Patient Selection for Day Case-eligible Surgery

Hospital readmission after ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy: incidence and predictors

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to assess the rate of 30-d hospital readmissions after ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The 2009 to 2011 State Ambulatory Surgery and Services and State Inpatient Databases from California, Florida, and New York were analyzed to evaluate the incidence of 30-d readmissions after laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed in outpatient settings. Hospital transfers and the principal diagnoses of hospital readmission were analyzed as secondary outcomes. Multilevel generalized mixed linear regression analyses with fixed and random effects were used to evaluate variables associated with increased likelihood of readmissions.

RESULTS

A total of 230,745 encounters for ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed in 890 ambulatory facilities between 2009 and 2011 in the three states were analyzed. The rate of 30-d readmission was 20.2 per 1000 discharges. The rate of direct transfers from the ambulatory surgery center to an acute care hospital was 0.6 per 1000 discharges. The most common diagnoses of readmission were surgical complications, postoperative pain, infection, and nausea or vomiting. After adjusting for comorbidities, increasing age, male sex, non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, any nonprivate insurance type, diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, use of intraoperative cholangiography, and having the procedure performed on a weekend were significantly associated with increased odds of 30-d readmissions.

CONCLUSIONS

This large-state data analysis reveals that the unplanned admission and readmission rates after laparoscopic cholecystectomy are very low. Some causes of readmission (e.g., pain, nausea, and vomiting) are modifiable by the intervention of surgeons and anesthesia providers.

Retrospective observational evaluation of postoperative oxygen saturation levels and associated postoperative respiratory complications and hospital resource utilization

Introduction

The clinical importance of postoperative episodic hypoxemia is still unclear, and therefore largely under-studied. As a result, there is limited understanding of its relationship with early postoperative respiratory complications (PRC, defined as intubation within three days of surgery) and hospital resource utilization.

Materials and methods

This single center study was performed using a retrospective observational design. We described population based definitions of desaturation from continuous SpO₂ monitoring data captured in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU), namely median SpO₂ in PACU, duration of desaturation below median, nadir desaturation, and length of oxygen therapy relative to PACU duration. These measures were evaluated against the occurrence of early PRC in logistic regression models. Measures that were independently associated with early PRC were accepted as the primary study exposures. Stratified logistic regression models were planned if significant interaction occurred with high risk surgical procedures. Models were adjusted by including several patient conditions, procedural, and anesthesia risk factors. Propensity matching on desaturation occurrence was planned to evaluate the relationship with postoperative resource utilization.

Results

Among 125,740 patients included in the univariate analyses, 351 patients (0.3%) developed early PRC. Nadir desaturation <89% [14.3% of patients; adjusted odds ratio 2.02; 95% CI 1.52, 2.68; p<0.001] and PACU oxygen therapy requirements greater than 60 min [adjusted odds ratio 1.92 (>60 min) to 3.04 (>90 min); p<0.001] were identified as independent predictors of early PRC occurrence. A modest interaction was observed between desaturation and higher surgical risk. Propensity matching for postoperative oxygen requirement was performed in 37,354 matched patients. Matched analysis demonstrated significant increase in day of surgery charges, respiratory charges, total charges, hospital length of stay, reintubation and use of invasive or non-invasive ventilatory support.

Conclusions

In summary, we report that prolonged PACU oxygen therapy and nadir desaturation <89% in PACU as captured in a retrospective database are independently associated with early PRC. This study describes resource implications of PACU desaturation in a large academic medical center in North America.

[Patient safety recommendations for out of operating room procedure sedation]

INTRODUCTION

There is an increasing and more complex demand for sedation for procedures out of the operating room. For different reasons, nowadays the administration of sedation varies considerably. We believe that a patient safety approach rather an approach out of corporate or economic interests is desirable.

METHOD

We created a working group of experts within the Spanish Anaesthesia and Reanimation Incident Reporting System (SENSAR) to prepare a series of recommendations through a non-systematic review. These recommendations were validated by an expert panel of 31 anaesthesiologists through two rounds of an adaptation of the Delphi Method where more than 70% agreement was required.

RESULTS

The resulting recommendations include previous evaluation, material and staffing needs for sedation for procedures, post-sedation recommendations and activity and quality control advice.

