-day mortality after noncardiac surgery. In addition, preoperative hypochloremia was related to an increased risk for postoperative acute kidney injury.

Retrospective analysis of 1-year mortality after gastric cancer surgery: Total intravenous anesthesia versus volatile anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: It remains controversial whether propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) or inhalation anesthesia is associated with better outcomes after cancer surgery. We investigated whether there is a difference in the 1-year overall or cancer-related mortality between propofol-based TIVA and inhalation anesthesia in patients who underwent gastric cancer surgery. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was based on medical records of ll patients aged ≥18 years who underwent elective gastric cancer surgery with curative intent between January 2005 and December 2015 at a single tertiary academic hospital. Propensity score (PS) matching and Cox proportional hazard models were used for analyses. RESULTS: After PS matching, 1538 patients (769 patients in each group) were included in the final analysis. The 1-year overall mortality risk was not significantly different between the TIVA and inhalation groups in either the PS-matched analysis [hazard ratio (HR): 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.52-1.64; P = 0.774] or entire cohorts (HR: 0.82 95% CI: 0.52-1.33; P = 0.417) after multivariable adjustment. The 1-year cancer-related mortality risk was similar between the groups in both the PS-matched cohort (HR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.50-1.67; P = 0.764) and the entire cohort after multivariable adjustment (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.50-1.33; P = 0.406). CONCLUSIONS: We show that propofol-based TIVA was not significantly associated with a decrease in the 1-year overall or cancer-related mortality after gastric cancer surgery, as compared with inhalation anesthesia. Further studies are required to ascertain the optimal anesthetic choice for gastric cancer surgery.

Comparative Study of the Effect of Paranasal Augmentation With Autologous Bone in Orthognathic Surgery.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of the 3 orthognathic surgical options among the patients who had had mandibular prognathism with a concave midfacial profile. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 72 patients with mandibular prognathism with a concave midfacial profile were divided into 3 groups. We compared the lateral profile changes using lateral cephalograms. The images were taken before surgery (T0) and at least 6 months to 1 year after surgery (T1). After computerization of the preoperative cephalograms (T0), the surgical changes (T1 minus T0) were measured by computerizing the postoperative cephalograms. Group 1 (n = 21) had undergone bilateral sagittal split osteotomies, group 2 (n = 36) had undergone bilateral sagittal split osteotomy with autologous bone paranasal augmentation, and group 3 (n = 15) had undergone bilateral sagittal split osteotomies and Le Fort I osteotomy. RESULTS: After surgery, all the landmarks and values showed changes. Among them, quantitative changes could be observed in all the cheek points and cheek lines. The average of the overall cheek points had increased by ∼0.56 mm in group 1, ∼1.85 mm in group 2, and ∼2.39 mm in group 3, horizontally. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest approximately comparative values among the 3 surgical options for patients and surgeons considering orthognathic surgery. In addition, autologous bone paranasal augmentation can be considered as an alternative for Le Fort I osteotomy in specific conditions.

Physician turnover and its association with mortality after non-cardiac surgery: a retrospective cohort analysis of patients in South Korea.

PURPOSE: To assess the association between physician turnover, mortality, and length of hospital stay after non-cardiac surgery in South Korea. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study is based on analysis of the medical records of patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery between January, 2010 and December, 2016. The primary outcomes were the differences in 30-day, 90-day, and overall mortality between non-cardiac surgery performed during the turnover period and that performed during the non-turnover period. RESULTS: The subjects of the analysis were 106,832 patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery. Among them, 17,788 patients underwent surgery during the turnover period and 89,044 underwent surgery during the non-turnover period. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed no significant differences in postoperative 30-day mortality (P = 0.427), 90-day mortality (P = 0.854), or overall mortality (P = 0.928) between surgery conducted during the turnover period and that conducted during the non-turnover period. Surgery performed during the physician turnover period was associated with a 0.21-day increase compared with surgery performed during the non-turnover period (coefficient: 0.21, 95% confidence interval: 0.00-0.42, P = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Physician turnover was not associated with postoperative 30-day, 90-day, or overall mortality after non-cardiac surgery. However, the length of hospital stay was slightly longer for patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery in the turnover period.

Pre-operative assessment of 30-day mortality risk after major surgery: the role of the quick sequential organ failure assessment: A retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: The quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) is intended for the assessment of the prognosis and risk of sepsis. It may also help predict the mortality risk of nonseptic patients. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the relationship between pre-operative qSOFA scores and 30-day mortality after major surgery. It also evaluated the predictive value of qSOFA scores combined with the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). DESIGN: A retrospective observational study. SETTING: Single tertiary academic hospital. PATIENTS: Medical records of patients who underwent major surgery (estimated blood loss >500 ml; surgery time >2 h) between January 2010 and December 2017 were examined. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The qSOFA score was measured within 24 h before surgery, and its association with 30-day mortality was analysed using multivariable logistic regression. A receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was used to investigate the predictive power of the pre-operative qSOFA scores combined with the ASA physical status and with CCI. RESULTS: A total of 6336 patients were included in the final analysis, and 91 (1.4%) died within 30 days. The multivariable logistic regression analysis including all covariates indicated that 30-day mortality was 2.43-times higher for the score 1 group than for the score 0 group (P = 0.002), and it was 3.54-times higher for the score at least 2 group than for the score 0 group (P < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) of the pre-operative qSOFA, ASA physical status and CCI were 0.69, 0.55 and 0.57, respectively. When the pre-operative qSOFA score was combined with the ASA physical status or CCI, the AUCs were 0.73 and 0.72, respectively. CONCLUSION: Higher pre-operative qSOFA scores within 24 h of surgery were associated with increased 30-day mortality. Pre-operative qSOFA scores have better predictive value for 30-day mortality when combined with the ASA physical status or CCI.

Admission to the surgical intensive care unit during intensivist coverage is associated with lower incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury and shorter ventilator time.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the impact of intensivist coverage on the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and ventilator time among patients postoperatively admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: Adult patients postoperatively admitted to the ICU between January 2012 and December 2017 were retrospectively enrolled. The incidence of AKI within 72 h of surgery and the postoperative ventilator time were compared between the groups covered by intensivists and non-intensivists. RESULTS: After propensity score (PS) matching, 5650 patients were included in the final analysis (2825 patients in each group). The incidence rate of AKI was significantly higher in the non-intensivist coverage group than in the intensivist coverage group (22.7% vs. 20.2%; P = 0.023). Moreover, logistic regression analysis in the PS-matched cohort showed that the incidence of postoperative AKI in the non-intensivist coverage group increased by 16% compared to that in the intensivist coverage group (odds ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.32; P = 0.023). Additionally, the median time of ventilator use in the non-intensivist coverage group was significantly longer than that in the intensivist coverage group [7.8 (interquartile range, IQR 2.6-13.8) h vs. 5.3 (1.8-8.3) h; P < 0.001]. CONCLUSION: High-intensity intensivist coverage is associated with a lower risk of postoperative AKI and shorter postoperative ventilator times. These findings suggested that in addition to medical trainees, initial management of surgical ICU patients by intensivists may lower the risk of AKI and facilitate early weaning from mechanical ventilation.