Nomogram for predicting postoperative ileus after radical cystectomy and urinary diversion: a retrospective single-center study

OBJECTIVE

To predict the incidence of postoperative ileus in bladder cancer patients after radical cystectomy.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the perioperative data of 452 bladder cancer patients who underwent radical cystectomy with urinary diversion at the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University between 2016 and 2021. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify the risk factors for postoperative ileus. Finally, a nomogram model was established and verified based on the independent risk factors.

RESULTS

Our study revealed that 96 patients (21.2%) developed postoperative ileus. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, we found that the independent risk factors for postoperative ileus after radical cystectomy included age > 65.0 years, high or low body mass index, constipation, hypoalbuminemia, and operative time. We established a nomogram prediction model based on these independent risk factors. Validation by calibration curves, concordance index, and decision curve analysis showed a strong correlation between predicted and actual probabilities of occurrence.

CONCLUSION

Our nomogram prediction model provides surgeons with a simple tool to predict the incidence of postoperative ileus in bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy.

Machine learning used to determine features of importance linked to overnight stay after patellar tendon repair

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine if machine learning is an effective method to identify features of patients who may need a longer postoperative stay following a patellar tendon repair.

Methods

The American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) was used to collect 1173 patients who underwent patellar tendon repair. Machine learning (ML) was then applied to determine features of importance in this patient population. Several algorithms were used: Random Forest, Artificial Neural Network, Gradient Boosting, and Support Vector Machine. These were then compared to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification system based logistic regression as a control.

Results

Random Forest (RF) was determined to be the best performing algorithm, with an AUC of 0.72, accuracy of 77.66 %, and precision of 0.79, and recall of 0.96. All other algorithms performed similarly to the control. RF gave the highest permutation feature importance to age (PFI 0.25), BMI (PFI 0.19), ASA classification (PFI 0.14), hematocrit (PFI 0.12), and height (PFI 0.11).

Conclusions

This study shows that machine learning can be used as a tool to identify features of importance for length of postoperative stay in patients undergoing patellar tendon repair. RF was found to be a better performing model than logistic regression at determining patients predisposed to longer length of stay as determined by AUC. This supported the study's hypothesis that ML can provide an effective method for identifying features of importance in patients requiring a longer postoperative stay after patellar tendon repair.

It's complicated: The relationship of non-narcotic medications and postoperative opioid use in radical cystectomy patients

INTRODUCTION

The effect of individual non-narcotic analgesics in cystectomy enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is unknown. Additionally, many non-narcotic medications are associated with side effects pertinent to the cystectomy population. To better understand the actual use and utility of these medications, we sought to characterize the association between non-narcotic medications and milligram morphine equivalent (MME) narcotic score during the postoperative inpatient stay.

METHODS

We reviewed 260 consecutive ERAS cystectomy patients. The MME impact of non-narcotic compliance and cumulative dose of medication received was evaluated separately with general linear models. We also assessed relationship of non-narcotic compliance to patient reported pain score, length of stay (LOS), and time to return of bowel function (ROBF) and performed manual review of postoperative documentation to identify reasons for medication noncompliance.

RESULTS

Compliance with postoperative acetaminophen, gabapentin, and ketorolac was low. There was an inverse relationship between ketorolac dose and MME on postoperative day 1 (-0.026 MME/mg; P = 0.004) and postoperative day 2 (-0.33 MME/mg; P < 0.001). Compliance with ketorolac was associated with lower MME on postoperative day 1 (26.1 MME v. 33.6 MME; P = 0.023). There were no such associations identified with gabapentin or acetaminophen. Gabapentin compliance was associated with earlier ROBF (3.7 days v. 4.3 days; P = 0.006). Ketorolac compliance was associated with lower pain score on POD1 (3.25 VAS v. 4.07 VAS; P = 0.019) and POD2 (3.05 VAS v. 3.85 VAS; P = 0.040) There was no association between medication compliance and LOS. The most common reasons identified for non-compliance with gabapentin and ketorolac were renal function concerns (38% and 40% respectively), bleeding concerns with ketorolac (20%) and concerns for neurologic adverse effect with gabapentin (16%).

CONCLUSION

Compliance with non-narcotic medications in our ERAS cystectomy protocol was poor. There was a modest association with ketorolac and postoperative MME but no association with gabapentin or acetaminophen. Further study will clarify the role of these medications for cystectomy patients. Component specific analysis of protocolized care is valuable and may alter care pathways.

Can pre-visit exposure to virtual tours of healthcare facilities help reduce child and parent anxiety during outpatient surgical procedures?

AIM

The study aims to evaluate the impact of exposure to a highly realistic virtual facility tour prior to the on-site visit on patients and their parent/care partner's self-reported anxiety and physiological measures on the day of the procedure.

BACKGROUND

Preoperative anxiety impacts pediatric surgical outcomes; therefore, it is important for healthcare providers to address and manage preoperative anxiety in pediatric patients to promote better outcomes and overall wellbeing. Providing patients with a preview of the care setting before the actual procedure can be highly beneficial in mitigating preoperative anxiety.

METHODOLOGY

In this pilot randomized experimental study, sixteen patient-care partner dyads scheduled to undergo a gastrointestinal procedure either received a virtual tour identical to the places experienced on the day of the procedure (experimental group) or received no virtual tour (control group). Self-reported measures of anxiety were collected from participants before and on the day of the procedure. Physiological measures of heart rate variability and skin conductance were collected on the day of the procedure from both groups.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between the self-reported and physiological measures of anxiety between the child groups. However, parents in the control group reported lower levels of anxiety and demonstrated lower levels of stress based on their physiological measures.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to virtual facility tours days before the surgery was not helpful in positively impacting the psychological measures related to preoperative anxiety levels for the participants.

Association between hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 administration during noncardiac surgery and postoperative acute kidney injury: A propensity score-matched analysis of a large cohort in China

STUDY OBJECTIVE

The use of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 has been linked to renal injury in critically ill patients, but its impact on surgical patients remains uncertain.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

This study was conducted at one tertiary care hospital in China.

PATIENTS

We evaluated the records of 51,926 Chinese adults who underwent noncardiac surgery from 2013 to 2022. Patients given a combination of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 and crystalloids were propensity-matched at a 1: 1 ratio of baseline characteristics to patients given only crystalloids (11,725 pairs).

INTERVENTIONS

Eligible patients were divided into those given a combination of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 and crystalloid during surgery and a reference crystalloid group consisting of patients who were not given any colloid.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome was the incidence of acute kidney injury. Secondarily, acute kidney injury stage, need for renal replacement therapy, intensive care unit transfer rate, and duration of postoperative hospitalization were considered.

MAIN RESULTS

After matching, hydroxyethyl starch use [8.5 (IQR: 7.5-10.0) mL/kg] did not increase the incidence of acute kidney injury compared with that in the crystalloid group [2.0 vs. 2.2%, OR: 0.90 (0.74-1.08), P = 0.25]. Nor did hydroxyethyl starch use worsen acute kidney injury stage [OR 0.90 (0.75-1.08), P = 0.26]. No significant differences between the fluid groups were observed in renal replacement therapy [OR 0.60 (0.41-0.90), P = 0.02)] or intensive care unit transfers [OR 1.02 (0.95-1.09), P = 0.53] after Bonferroni correction. Even in a subset of patients at high risk of renal injury, hydroxyethyl starch use was not associated with worse outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 use was not significantly associated with a greater incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury compared to receiving crystalloid solutions only.

Evaluating the accuracy of ChatGPT-4 in predicting ASA scores: A prospective multicentric study ChatGPT-4 in ASA score prediction

BACKGROUND

This study investigates the potential of ChatGPT-4, developed by OpenAI, in enhancing medical decision-making processes, particularly in preoperative assessments using the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scoring system. The ASA score, a critical tool in evaluating patients' health status and anesthesia risks before surgery, categorizes patients from I to VI based on their overall health and risk factors. Despite its widespread use, determining accurate ASA scores remains a subjective process that may benefit from AI-supported assessments. This research aims to evaluate ChatGPT-4's capability to predict ASA scores accurately compared to expert anesthesiologists' assessments.

METHODS

In this prospective multicentric study, ethical board approval was obtained, and the study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06321445). We included 2851 patients from anesthesiology outpatient clinics, spanning neonates to all age groups and genders, with ASA scores between I-IV. Exclusion criteria were set for ASA V and VI scores, emergency operations, and insufficient information for ASA score determination. Data on patients' demographics, health conditions, and ASA scores by anesthesiologists were collected and anonymized. ChatGPT-4 was then tasked with assigning ASA scores based on the standardized patient data.

RESULTS

Our results indicate a high level of concordance between ChatGPT-4 predictions and anesthesiologists' evaluations, with Cohen's kappa analysis showing a kappa value of 0.858 (p = 0.000). While the model demonstrated over 90% accuracy in predicting ASA scores I to III, it showed a notable variance in ASA IV scores, suggesting a potential limitation in assessing patients with more complex health conditions.