CONCLUSION

We present patient centred recommendations for the safe use of sedation for out of the operating room procedures from the point of view of the professionals with the most experience in its administration. We believe that these can be used as a guide to reduce variability and increase patient safety in the organisation of healthcare.

The development and application of a risk stratification index system for outpatient shoulder arthroscopy patient management-a single academic center's experience

Background

Our goal was to develop a risk stratification index (RSI) that could guide management of our patients. We hypothesized that the risks of unexpected overstay admission (OS) and emergency department (ED) transfer are predictable on the basis of patient factors for elective outpatient shoulder arthroscopic surgery.

Methods

We first identified 124,860 subjects who received shoulder arthroscopic surgery in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project database. We next conducted multivariable regression analysis to identify risk factors associated with unanticipated OS or ED transfer. The risk factors were then adopted to construct the RSI. We last applied the RSI into our practice and prospectively collected outcome data between August 2014 and June 2015.

Results

The significant risk factors included arrhythmia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, obesity, neurologic disease with function impairment, and general anesthesia. All significant risk factors were then adopted to calculate the RSI with equal weight assignment. Simulated analysis concluded that a patient with 2 or fewer risk factors would carry a theoretical rate for OS or ED events of 0.73%. A total of 583 shoulder arthroscopy procedures were performed, among which 472 (81.0%) patients passed the RSI and were successfully managed in the outpatient surgical center without any admission. There were 111 (19.0%) subjects with procedures performed in the main hospital, with 2 unexpected admissions (1.8%).

Conclusion

We developed an RSI tool for shoulder arthroscopic surgery with an existing national database. It is our conclusion that the RSI system is an effective tool to optimize clinical practice. However, over time, a longer follow-up period might provide more convincing evidence.

Comparing definitions of outpatient surgery: Implications for quality measurement

BACKGROUND

Adverse event (AE) rates in outpatient surgery are inconsistently reported, partly because of the lack of a standard definition of outpatient surgery. We compared the types and rates of surgical procedures defined by two national healthcare agencies: Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) and considered implications for quality measurement.

METHODS

We used HCCI and HCUP definitions to identify FY2012-14 VA outpatient surgeries.

RESULTS

There were six times as many HCCI surgeries as HCUP (6,575,830 versus 1,086,640). Ninety-nine percent of HCUP-defined surgeries were also identified by HCCI. More HCUP surgeries had higher average Medicare Relative Value Units then HCCI surgeries [5.3 (SD = 4.4) versus 1.6 (SD = 2.3) RVUs].

CONCLUSIONS

Rates and types of procedures vary widely between definitions. Quality measurement using HCCI versus HCUP may produce significantly lower AE rates because many of the surgeries included reflect low complexity and potentially low risk of AEs.

Ambulatory Surgical Centers: A Review of Complications and Adverse Events

An increasing number of orthopaedic surgeries are performed at ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), as is exemplified by the 272% population-adjusted increase in outpatient rotator cuff repairs from 1996 to 2006. Outpatient surgery is convenient for patients and cost effective for the healthcare system. The rate of complications and adverse events following orthopaedic surgeries at ASCs ranges from 0.05% to 20%. The most common complications are pain and nausea, followed by infection, impaired healing, and bleeding; these are affected by surgical and patient risk factors. The most important surgeon-controlled factors are surgical time, type of anesthesia, and site of surgery, whereas the key patient comorbidities are advanced age, female sex, diabetes mellitus, smoking status, and high body mass index. As the use of ASCs continues to rise, an understanding of risk factors and outcomes becomes increasingly important to guide indications for and management of orthopaedic surgery in the outpatient setting.

Patient safety recommendations for out of operating room procedure sedation

INTRODUCTION

There is an increasing and more complex demand for sedation for procedures out of the operating room. For different reasons, nowadays the administration of sedation varies considerably. We believe that a patient safety approach rather an approach out of corporate or economic interests is desirable.

METHOD

We created a working group of experts within the Spanish Anaesthesia and Reanimation Incident Reporting System (SENSAR) to prepare a series of recommendations through a non-systematic review. These recommendations were validated by an expert panel of 31 anaesthesiologists through two rounds of an adaptation of the Delphi Method where more than 70% agreement was required.

RESULTS

The resulting recommendations include previous evaluation, material and staffing needs for sedation for procedures, post-sedation recommendations and activity and quality control advice.