DISCUSSION

The findings suggest that ChatGPT-4 can significantly contribute to the medical field by supporting anesthesiologists in preoperative assessments. This study not only demonstrates ChatGPT-4's efficacy in medical data analysis and decision-making but also opens new avenues for AI applications in healthcare, particularly in enhancing patient safety and optimizing surgical outcomes. Further research is needed to refine AI models for complex case assessments and integrate them seamlessly into clinical workflows.

PeriOperative Quality Initiative (POQI) international consensus statement on perioperative arterial pressure management

Arterial pressure monitoring and management are mainstays of haemodynamic therapy in patients having surgery. This article presents updated consensus statements and recommendations on perioperative arterial pressure management developed during the 11th POQI PeriOperative Quality Initiative (POQI) consensus conference held in London, UK, on June 4-6, 2023, which included a diverse group of international experts. Based on a modified Delphi approach, we recommend keeping intraoperative mean arterial pressure ≥60 mm Hg in at-risk patients. We further recommend increasing mean arterial pressure targets when venous or compartment pressures are elevated and treating hypotension based on presumed underlying causes. When intraoperative hypertension is treated, we recommend doing so carefully to avoid hypotension. Clinicians should consider continuous intraoperative arterial pressure monitoring as it can help reduce the severity and duration of hypotension compared to intermittent arterial pressure monitoring. Postoperative hypotension is often unrecognised and might be more important than intraoperative hypotension because it is often prolonged and untreated. Future research should focus on identifying patient-specific and organ-specific hypotension harm thresholds and optimal treatment strategies for intraoperative hypotension including choice of vasopressors. Research is also needed to guide monitoring and management strategies for recognising, preventing, and treating postoperative hypotension.

Towards a common definition of surgical prehabilitation: a scoping review of randomised trials

BACKGROUND

There is no universally accepted definition for surgical prehabilitation. The objectives of this scoping review were to (1) identify how surgical prehabilitation is defined across randomised controlled trials and (2) propose a common definition.

METHODS

The final search was conducted in February 2023 using MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of unimodal or multimodal prehabilitation interventions (nutrition, exercise, and psychological support) lasting at least 7 days in adults undergoing elective surgery. Qualitative data were analysed using summative content analysis.

RESULTS

We identified 76 prehabilitation trials of patients undergoing abdominal (n=26, 34%), orthopaedic (n=20, 26%), thoracic (n=14, 18%), cardiac (n=7, 9%), spinal (n=4, 5%), and other (n=5, 7%) surgeries. Surgical prehabilitation was explicitly defined in more than half of these RCTs (n=42, 55%). Our findings consolidated the following definition: 'Prehabilitation is a process from diagnosis to surgery, consisting of one or more preoperative interventions of exercise, nutrition, psychological strategies and respiratory training, that aims to enhance functional capacity and physiological reserve to allow patients to withstand surgical stressors, improve postoperative outcomes, and facilitate recovery.'

CONCLUSIONS

A common definition is the first step towards standardisation, which is needed to guide future high-quality research and advance the field of prehabilitation. The proposed definition should be further evaluated by international stakeholders to ensure that it is comprehensive and globally accepted.

Chronic Pain Following Breast Reconstruction: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer survival rates have increased significantly, underscoring the importance of enhancing long-term health-related quality of life. Breast reconstruction following mastectomy has emerged as a common approach that contributes to improved health-related quality of life. Nonetheless, chronic pain following breast reconstruction is a prevalent issue that has a negative impact on overall well-being.

METHODS

To examine recent findings on chronic pain after breast reconstruction and progress in pain management, we performed a review of the literature through independent searches using the MEDLINE database within NIH National Library of Medicine PubMed.

RESULTS

The review suggested that autologous reconstruction causes chronic postsurgical pain, especially at specific donor sites, whereas implant-based reconstruction does not seem to increase the risk of chronic pain. Moreover, certain operational and patient factors are also associated with chronic pain. Appropriate pain management can reduce chronic pain and prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review evaluated the characteristics of long-term chronic pain after breast reconstruction. The findings provide patients with important treatment information and will assist with their decision on their preferred treatment.

Evaluating the effect of preoperative interventions on sleep health in the perioperative period: a systematic review

Surgery and general anaesthesia have deleterious effects on sleep and disrupted perioperative sleep health is a risk factor for poor surgical outcomes. The objective of this systematic review was to summarise preoperative interventions that report sleep outcomes. Studies that delivered an intervention initiated >24 h prior to surgery among an adult sample without a diagnosed sleep disorder were included. Studies were excluded if they were preclinical or were not published in English. MEDLINE, MEDLINE ePubs Ahead of Print and In-process Citations, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Web of Science were searched on February 2, 2023. This review was reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (identifier: CRD42021260578). Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of Bias 2 tool for randomised trials and the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies - of Interventions for non-randomised trials. Certainty of findings were assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. The searching yielded 10,938 total citations, and after screening resulted in 28 randomised and 19 non-randomised trials (47 total) with 4937 participants. Sleep was a primary outcome in 16 trials; a sleep outcome was significantly improved relative to comparator in 23 trials. This review demonstrates that preoperative sleep is modifiable via a variety of interventions, including pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and nursing interventions delivered preoperatively or perioperatively. Our results should be considered with caution due to an overall intermediate to high risk of bias in the included trials, and low to very low certainty of evidence. This review supports the modifiability of sleep health among surgical patients and provides the groundwork for preoperative sleep optimisation research.

Exercise capacity prior to major cancer surgery: A cross-sectional observational study of the validity of the 6-minute walk and 30-second sit-to-stand tests

INTRODUCTION

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is the gold standard for measuring exercise capacity, however, it is resource intensive and has limited availability. This study aimed to determine: 1) the association between the 6-min walk test (6MWT) and the 30-s sit-to-stand test (30STS) with CPET peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and anaerobic threshold (AT) and 2) 6MWT and 30STS cut points associated with a higher risk of postoperative complications.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study, retrospectively analyzing data collected from a tertiary cancer center over a 23-month period. Measures included CPET VO2peak and AT, 6MWT and 30STS test. Correlations were used to characterize relationships between variables. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses determined 6MWT and 30STS cut points that aligned with CPET variable cut points.

RESULTS

Note that, 156 participants were included. The 6MWT and 30STS displayed moderate correlations with VO2peak, rho = 0.65, p = 0.01 and rho = 0.52, p < 0.005 respectively. Fair correlations were observed between AT and 6MWT (rho = 0.36, p = 0.01) and 30STS (rho = 0.41, p < 0.005). The optimal cut points to identify VO2peak < 15 mL/kg/min were 493.5 m on the 6MWT and 12.5 stands on the 30STS test and for AT < 11 mL/kg/min were 506.5 m on the 6MWT and 12.5 stands on the 30STS test.

CONCLUSION

Both the 6MWT and 30STS test could be used as alternative tools for measuring exercise capacity preoperatively in the cancer setting where CPET is not available. A range of 6MWT and 30STS cut points, according to sensitivity and specificity levels, may be used to evaluate risk of postoperative outcomes.

The Impact of Acute Kidney Injury on Chronic Kidney Disease After Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of acute kidney injury on transition to chronic kidney disease (CKD) after cardiac surgery and to determine frequency of incident CKD in these patients.

DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

SETTING

Electronic databases Medline and Embase were systematically searched from 1974 to February 6, 2023.

PARTICIPANTS

Eligible studies were original observational studies on adult cardiac surgery patients, written in the English language, and with clear kidney disease definitions. Exclusion criteria were studies with previously transplanted populations, populations with preoperative kidney impairment, ventricular assist device procedures, endovascular procedures, a kidney follow-up period of <90 days, and studies not presenting necessary data for effect size calculations.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients developing postoperative acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery were compared with patients who did not develop acute kidney injury.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The search identified 4,329 unique studies, 87 underwent full-text review, and 12 were included for analysis. Mean acute kidney injury occurrence across studies was 16% (minimum-maximum: 8-50), while mean occurrence of CKD was 24% (minimum-maximum: 3-35), with high variability depending on definitions and follow-up time. Acute kidney injury was associated with increased odds of CKD in all individual studies. The pooled odds ratio across studies was 5.67 (95% confidence interval, 3.34-9.64; p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery was associated with a more than 5-fold increased odds of developing CKD. New-onset CKD occurred in almost 1 in 4 patients in the years after surgery.

Place of high-flow nasal oxygen in nonoperating room anesthesia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article aims to assess the utility of high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) therapy in nonoperating room anesthesia (NORA) settings.

RECENT FINDINGS

The number of procedural interventions under deep sedation in NORA is still increasing. Administration of oxygen is recommended to prevent hypoxemia and is usually delivered with standard oxygen through nasal cannula or a face mask. HFNO is a simple alternative with a high warmed humidified flow (ranging from 30 to 70 l/min) with a precise fraction inspired of oxygen (ranging from 21 to 100%). Compared to standard oxygen, HFNO has demonstrated efficacy in reducing the incidence of hypoxemia and the need for airway maneuvers. Research on HFNO has primarily focused on its application in gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures. Yet, it has also shown promising results in various other procedural interventions including bronchoscopy, cardiology, and endovascular procedures. However, the adoption of HFNO prompted considerations regarding cost-effectiveness and environmental impact.

SUMMARY

HFNO emerges as a compelling alternative to conventional oxygen delivery methods for preventing hypoxemia during procedural interventions in NORA. However, its utilization should be reserved for patients at moderate-to-high risk to mitigate the impact of cost and environmental factors.

The various perioperative issues of structural heart diseases and cardiogenic shock

Up to 20 % of patients presenting with acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock have a structural etiology. Despite efforts in timely management, mortality rates remain alarmingly high, ranging from 50 % to 80 %. Surgical intervention is often the definitive treatment for structural heart disease; however, many patients are considered high risk or unsuitable candidates for such procedures. Consequently, there has been a paradigm shift towards the development of novel percutaneous management strategies and temporizing interventions. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the pathophysiology of valvular and structural heart conditions presenting in cardiogenic shock, focusing on the evolving landscape of mechanical circulatory support devices and other management modalities.

Frailty is a risk factor for intracranial abscess and is associated with longer length of stay: a retrospective single institution case-control study

BACKGROUND

Intracranial abscess (IA) causes significant morbidity and mortality. The impact of baseline frailty status on post-operative outcomes of IA patients remains largely unknown. The present study evaluated if frailty status can be used to prognosticate outcomes in IA patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all IA patients undergoing craniotomy at our institution from 2011 to 2018 (N.=18). These IA patients were age and gender matched with patients undergoing craniotomy for intracranial tumor (IT), an internal control for comparison. Demographic and clinical data were collected to measure frailty, using the modified frailty index-11 (mFI-11) and pre-operative American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System (ASA). Post-operative complications were measured by the Clavien-Dindo Grade (CDG).

RESULTS

No significant difference in mFI-11 or ASA score was observed between the IA and IT groups (P=0.058 and P=0.131, respectively). IA patients had significantly higher CDG as compared with the control IT patients (P<0.001). There was a trend towards increasing LOS in the IA group as compared to the IT group (P=0.053). Increasing mFI and ASA were significant predictors of LOS by multiple linear regression in the IA group (P=0.006 and P=0.001, respectively), but not in the control IT group. Neither mFI-11 nor ASA were found to be predictors for CDG in either group. Within this case-control group of patients, we found an increase for odds of having IA with increasing mFI (OR=1.838, 95% CI: 1.016-3.362, P=0.044).

CONCLUSIONS

Frail IA patients tend to have more severe postoperative complications. The mFI-11 seems to predict increased resource utilization in the form of LOS. This study provides the initial retrospective data of another neurosurgical pathology where frailty leads to significantly worse outcomes. We also found that mFI may serve as a potential risk factor for severe disease.

Effect of mannitol on platelet function during elective craniotomy in adult patients with brain tumor

BACKGROUND

Mannitol is used in the treatment of raised intracranial pressure (ICP). The aim of this study was to investigate whether mannitol (MAN) leads to a relevant deterioration in platelet function in routine neurosurgical procedures.

METHODS

Thirty-eight patients undergoing elective craniotomy due to a brain tumor with elevated ICP were included. After induction of anesthesia a blood sample was taken (T1). The patients then received 1 g∙kg-1 MAN within 30 minutes. The second blood sample (T2) was obtained 60 minutes after T1. Blood samples were examined by means of aggregometry (Multiplate®; Roche, Basel, Switzertland) and PFA-100® tests (Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany).

RESULTS

No patient had clinical signs of increased bleeding. We could not find any deterioration in the aggregometry using Multiplate® (Roche), neither in the adenosine diphosphate (ADP), the arachidonic acid (ASPI), or the thrombin receptor activating protein (TRAP) test. PFA-100® (Siemens Healthineers) closing times (cT) showed a significant prolongation between T1 and T2: collagen/adenosine diphosphate (COL/ADP) test 79 s [70/99] and 91 s [81/109]; P=0.002); collagen/epinephrine (COL/EPI) test 109 s [92/129] and 122 s [94/159]; P=0.0004). A subgroup analysis showed that the patients who received isotonic balanced infusions only, had no prolongation of cT, whereas the patients who received additionally gelatin solution had a significant prolongation. COL/ADP: 78 s [70/98] and 91 s [82/133]; P=0.0004). COL/EPI: test 111 s [92/128] and 127 s [103/146]; P=0.0026). Except for individual outliers, the measured values were in the normal range.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we found no clinically relevant deterioration of platelet function in neurosurgical patients with increased ICP after administration of MAN. Changes that occurred were all within normal ranges.

Implementation of nutritional screening tools, nutritional assessment tools, and diagnostic criteria for malnutrition in convalescent rehabilitation wards: A nationwide survey

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The utilization of recommended nutritional assessment measures in rehabilitation settings remains unclear. This study explored methods for identifying nutritional disorders using data from a nationwide survey conducted in convalescent rehabilitation wards.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study analyzed the annual survey, including methods for identifying malnutrition, the risk of malnutrition, and overnutrition in Kaifukuki (convalescent) rehabilitation wards. Methods identifying malnutrition and risk of malnutrition were grouped into nutritional screening tools (NSTs), nutritional assessment tools (NATs), diagnostic criteria for malnutrition (DCM), and suboptimal methods (e.g., hypoalbuminemia). NSTs, NATs, and DCM were further categorized as "acceptable tools." The association between applying acceptable tools, hospital-based data (e.g., the number of beds), and ward-based data (e.g., assessor for nutritional status) was analyzed by logistic regression analysis with multiple imputations.

RESULTS

In total, 885 hospitals with Kaifukuki rehabilitation wards responded to the survey, and 754 hospitals were included in the analysis. Registered dietitians assessed the nutritional status in 88% of the hospitals, whereas other professionals (e.g., nurses) evaluated the nutritional status in the remainder. NSTs (e.g., Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form), NATs (e.g., Subjective Global Assessment), DCM (e.g., Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria), and suboptimal tools were used in 13.1%, 5.4%, 4.8%, and 74.6% of cases, respectively. Most hospitals used acceptable measures (e.g., body mass index) for overnutrition (91.2%). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that assessments by registered dietitians (adjusted odds ratio[OR]: 2.20.95% confidence interval[CI]: 1.09-4.45) and hospital-owned food services, a proxy for limited clinical practice time of dietitians, were associated with a low likelihood of implementing acceptable measures (adjusted OR: 0.64, 95%CI: 0.43-0.97).

CONCLUSIONS

Acceptable malnutrition measures, including the NSTs, NATs, and DCM, have not been widely applied in convalescent rehabilitation settings. The implementation of recommended tools for identifying malnutrition may be promoted when registered dietitians assess the patients' nutritional status.

Lumbar Puncture Complications: A Review of Current Literature

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This paper reviews the complications of lumbar puncture with a focus on post-dural puncture headache including pathophysiology, risk factors, prevention, and treatment.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent research has focused on understanding the multifactorial mechanisms of post-dural puncture headache and improving prevention and treatment strategies. Small caliber, pencil-point type needles are encouraged to minimize the risk of post-dural puncture headaches, especially in populations that are at higher risk for complication. While new medications and procedures show promise in small cohorts, conservative medical management and epidural blood patch are still the first and second-line treatments for PDPH. Post-dural puncture headache is the most frequent complication of lumbar puncture. There are both modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors to consider when performing this procedure. Conservative medical management and procedure-based therapies exist for when complications of lumbar puncture arise.

A retrospective analysis of perioperative complications of lateral approach lumbar interbody fusion in patients with prior abdominal surgery or a history of colonic inflammatory disease

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Lateral approaches for lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) allow for access to the lumbar spine and disc space by passing through a retroperitoneal corridor either pre- or trans-psoas. A contraindication for this approach is the presence of retroperitoneal scarring that may occur from prior surgical intervention in the retroperitoneal space or from inflammatory conditions with fibrotic changes and pose challenges for the mobilization and visualization needed in this approach. However, there is a paucity of evidence on the prevalence of surgical complications following lateral fusion surgery in patients with a history of abdominal surgery.

PURPOSE

The primary aim of this study is to describe the association between surgical complications following lateral interbody fusion surgery and prior abdominal surgical.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study.

PATIENT SAMPLE

Patients over the age of 18 who underwent lateral lumbar interbody fusion at a large, tertiary care center between 2011 and 2019 were included in the study.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome included medical, surgical, and thigh-related complications either in the intraoperative or 90-day postoperative periods. Additional outcome metrics included readmission rates, length of stay, and operative duration.