CONCLUSION

We present patient centred recommendations for the safe use of sedation for out of the operating room procedures from the point of view of the professionals with the most experience in its administration. We believe that these can be used as a guide to reduce variability and increase patient safety in the organisation of healthcare.

The impact of preoperative evaluation on perioperative events in patients undergoing cataract surgery: a cohort study

PurposeAmbulatory surgery is a major area of surgical and anesthetic practice, and preoperative clinics are being increasingly used for low-risk surgical procedures. This study investigated the impact of preoperative evaluation on perioperative events in patients undergoing cataract surgery.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of 968 consecutive patients undergoing cataract surgery. Details of medical conditions, surgical, anesthetic, and postoperative information were collected from medical records. A logistic regression model was developed using propensity score adjustment for baseline characteristics.ResultsOut 968 patients included, 240 (24.7%) underwent outpatient preoperative evaluation. There were no perioperative major cardiovascular events. Hypertension occurred in 319 (33%) patients, accounting for 79.7% of all adverse events. Preoperative evaluation resulted in a lower hypertension rate after adjustment for propensity score (OR=0.6; 95% CI 0.41-0.93); no effects were observed on posterior capsule rupture and emergency visits/hospitalization within 7 days of surgery. Eighty-nine patients (9.3%) had an initial systolic pressure ≥180 mm Hg, which was not associated with higher risk of posterior capsule rupture (P=0.158) or postoperative adverse events (P=0.902). Median waiting time to surgery was 6 and 2 months for evaluated and non-evaluated patients, respectively (P<0.001).ConclusionsIn the context of low-risk surgery and no major perioperative and postoperative outcomes, it appears that outpatient preoperative evaluation has no role in reducing adverse events in cataract surgery candidates. Despite fewer hypertensive episodes observed in evaluated patients, these episodes were not associated with any medical or surgical outcomes.

Perioperative support reduces mortality of obese BALB/c mice after ovariectomy

The incidence of obesity is on the rise in most western countries and represents major risks to health. Obesity causes complex metabolic dysfunctions and can be associated with a large number of secondary diseases. To investigate causal mechanisms of obesity and develop better options for treatment, researchers study the condition in animal models. In addition to genetically engineered animal models, diet-induced obesity is often used because it occurs similarly in animals as it does in humans. For several types of investigations that use obesity models, investigators must carry out surgical interventions and they frequently encounter severe perioperative complications induced by anesthesia. In an example of this problem, we observed 100% mortality in obese BALB/c mice after ovariectomy, despite no obvious surgical complications. We supposed that a failure to recover from surgery was the primary cause of this increased mortality. Therefore, to support their recovery from surgery we administered atropine to obese mice in order to facilitate blood circulation, and we also increased the oxygen content of the ambient air. With this specific support before and after surgery, we increased the survival rate of obese ovariectomized mice up to 83%. These results confirm the assumption that obesity is a risk factor for the recovery of obese animal models after ovariectomy, and they highlight the need to provide additional interventions for such experimental animals.

Clinical prediction model to identify vulnerable patients in ambulatory surgery: towards optimal medical decision-making

BACKGROUND

Ambulatory surgery patients are at risk of adverse psychological outcomes such as anxiety, aggression, fatigue, and depression. We developed and validated a clinical prediction model to identify patients who were vulnerable to these psychological outcome parameters.

METHODS

We prospectively assessed 383 mixed ambulatory surgery patients for psychological vulnerability, defined as the presence of anxiety (state/trait), aggression (state/trait), fatigue, and depression seven days after surgery. Three psychological vulnerability categories were considered-i.e., none, one, or multiple poor scores, defined as a score exceeding one standard deviation above the mean for each single outcome according to normative data. The following determinants were assessed preoperatively: sociodemographic (age, sex, level of education, employment status, marital status, having children, religion, nationality), medical (heart rate and body mass index), and psychological variables (self-esteem and self-efficacy), in addition to anxiety, aggression, fatigue, and depression. A prediction model was constructed using ordinal polytomous logistic regression analysis, and bootstrapping was applied for internal validation. The ordinal c-index (ORC) quantified the discriminative ability of the model, in addition to measures for overall model performance (Nagelkerke's R (2) ).