METHODS

The electronic health records of 250 patients were reviewed for demographic information, surgical data, complications, and readmission following surgery. The association of patient and surgical factors to complication rate was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Statistical analysis was performed using R statistical software (R, Vienna, Austria).

RESULTS

Of 250 lateral interbody fusion patients, 62.8% had a prior abdominal surgery and 13.8% had a history of colonic disease. The most common perioperative complication was transient thigh or groin pain/sensory changes (n=62, 24.8%). A multivariable logistic regression considering prior abdominal surgery, age, BMI, history of colonic disease, multilevel surgery, and the approach relative to psoas found no significant association between surgical complication rates and colonic disease (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.02-2.22) or a history of prior abdominal surgeries (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.20-1.55). Further, the invasiveness of prior abdominal surgeries showed no association with overall spine complication rate, lateral-specific complications, or readmission rates (p>.05).

CONCLUSION

Though retroperitoneal scarring is an important consideration for lateral approaches to the lumbar spine, this study found no association between lateral lumbar approach complication rates and prior abdominal surgery. Further study is needed to determine the impact of inflammatory colonic disease on lateral approach spine surgery.

Artificial intelligence and nonoperating room anesthesia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in nonoperating room anesthesia (NORA) represents a timely and significant advancement. As the demand for NORA services expands, the application of AI is poised to improve patient selection, perioperative care, and anesthesia delivery. This review examines AI's growing impact on NORA and how it can optimize our clinical practice in the near future.

RECENT FINDINGS

AI has already improved various aspects of anesthesia, including preoperative assessment, intraoperative management, and postoperative care. Studies highlight AI's role in patient risk stratification, real-time decision support, and predictive modeling for patient outcomes. Notably, AI applications can be used to target patients at risk of complications, alert clinicians to the upcoming occurrence of an intraoperative adverse event such as hypotension or hypoxemia, or predict their tolerance of anesthesia after the procedure. Despite these advances, challenges persist, including ethical considerations, algorithmic bias, data security, and the need for transparent decision-making processes within AI systems.

SUMMARY

The findings underscore the substantial benefits of AI in NORA, which include improved safety, efficiency, and personalized care. AI's predictive capabilities in assessing hypoxemia risk and other perioperative events, have demonstrated potential to exceed human prognostic accuracy. The implications of these findings advocate for a careful yet progressive adoption of AI in clinical practice, encouraging the development of robust ethical guidelines, continual professional training, and comprehensive data management strategies. Furthermore, AI's role in anesthesia underscores the need for multidisciplinary research to address the limitations and fully leverage AI's capabilities for patient-centered anesthesia care.

Adoption of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol Increases Cost of Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy and Does not Improve Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have been shown to reduce length of stay (LOS) and complications. The impact of ERAS protocols on the cost of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) has not been studied.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC from 2016-2022 at a single quaternary center. Propensity score matching was used to create pre-and post-ERAS cohorts. Cost, overall and serious complications, and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) between the two cohorts were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test for continuous variables and χ2 test for categorical variables.

RESULTS

Our final matched cohort consisted of 100 patients, with 50 patients in both the pre- and post-ERAS groups. After adjusting for patient complexity and inflation, the median total cost [$75,932 ($67,166-102,645) versus $92,992 ($80,720-116,710), p = 0.02] and operating room cost [$26,817 ($23,378-33,121) versus $34,434 ($28,085-$41,379), p < 0.001] were significantly higher in the post-ERAS cohort. Overall morbidity (n = 22, 44% versus n = 17, 34%, p = 0.40) and ICU length of stay [2 days (IQR 1-3) versus 2 days (IQR 1-4), p = 0.70] were similar between the two cohorts. A total cost increase of $22,393 [SE $13,047, 95% CI (-$3178 to $47,965), p = 0.086] was estimated after implementation of ERAS, with operating room cost significantly contributing to this increase [$8419, SE $1628, 95% CI ($5228-11,609), p < 0.001].

CONCLUSIONS

CRS-HIPEC ERAS protocols were associated with higher total costs due to increased operating room costs at a single institution. There was no significant difference in ICU LOS and complications after the implementation of the ERAS protocol.

The impact of goal-directed prehabilitation therapy on functional capacity in patients undergoing hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: A randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence has supported the idea that goal-directed prehabilitation is a promising approach to boost functional capacity in preoperative patients. However, its usefulness has not been tested in the hepatobiliary and pancreatic fields. The objective of this trial was to investigate the efficacy of goal-directed prehabilitation for improving functional capacity in patients who were planned to undergo major hepatobiliary and pancreatic operations.

METHODS

This assessor-blinded, parallel-arm, randomized clinical trial recruited patients who were scheduled for major hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeries for malignancy. Patients were randomly allocated into the step goal-directed prehabilitation group as the test group and into the conventional prehabilitation group as the control group. Patients in the goal-directed prehabilitation group participated in a walking prehabilitation program with an intergrading goal of the step count. Patients in the conventional prehabilitation group received standard physical and nutritional prehabilitation. The primary outcome was change in the 6-minute walking distance, which ranged from the time before starting prehabilitation (baseline) to the time after completing prehabilitation (immediately before surgery).

RESULTS

Among 180 randomized patients, 144 patients were included in the primary analysis (73 patients in the conventional prehabilitation group and 71 patients in the goal-directed prehabilitation group). The mean change in the 6-minute walking distance was 27 meters in the conventional prehabilitation group and 31 meters in the goal-directed prehabilitation group (P = .633).

CONCLUSION

In patients undergoing major hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeries for malignancies, a goal-directed prehabilitation program did not result in a significantly greater increase in functional capacity than did conventional prehabilitation.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

UMIN000038791 (https://www.umin.ac.jp/).

Discharge to Skilled Nursing Facility Is a Risk Factor for Readmission: A Nationwide Propensity-Matched Study

INTRODUCTION

General surgery procedures place stress on geriatric patients, and postdischarge care options should be evaluated. We compared the association of discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) versus home on patient readmission.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the Nationwide Readmission Database (2016-2019) and included patients ≥65 y who underwent a general surgery procedure between January and September. Our primary outcome was 30-d readmissions. Our secondary outcome was predictors of readmission after discharge to an SNF. We performed a 1:1 propensity-matched analysis adjusting for patient demographics and hospital course to compare patients discharged to an SNF with patients discharged home. We performed a sensitivity analysis on patients undergoing emergency procedures and a stepwise regression to identify predictors of readmission.

RESULTS

Among 140,056 included patients, 33,916 (24.2%) were discharged to an SNF. In the matched population of 19,763 pairs, 30-d readmission was higher in patients discharged to an SNF. The most common diagnosis at readmission was sepsis, and a greater proportion of patients discharged to an SNF were readmitted for sepsis. In the sensitivity analysis, emergency surgery patients discharged to an SNF had higher 30-d readmission. Higher illness severity during the index admission and living in a small or fringe county of a large metropolitan area were among the predictors of readmission in patients discharged to an SNF, while high household income was protective.

CONCLUSIONS

Discharge to an SNF compared to patients discharged home was associated with a higher readmission. Future studies need to identify the patient and facility factors responsible for this disparity.

Better liver transplant outcomes by donor interventions?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Donor risk factors and events surrounding donation impact the quantity and quality of grafts generated to meet liver transplant waitlist demands. Donor interventions represent an opportunity to mitigate injury and risk factors within donors themselves. The purpose of this review is to describe issues to address among donation after brain death, donation after circulatory determination of death, and living donors directly, for the sake of optimizing relevant outcomes among donors and recipients.

RECENT FINDINGS

Studies on donor management practices and high-level evidence supporting specific interventions are scarce. Nonetheless, for donation after brain death (DBD), critical care principles are employed to correct cardiocirculatory compromise, impaired tissue oxygenation and perfusion, and neurohormonal deficits. As well, certain treatments as well as marginally prolonging duration of brain death among otherwise stable donors may help improve posttransplant outcomes. In donation after circulatory determination of death (DCD), interventions are performed to limit warm ischemia and reverse its adverse effects. Finally, dietary and exercise programs have improved donation outcomes for both standard as well as overweight living donor (LD) candidates, while minimally invasive surgical techniques may offer improved outcomes among LD themselves.

SUMMARY

Donor interventions represent means to improve liver transplant yield and outcomes of liver donors and grafts.

Outcomes of Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty in Patients Receiving Long-Term Anticoagulation Therapy: A Propensity-Matched Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Although total knee arthroplasty has been considered the gold-standard treatment for severe osteoarthritis of the knee, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has become an increasingly favorable alternative for single-compartment osteoarthritis of the knee. Few studies have examined potential high-risk populations undergoing this procedure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of UKA in patients receiving long-term anticoagulation therapy.

METHODS

In this study, a large administrative database was queried to identify patients undergoing UKA between 2009 and 2019, who were then divided into a cohort receiving long-term anticoagulation and a control cohort. Propensity scores were utilized to match these patients. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to compare 90-day and 2-year complication rates between cohorts.

RESULTS

Patients who were on long-term anticoagulation had significantly increased odds of extended length of stay, surgical site infection, wound complication, transfusion, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and readmission at 90-day follow-up. The long-term anticoagulation cohort also experienced significantly higher odds of periprosthetic joint infection and mechanical complications at 2-year follow-up; however, odds of conversion to total knee arthroplasty were not increased.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that long-term anticoagulation use was associated with poorer medical and surgical outcomes at both 90 days and 2 years postoperatively in patients undergoing UKA, even after rigorous adjustment for confounders.

Extended Reality for Mental Health Evaluation: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Mental health disorders are the leading cause of health-related problems worldwide. It is projected that mental health disorders will be the leading cause of morbidity among adults as the incidence rates of anxiety and depression grow worldwide. Recently, "extended reality" (XR), a general term covering virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), is paving the way for the delivery of mental health care.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate the adoption and implementation of XR technology used in interventions for mental disorders and to provide statistical analyses of the design, usage, and effectiveness of XR technology for mental health interventions with a worldwide demographic focus.

METHODS

In this paper, we conducted a scoping review of the development and application of XR in the area of mental disorders. We performed a database search to identify relevant studies indexed in Google Scholar, PubMed, and the ACM Digital Library. A search period between August 2016 and December 2023 was defined to select papers related to the usage of VR, AR, and MR in a mental health context. The database search was performed with predefined queries, and a total of 831 papers were identified. Ten papers were identified through professional recommendation. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were designed and applied to ensure that only relevant studies were included in the literature review.

RESULTS

We identified a total of 85 studies from 27 countries worldwide that used different types of VR, AR, and MR techniques for managing 14 types of mental disorders. By performing data analysis, we found that most of the studies focused on high-income countries, such as the United States (n=14, 16.47%) and Germany (n=12, 14.12%). None of the studies were for African countries. The majority of papers reported that XR techniques lead to a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety or depression. The majority of studies were published in 2021 (n=26, 30.59%). This could indicate that mental disorder intervention received higher attention when COVID-19 emerged. Most studies (n=65, 76.47%) focused on a population in the age range of 18-65 years, while few studies (n=2, 3.35%) focused on teenagers (ie, subjects in the age range of 10-19 years). In addition, more studies were conducted experimentally (n=67, 78.82%) rather than by using analytical and modeling approaches (n=8, 9.41%). This shows that there is a rapid development of XR technology for mental health care. Furthermore, these studies showed that XR technology can effectively be used for evaluating mental disorders in a similar or better way that conventional approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

In this scoping review, we studied the adoption and implementation of XR technology for mental disorder care. Our review shows that XR treatment yields high patient satisfaction, and follow-up assessments show significant improvement with large effect sizes. Moreover, the studies adopted unique designs that were set up to record and analyze the symptoms reported by their participants. This review may aid future research and development of various XR mechanisms for differentiated mental disorder procedures.

Comparing intravenous lidocaine and pethidine for pain management in emergency department patients with femoral bone fracture: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Intravenous lidocaine has shown promise as an effective analgesic in various clinical settings, but its utility for pain management in emergency departments, especially for bone fractures, remains relatively understudied.

OBJECTIVE

This study compared intravenous lidocaine to pethidine for femoral bone fracture pain management.

METHODS

This double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted in the emergency department of AJA University of Medical Sciences affiliated hospitals. Patients aged 18-70 years-old with femoral bone fracture and experiencing severe pain, defined as a numerical rating scale (NRS) of pain ≥ 7, were included in the study. One group received intravenous pethidine (25 mg), while the other group received intravenous lidocaine (3 mg/kg, not exceeding 200 mg), infused with 250 ml saline over 20 min. Pain levels were evaluated before treatment administration (0 min) and at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min after treatment administration using the NRS.

RESULTS

Seventy-two patients were enrolled in the study. Demographic characteristics and pain scores were similar between the two groups. The mean pain scores upon arrival for the lidocaine and pethidine groups were 8.50 ± 1 and 8.0 ± 1, respectively; after one hour, they were 4.0 ± 1 and 4.0 ± 1, respectively. While there was a statistically significant reduction in pain in both groups after one hour, there were no clinically or statistically significant differences between the two groups (p = 0.262). Pethidine had a higher incidence of adverse events, though not statistically significant. Additionally, females required more rescue analgesics.

CONCLUSION

The administration of intravenous lidocaine is beneficial for managing pain in femoral bone fractures, suggesting that lidocaine could be a potent alternative to opioids.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

IRCT20231213060355N1 ( https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/74624 ) (30/12/2023).

The utility of remote cognitive screening tools in identifying cognitive impairment in older surgical patients: An observational cohort study

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of suspected cognitive impairment using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cognitive question, Ascertain Dementia Eight-item Questionnaire (AD8), Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-M), and Telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment (T-MoCA), the agreement between each tool beyond chance, and the risk factors associated with a positive screen.

DESIGN

Multicenter prospective study.

SETTING

Remote preoperative assessments.

PATIENTS

307 non-cardiac surgical patients aged ≥65 years.

MEASUREMENTS

Prevalence, Cohen's kappa (κ).

MAIN RESULTS

The T-MoCA detected the highest prevalence of suspected cognitive impairment (28%), followed by the AD8 (17%), CDC cognitive question (9%), and TICS-M (6%). The four screening tools showed poor agreement beyond chance with one another, with the CDC cognitive question and AD8 approaching the threshold for weak agreement (κ = 0.39). Depression was associated with screening positive on the CDC cognitive question (OR: 2.81; 95% CI: 1.04, 7.68). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (OR: 3.10; 95% CI: 1.26, 7.71) and functional disability (OR: 3.74; 95% CI: 1.34, 11.11) were associated with a positive AD8 screen. Older age (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.41), male sex (OR: 3.08; 95% CI: 1.09, 9.40), and higher pain level (OR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.47) were associated with a positive TICS-M screen. Similarly, older age (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.73), male sex (OR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.09, 3.83), and higher pain level (OR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.30) were associated with a positive T-MoCA screen.

CONCLUSIONS

The CDC cognitive question, AD8, TICS-M, and T-MoCA were easily implemented during preoperative assessment among older surgical patients. OSA, functional disability, and depression were associated with complaints on the CDC cognitive question and AD8. Older age, male sex, and higher pain level were associated with screening positive on the TICS-M and T-MoCA. Early remote cognitive screening may enhance risk stratification of vulnerable patients.

Continuous non-invasive vs. invasive arterial blood pressure monitoring during neuroradiological procedure: a comparative, prospective, monocentric, observational study

BACKGROUND

In the perioperative setting, the most accurate way to continuously measure arterial blood pressure (ABP) is using an arterial catheter. Surrogate methods such as finger cuff have been developed to allow non-invasive measurements and are increasingly used, but need further evaluation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy and clinical concordance between two devices for the measurement of ABP during neuroradiological procedure.

METHODS

This is a prospective, monocentric, observational study. All consecutive patients undergoing a neuroradiological procedure were eligible. Patients who needed arterial catheter for blood pressure measurement were included. During neuroradiological procedure, ABP (systolic, mean and diatolic blood pressure) was measured with two different technologies: radial artery catheter and Nexfin. Bland-Altman and error grid analyses were performed to evaluate the accuracy and clinical concordance between devices.

RESULTS

From March 2022 to November 2022, we included 50 patients, mostly ASA 3 (60%) and required a cerebral embolization (94%) under general anaesthesia (96%). Error grid analysis showed that 99% of non-invasive ABP measures obtained with the Nexfin were located in the risk zone A or B. However, 65.7% of hypertension events and 41% of hypotensive events were respectively not detected by Nexfin. Compared to the artery catheter, a significant relationship was found for SAP (r2 = 0.78) and MAP (r2 = 0.80) with the Nexfin (p < 0.001). Bias and limits of agreement (LOA) were respectively 9.6 mmHg (- 15.6 to 34.8 mmHg) and - 0.8 mmHg (- 17.2 to 15.6 mmHg), for SAP and MAP.

CONCLUSIONS

Nexfin is not strictly interchangeable with artery catheter for ABP measuring. Further studies are needed to define its clinical use during neuroradiological procedure.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov, registration number: NCT05283824.

The impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in the patients undergoing anesthesia or sedation: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist receptors (GLP-1RAs), medications used for glycemic control and weight loss, are increasing worldwide. In the perioperative period, the major concern related to GLP-1RA is gastric emptying delay and risk of aspiration. This meta-analysis and systematic review compared the risks and benefits of using GLP-1 agonist receptors and control in surgical and nonsurgical procedures under anesthesia or sedation.

METHODS

We systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane for randomized controlled trials and observational studies involving patients > 18 years undergoing elective surgeries or procedures. Outcomes of interest were pre-procedural gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, residual gastric content assessed by endoscopy, pulmonary aspiration during anesthesia/sedation, perioperative glycemic control, postoperative inotropic support, nausea/vomiting (PONV), atrial fibrillation, and 30-day mortality rate. We used a random effects model, with odds ratio and mean difference computed for binary and continuous outcomes, respectively.

RESULTS

Fourteen randomized and observational studies with 2143 adult patients undergoing elective surgeries and procedures were included. GLP-1RA resulted in increased pre-procedural GI symptoms (OR 7.66; 95% CI 3.42, 17.17; p < 0.00001; I2 = 0%) and elevated residual gastric content (OR 6.08; 95% CI 2.86, 12.94; p < 0.00001; I2 = 0%). GLP-1RA resulted in lower glycemic levels (MD - 0.73; 95% CI - 1.13, - 0.33; p = 0.0003; I2 = 90%) and lower rate of rescue insulin administration (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.23, 0.68 p = 0.0009; I2 = 35%). There was no significant difference in rate of perioperative hypoglycemia (OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.29, 1.24; p = 0.17; I2 = 0%), hyperglycemia (OR 0.89; 95% CI 0.59, 1.34; p = 0.58; I2 = 38%), need for postoperative inotropic support (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.33, 1.01; p = 0.05; I2 = 0%), atrial fibrillation (OR 1.02; 95% CI 0.52, 2.01; p = 0.95; I2 = 16%), rate of PONV (OR 1.35; 95% CI 0.82, 2.21; p = 0.24; I2 = 0%), and 30-day mortality rate (OR 0.54; 95% CI 0.14, 2.05; p = 0.25; I2 = 0%).

CONCLUSION

Compared to control, pre-procedural GLP-1RA increased the rate of GI symptoms and the risk of elevated residual gastric content despite adherence to fasting guidelines. GLP-1RA improved glycemic control and decreased the rate of rescue insulin administration. There was no significant difference in the rates of perioperative hypo or hyperglycemia, postoperative inotropic support, PONV, atrial fibrillation, and 30-day mortality.

Factors Influencing Neuromuscular Blockade Reversal Choice in the United States Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Retrospective Longitudinal Analysis

BACKGROUND

Neuromuscular blockade (NMB) agents are a critical component of balanced anesthesia. NMB reversal methods can include spontaneous reversal, sugammadex, or neostigmine and the choice of reversal strategy can depend on various factors. Unanticipated changes to clinical practice emerged due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a better understanding of how NMB reversal trends were affected by the pandemic may help provide insight into how providers view the tradeoffs in the choice of NMB reversal agents.

OBJECTIVE

We aim to analyze NMB reversal agent use patterns for US adult inpatient surgeries before and after the COVID-19 outbreak to determine whether pandemic-related practice changes affected use trends.

METHODS

A retrospective longitudinal analysis of a large all-payer national electronic US health care database (PINC AI Healthcare Database) was conducted to identify the use patterns of NMB reversal during early, middle, and late COVID-19 (EC, MC, and LC, respectively) time periods. Factors associated with NMB reversal choices in inpatient surgeries were assessed before and after the COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States. Multivariate logistic regression assessed the impact of the pandemic on NMB reversal, accounting for patient, clinical, procedural, and site characteristics. A counterfactual framework was used to understand if patient characteristics affected how COVID-19-era patients would have been treated before the pandemic.

RESULTS

More than 3.2 million inpatients experiencing over 3.6 million surgical procedures across 931 sites that met all inclusion criteria were identified between March 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021. NMB reversal trends showed a steady increase in reversal with sugammadex over time, with the trend from January 2018 onwards being linear with time (R2>0.99). Multivariate analysis showed that the post-COVID-19 time periods had a small but statistically significant effect on the trend, as measured by the interaction terms of the COVID-19 time periods and the time trend in NMB reversal. A slight increase in the likelihood of sugammadex reversal was observed during EC relative to the pre-COVID-19 trend (odds ratio [OR] 1.008, 95% CI 1.003-1.014; P=.003), followed by negation of that increase during MC (OR 0.992, 95% CI 0.987-0.997; P<.001), and no significant interaction identified during LC (OR 1.001, 95% CI 0.996-1.005; P=.81). Conversely, active reversal (using either sugammadex or neostigmine) did not show a significant association relative to spontaneous reversal, or a change in trend, during EC or MC (P>.05), though a slight decrease in the active reversal trend was observed during LC (OR 0.987, 95% CI 0.983-0.992; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a steady increase in NMB active reversal overall, and specifically with sugammadex compared to neostigmine, during periods before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Small, transitory alterations in the NMB reversal trends were observed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, though these alterations were independent of the underlying NMB reversal time trends.

A Propensity-Matched Cohort Study of Intravenous Iron versus Red Cell Transfusions for Preoperative Iron-Deficiency Anemia

BACKGROUND

While preoperative anemia is associated with adverse perioperative outcomes, the benefits of treatment with iron replacement versus red blood cell (RBC) transfusion remain uncertain. We used a national database to establish trends in preoperative iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) treatment and to test the hypothesis that treatment with preoperative iron may be superior to RBC transfusion.

METHODS

This study is a propensity-matched retrospective cohort analysis from 2003 to 2023 using TriNetX Research Network, which included surgical patients diagnosed with IDA within 3 months preoperatively. After matching for surgery type and comorbidities, we compared a cohort of patients with preoperative IDA who were treated with preoperative intravenous (IV) iron but not RBCs (n = 77,179), with a cohort receiving preoperative RBCs but not IV iron (n = 77,179). Propensity-score matching was performed for age, ethnicity, race, sex, overweight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, essential hypertension, heart failure, chronic ischemic heart disease, neoplasms, hypothyroidism, chronic kidney disease, nicotine dependence, surgery type, and lab values from the day of surgery including ferritin, transferrin, and hemoglobin split into low (<7 g/dL), medium (7-<12 g/dL), and high (≥12 g/dL) to account for anemia severity. The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative mortality with the secondary outcomes being 30-day morbidity, postoperative hemoglobin level, and 30-day postoperative RBC transfusion.

RESULTS

Compared with RBC transfusion, preoperative IV iron was associated with lower risk of postoperative mortality (n = 2550/77,179 [3.3%] vs n = 4042/77,179 [5.2%]; relative risk [RR], 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60-0.66), and a lower risk of postoperative composite morbidity (n = 14,174/77,179 [18.4%] vs n = 18,632/77,179 [24.1%]; RR, 0.76, 95% CI, 0.75-0.78) (both P = .001 after Bonferroni adjustment). Compared with RBC transfusion, IV iron was also associated with a higher hemoglobin in the 30-day postoperative period (10.1 ± 1.8 g/dL vs 9.4 ± 1.7 g/dL, P = .001 after Bonferroni adjustment) and a reduced incidence of postoperative RBC transfusion (n = 3773/77,179 [4.9%] vs n = 12,629/77,179 [16.4%]; RR, 0.30, 95% CI, 0.29-0.31).

CONCLUSIONS

In a risk-adjusted analysis, preoperative IDA treatment with IV iron compared to RBC transfusion was associated with a reduction in 30-day postoperative mortality and morbidity, a higher 30-day postoperative hemoglobin level, and reduced postoperative RBC transfusion. This evidence represents a promising opportunity to improve patient outcomes and reduce blood transfusions and their associated risk and costs.

Monitor smart, use better: the future of haemodynamic monitoring

The review article "Haemodynamic Monitoring During Noncardiac Surgery" offers valuable insights but lacks evidence linking specific haemodynamic strategies to improved outcomes. There's a need for standardized protocols, ongoing clinician education, and further validation of new technologies. Additionally, balancing the use of invasive versus noninvasive methods and addressing cost-effectiveness and sustainability are essential. Continued research and adaptive practices are crucial for optimizing perioperative care.

Factors influencing the fasting decisions of day-case surgery patients

BACKGROUND

Patients admitted on the day of surgery are asked to arrive fasted, and they often fast for longer than necessary. Although pre-assessment supports patients to prepare for surgery, little is known about how they make fasting decisions.

AIMS

To explore factors influencing the fasting decisions of day-case patients and how to provide information pre-operatively.

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive study design was used. Semi-structured telephone interviews were carried out with 10 patients recruited from a single day-case unit. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

FINDINGS

Three themes provided context for fasting decisions: the operation as a serious event; the patient as an active partner; and the patient as a rule follower. Length of fast is determined by fasting decisions and practicalities.

CONCLUSION

Patients approach fasting decisions according to their knowledge and experience and their individual preferences for information. Pre-assessment nurses should tailor information to the patient and explain the rationale for fasting.

Effect of music therapy combined with aerobic exercise on sleep quality among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy after a radical mastectomy: a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

We aimed to study the effect of music therapy combined with aerobic exercise on the sleep quality of patients undergoing chemotherapy after a radical mastectomy.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Shaanxi Province Tumor Hospital, from July 2017 to June 2019. 110 female breast cancer patients who underwent a radical mastectomy were recruited and randomly allocated into an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group completed music therapy combined with aerobic exercise from the first to the sixth admission to the hospital for chemotherapy, while the control group received only routine nursing care. The sleep quality of these patients was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A linear mixed model was used to adjust the PSQI of patients after controlling for other confounding factors.

RESULTS

The mean sleep quality score of the breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy after a radical mastectomy (baseline) was 8.86 ± 2.34. The intervention group had a significantly lower mean global PSQI score than the control group from the first test to the third test, with an adjusted mean difference of -1.05 (95%CI: -1.86, -0.24; P = 0.01), -2.89 (95%CI: -3.70, -2.08; P < 0.001) and - 4.84 (95%CI: -5.65, -4.03; P < 0.001), respectively. A change in the global PSQI score from baseline for the intervention group was from 0.55 (95%CI: -0.24, 1.34; P = 0.171) at the first test to 2.75 (95%CI: 1.96, 3.53; P < 0.001) at the last test, and for the control group was from - 0.51 (95%CI: -1.31, 0.29; P = 0.213 at the first test to -2.10 (95%CI: -2.91, -1.30; P < 0.001) at the last test.

CONCLUSIONS

An intervention of music therapy combined with aerobic exercise can significantly improve the sleep quality of female breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy after a radical mastectomy, and this intervention continuously improves many aspects of sleep reactivity.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100042975, 02/02/2021).

Development and validation of a predictive model for PACU hypotension in elderly patients undergoing sedated gastrointestinal endoscopy

BACKGROUND

Hypotension, characterized by abnormally low blood pressure, is a frequently observed adverse event in sedated gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures. Although the examination time is typically short, hypotension during and after gastroscopy procedures is frequently overlooked or remains undetected. This study aimed to construct a risk nomogram for post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) hypotension in elderly patients undergoing sedated gastrointestinal endoscopy.

METHODS

This study involved 2919 elderly patients who underwent sedated gastrointestinal endoscopy. A preoperative questionnaire was used to collect data on patient characteristics; intraoperative medication use and adverse events were also recorded. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the risk of PACU hypotension in these patients. To achieve this, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis method was used to optimize variable selection, involving cyclic coordinate descent with tenfold cross-validation. Subsequently, multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to build a predictive model using the selected predictors from the LASSO regression. A nomogram was visually developed based on these variables. To validate the model, a calibration plot, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used. Additionally, external validation was conducted to further assess the model's performance.

RESULTS

The LASSO regression analysis identified predictors associated with an increased risk of adverse events during surgery: age, duration of preoperative water abstinence, intraoperative mean arterial pressure (MAP) <65 mmHg, decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP), and use of norepinephrine (NE). The constructed model based on these predictors demonstrated moderate predictive ability, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.710 in the training set and 0.778 in the validation set. The DCA indicated that the nomogram had clinical applicability when the risk threshold ranged between 20 and 82%, which was subsequently confirmed in the external validation with a range of 18-92%.

CONCLUSION

Incorporating factors such as age, duration of preoperative water abstinence, intraoperative MAP <65 mmHg, decreased SBP, and use of NE in the risk nomogram increased its usefulness for predicting PACU hypotension risk in elderly patient undergoing sedated gastrointestinal endoscopy.

The effect of human albumin administration on postoperative renal function following major surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Optimal fluid management during major surgery is of considerable concern to anesthesiologists. Although crystalloids are the first choice for fluid management, the administration of large volumes of crystalloids is associated with poor postoperative outcomes. Albumin can be used for fluid management and may protect renal function. However, data regarding the effects of albumin administration on kidney function are conflicting. As such, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of albumin administration on renal function in patients undergoing major surgery and compare its effects with those of crystalloid fluid. The Embase, Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and KoreaMed databases were searched for relevant studies. The primary endpoint of the meta-analysis was the incidence of postoperative kidney injury, including acute kidney injury and renal replacement therapy. Twelve studies comprising 2311 patients were included; the primary endpoint was analyzed in four studies comprising 1749 patients. Perioperative albumin levels in patients undergoing major surgery did not significantly influence kidney dysfunction (p = 0.98). Postoperative fluid balance was less positive in patients who underwent major surgery and received albumin than in those who received crystalloids. Owing to the limitations of this meta-analysis, it remains unclear whether albumin administration during major surgery is better than crystalloid fluid for improving postoperative renal function.

Utilization of international normalized ratio-derived formula to predict plasma rivaroxaban level-Validation study and real-world experience

INTRODUCTION

Specific assays of plasma rivaroxaban level are not always readily available with short turnaround time, which hamper the management of urgent clinical situations. In this study, we aimed to build a predictive formula of plasma rivaroxaban levels from international normalized ratio (INR) value and validated in real world clinical situations.

METHODS

Ninety-four patients who were taking rivaroxaban participated in the study. Patients were randomized into testing cohort and validation cohorts. The prediction formula was built from the testing cohort and then validated in validation cohort. The predictive performance was further validated on real-world clinical requests.

RESULTS

The root mean square error (RMSE) of the predictive formula for the testing and validation cohorts were 61.81 and 69.32 ng/mL, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for the formula to predict the threshold plasma rivaroxaban level of 75 ng/mL were 95% (95% CI: 85.4%-100%) and 87.5% (95% CI: 71.3%-100%), respectively, in real-world clinical situations.

CONCLUSION

Plasma rivaroxaban level of threshold level of 75 ng/mL can be calculated from prediction formula by INR value with satisfactory accuracy and it can be used to guide the decision for reversal.

Preoperative optimization of modifiable risk factors is associated with decreased superficial surgical site infections after total joint arthroplasty: a prospective case-control study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The aim of our study was to investigate change in modifiable risk factors following preoperative optimization and whether risk of superficial surgical site infection (SSI) after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) could be reduced.

METHODS

This is a prospective study of implementation of a preoperative optimization pathway for patients waiting for primary TJA. Information regarding the intervention arm was collected from January 2019 to January 2021, first at decision for operation and then at preoperative assessment 1 week prior to operation. The control arm was included between August 2018 and September 2020 after receiving conventional preoperative preparation and information gathered at preoperative assessment. Follow up occurred 6 weeks postoperatively for both groups. The primary outcome was postoperative superficial SSI.

RESULTS

The optimization effort resulted in improvement of weight, anemia, HbA1c, vitamin D, and patient engagement. At preoperative assessment the baseline characteristics of the 2 groups were similar except that the intervention group had substantially more comorbidities. Regarding superficial SSI, association was found with BMI ≥ 30 and HbA1c ≥ 42 mmol/mol in the control group but not in the intervention group. When corrected for differences in ASA classification (reflecting comorbidities), age, and sex, being in the intervention group was associated with lower odds of occurrence of superficial SSI compared with the control group (OR 0.64, 95% confidence interval 0.42-0.97).

CONCLUSION

We showed that preoperative optimization in a structured cooperation between hospital and primary care was associated with a reduced risk of superficial SSI.

Social vulnerability and surgery outcomes: a cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND

Post-operative complications present a challenge to the healthcare system due to the high unpredictability of their incidence. Socioeconomic conditions have been established as social determinants of health. However, their contribution relating to postoperative complications is still unclear as it can be heterogeneous based on community, type of surgical services, and sex and gender. Uncovering these relations can enable improved public health policy to reduce such complications.

METHODS

In this study, we conducted a large population cross-sectional analysis of social vulnerability and the odds of various post-surgical complications. We collected electronic health records data from over 50,000 surgeries that happened between 2012 and 2018 at a quaternary health center in St. Louis, Missouri, United States and the corresponding zip code of the patients. We built statistical logistic regression models of postsurgical complications with the social vulnerability index of the tract consisting of the zip codes of the patient as the independent variable along with sex and race interaction.

RESULTS

Our sample from the St. Louis area exhibited high variance in social vulnerability with notable rapid increase in vulnerability from the south west to the north of the Mississippi river indicating high levels of inequality. Our sample had more females than males, and females had slightly higher social vulnerability index. Postoperative complication incidence ranged from 0.75% to 41% with lower incidence rate among females. We found that social vulnerability was associated with abnormal heart rhythm with socioeconomic status and housing status being the main association factors. We also found associations of the interaction of social vulnerability and female sex with an increase in odds of heart attack and surgical wound infection. Those associations disappeared when controlling for general health and comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that social vulnerability measures such as socioeconomic status and housing conditions could affect postsurgical outcomes through preoperative health. This suggests that the domains of preventive medicine and public health should place social vulnerability as a priority to achieve better health outcomes of surgical interventions.

Evaluation of postoperative results after a presurgical optimisation programme

BACKGROUND

Presurgical optimisation programmes decrease the risk of postoperative complications, reduce hospital stays and speed up patient recovery. They usually involve a multidisciplinary team addressing physical, nutritional and psychosocial issues. The objective of this study was to assess the results of implementing a presurgical optimisation programme led by a liaison nurse in patients undergoing major surgery in a primary general hospital.

METHODS

An observational, retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative study based on the revision of patients' health records undergoing major surgery between January 2019 and December 2022. Patients entering the presurgical optimisation programme (intervention group) were compared with patients receiving usual medical care (control group). The presurgical optimisation programme consisted of oral nutritional supplementation, physical exercise, strengthening of lung capacity and psychological and emotional support. Frequency (%) of surgery complications and use of healthcare resources (duration of hospitalisation, time spent in the intensive care unit (ICU), and readmission) at day 30 were recorded. Descriptive statistics were applied.

RESULTS

Two hundred eleven patients (58.5% men, mean age: 65.76 years (SD 11.5), 75.2%. non-smokers; mean body mass index (BMI): 28.32 (SD 5.38); mean Nutritional Risk Score (NRS) 3.71 (SD 1.35; oncology diagnosis: 88.6%) were included: 135 in the intervention group, and 76 in the control group. The average duration of the presurgical optimisation programme was 20 days (SD 5). Frequency of postoperative complications was 25% (n = 33) in the intervention group and 52.6% (n = 40) in the control group (p < 0.001) [odds ratio (OR) = 3.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.8; 6.2)]. 14.5% (n = 19) of patients in the intervention group and 34.2% (n = 26) in the control group had remote postoperative complications [OR = 3.1; 95% CI (1.6; 6.2)]. Patients in the intervention group spent fewer days in the hospital [mean 8.34 (SD 6.70) vs 11.63 (SD 10.63)], and there were fewer readmissions at 30 days (7.6% vs 19.7%) compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

A presurgical optimisation programme led by a liaison nurse decreases the rate of immediate and late surgical complications and reduces hospital stays and readmissions in patients undergoing major surgery.

Outcomes of perioperative intravenous iron infusion in femoral fracture surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Patient blood management recommends the use of intravenous (IV) iron infusion to reduce inappropriate blood transfusion perioperatively for anaemic surgical patients. However, evidence regarding its use in urgent femoral fracture surgery is limited. This systematic review aims to collate the current evidence regarding the utilisation of IV iron in femoral fracture surgery.

METHOD

MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Clinicaltrials.gov, and the WHO ICTRP databases were systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCT) comparing the outcomes of perioperative IV iron infusion with placebo in adults requiring surgical management for femoral fractures. Risk ratios (RR) were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel method for dichotomous outcomes, and mean differences (MD) were calculated with the inverse-variance method for continuous outcomes.

RESULTS

Six RCTs with 1292 patients were included. No statistically significant difference was found in the proportion of patients receiving red blood cell (RBC) transfusion (RR = 0.87, 95%CI: 0.75; 1.01, p = 0.058) between groups. Statistically significant difference in postoperative haemoglobin concentration was found between groups measured between day 4-7 of admission (MD = 1.93 g/L, 95%CI: 0.48; 3.39, p = 0.024), but not clinically significant. No statistically significant differences were found between groups in mortality rate, length of hospital stay, infection rate, or return to home rate.

CONCLUSION

Current evidence indicates that IV iron infusion alone does not provide any clinically significant benefit in femoral fracture surgery. Further high-quality RCTs are needed to explore its synergistic potential when used in combination with other perioperative optimisation methods, including tranexamic acid, erythropoietin and cell salvage.

Position paper on perioperative management and surgical risk in the patient with cirrhosis

INTRODUCTION

Management of the patient with cirrhosis of the liver that requires surgical treatment has been relatively unexplored. In Mexico, there is currently no formal stance or expert recommendations to guide clinical decision-making in this context.

AIMS

The present position paper reviews the existing evidence on risks, prognoses, precautions, special care, and specific management or procedures for patients with cirrhosis that require surgical interventions or invasive procedures. Our aim is to provide recommendations by an expert panel, based on the best published evidence, and consequently ensure timely, quality, efficient, and low-risk care for this specific group of patients.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven recommendations were developed that address preoperative considerations, intraoperative settings, and postoperative follow-up and care.

CONCLUSIONS

The assessment and care of patients with cirrhosis that require major surgical or invasive procedures should be overseen by a multidisciplinary team that includes the anesthesiologist, hepatologist, gastroenterologist, and clinical nutritionist. With respect to decompensated patients, a nephrology specialist may be required, given that kidney function is also a parameter involved in the prognosis of these patients.

Multimodal prehabilitation and postoperative outcomes in upper abdominal surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis

The impact of multimodal prehabilitation on postoperative complications in upper abdominal surgeries is understudied. This review analyzes randomized trials on multimodal prehabilitation with patient and hospital outcomes. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched for trials on prehabilitation before elective (non-emergency) abdominal surgery. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed study quality. Primary outcomes of interest were postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) and all-cause complications; secondary outcomes included hospital and intensive care length of stay. A meta-analysis with random-effect models was performed, and heterogeneity was evaluated with I-square and Cochran's Q test. Dichotomous variables were reported in log-odds ratio and continuous variables were presented as mean difference. Ten studies (total 1503 patients) were included. Odds of developing complications after prehabilitation were significantly lower compared to various control groups (- 0.38 [- 0.75- - 0.004], P = 0.048). Five studies described PPCs, and participants with prehabilitation had decreased odds of PPC (- 0.96 [- 1.38- - 0.54], P < 0.001). Prehabilitation did not significantly reduce length of stay, unless exercise was implemented; with exercise, hospital stay decreased significantly (- 0.91 [- 1.67- - 0.14], P = 0.02). Multimodal prehabilitation may decrease complications in upper abdominal surgery, but not necessarily length of stay; research should address heterogeneity in the literature.

Commentary on the "A multidisciplinary opioid-reduction pathway for robotic prostatectomy: outcomes at year one"

BACKGROUND

Opioid-sparing multimodal analgesia is increasingly emphasized for postoperative pain management. This commentary discusses a study by Manning et al. on an opioid reduction pathway for robotic prostatectomy.

METHODS

We reviewed the Manning et al. study, which implemented a multidisciplinary opioid reduction pathway and compared outcomes before and after pathway implementation. Outcomes included opioid use, pain scores, antiemetic use, length of stay, and readmissions.

RESULTS

The study found reduced opioid consumption, lower antiemetic use, shorter length of stay, and similar pain scores after pathway implementation. However, the pre-post-study design has limitations in attributing causality to the pathway itself. Key confounders were not fully accounted for. The clinical significance of the small reduction in length of stay is also questionable.

CONCLUSIONS

This commentary highlights important limitations of the Manning et al. study, including the retrospective design, potential confounding factors, small effect size, and lack of long-term outcomes. While the study provides early evidence for a multidisciplinary opioid reduction approach, further rigorous prospective research is needed to confirm the observed benefits and long-term impacts. Additional focus on direct opioid consumption, equivalent analgesia assessment, and clinically meaningful outcomes is warranted.

A proof of concept for microcirculation monitoring using machine learning based hyperspectral imaging in critically ill patients: a monocentric observational study

BACKGROUND

Impaired microcirculation is a cornerstone of sepsis development and leads to reduced tissue oxygenation, influenced by fluid and catecholamine administration during treatment. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a non-invasive bedside technology for visualizing physicochemical tissue characteristics. Machine learning (ML) for skin HSI might offer an automated approach for bedside microcirculation assessment, providing an individualized tissue fingerprint of critically ill patients in intensive care. The study aimed to determine if machine learning could be utilized to automatically identify regions of interest (ROIs) in the hand, thereby distinguishing between healthy individuals and critically ill patients with sepsis using HSI.

METHODS

HSI raw data from 75 critically ill sepsis patients and from 30 healthy controls were recorded using TIVITA® Tissue System and analyzed using an automated ML approach. Additionally, patients were divided into two groups based on their SOFA scores for further subanalysis: less severely ill (SOFA ≤ 5) and severely ill (SOFA > 5). The analysis of the HSI raw data was fully-automated using MediaPipe for ROI detection (palm and fingertips) and feature extraction. HSI Features were statistically analyzed to highlight relevant wavelength combinations using Mann-Whitney-U test and Benjamini, Krieger, and Yekutieli (BKY) correction. In addition, Random Forest models were trained using bootstrapping, and feature importances were determined to gain insights regarding the wavelength importance for a model decision.

RESULTS

An automated pipeline for generating ROIs and HSI feature extraction was successfully established. HSI raw data analysis accurately distinguished healthy controls from sepsis patients. Wavelengths at the fingertips differed in the ranges of 575-695 nm and 840-1000 nm. For the palm, significant differences were observed in the range of 925-1000 nm. Feature importance plots indicated relevant information in the same wavelength ranges. Combining palm and fingertip analysis provided the highest reliability, with an AUC of 0.92 to distinguish between sepsis patients and healthy controls.

CONCLUSION

Based on this proof of concept, the integration of automated and standardized ROIs along with automated skin HSI analyzes, was able to differentiate between healthy individuals and patients with sepsis. This approach offers a reliable and objective assessment of skin microcirculation, facilitating the rapid identification of critically ill patients.