RESULTS

In this population, 137 (36%) patients were identified as being psychologically vulnerable after surgery for at least one of the psychological outcomes. The most parsimonious and optimal prediction model combined sociodemographic variables (level of education, having children, and nationality) with psychological variables (trait anxiety, state/trait aggression, fatigue, and depression). Model performance was promising: R (2)  = 30% and ORC = 0.76 after correction for optimism.

CONCLUSION

This study identified a substantial group of vulnerable patients in ambulatory surgery. The proposed clinical prediction model could allow healthcare professionals the opportunity to identify vulnerable patients in ambulatory surgery, although additional modification and validation are needed. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01441843).

The Concept of Risk Assessment and Being Unfit for Surgery

The concept of risk assessment and the identification of surgical unfitness for vascular intervention is a particularly controversial issue today as the minimally invasive surgical population has increased not only in volume but also in complexity (comorbidity profile) and age, requiring an improved pre-operative selection and definition of high risk. A practical step by step (three steps, two points for each) approach for surgical risk assessment is suggested in this review. As a general rule, the identification of a "high risk" patient for vascular surgery follows a step by step process where the risk is clearly defined, quantified (when too "high"?), and thereby stratified based on the procedure, the patient, and the hospital, with the aid of predictive risk scores. However, there is no standardized, updated, and objective definition for surgical unfitness today. The major gap in the current literature on the definition of high risk in vascular patients explains the lack of sound validated predictive systems and limited generalizability of risk scores in vascular surgery. In addition, the concept of fitness is an evolving tool and many traditional high risk criteria and definitions are no longer valid. Given the preventive purpose of most vascular procedures performed in elderly asymptomatic patients, the decision to pursue or withhold surgery requires realistic estimates not only regarding individual peri-operative mortality, but also life expectancy, healthcare priorities, and the patient's primary goals, such as prolongation of life versus maintenance of independence or symptom relief. The overall "frailty" and geriatric risk burden, such as cognitive, functional, social, and nutritional status, are variables that should be also included in the analyses for stratification of surgical risk in elderly vascular patients.

A Narrative Review of Meaningful Use and Anesthesia Information Management Systems

The US federal government has enacted legislation for a federal incentive program for health care providers and hospitals to implement electronic health records. The primary goal of the Meaningful Use (MU) program is to drive adoption of electronic health records nationwide and set the stage to monitor and guide efforts to improve population health and outcomes. The MU program provides incentives for the adoption and use of electronic health record technology and, in some cases, penalties for hospitals or providers not using the technology. The MU program is administrated by the Department of Health and Human Services and is divided into 3 stages that include specific reporting and compliance metrics. The rationale is that increased use of electronic health records will improve the process of delivering care at the individual level by improving the communication and allow for tracking population health and quality improvement metrics at a national level in the long run. The goal of this narrative review is to describe the MU program as it applies to anesthesiologists in the United States. This narrative review will discuss how anesthesiologists can meet the eligible provider reporting criteria of MU by applying anesthesia information management systems (AIMS) in various contexts in the United States. Subsequently, AIMS will be described in the context of MU criteria. This narrative literature review also will evaluate the evidence supporting the electronic health record technology in the operating room, including AIMS, independent of certification requirements for the electronic health record technology under MU in the United States.

Perioperative Assessment and Management for Sleep Apnea in the Ambulatory Surgical Patient

The overwhelming majority of surgical procedures performed in the United States are done on an outpatient basis. Patients with complicated medical problems are routinely scheduled for ambulatory procedures that have become progressively more complex. Appropriate patient selection is paramount to ensuring optimal perioperative outcomes, and the patient with known or suspected OSA presents unique challenges to the anesthesia care team regarding airway management, pain control, and postoperative monitoring requirements. Currently, a relative paucity of high-quality evidence exists on which to base guidelines or recommendations for the anesthetic care of these patients. It is generally agreed that early identification of those at risk for OSA allows for planning and implementation of strategies to help to reduce the risk of adverse perioperative events. Although various national societies have published consensus statements aimed at guiding the perioperative management of the patient at risk for OSA, more studies are needed to define the optimal approach to the perioperative care of this population.

The impact of a dedicated research education month for anesthesiology residents

An educational intervention was implemented at the University of Michigan starting in 2008, in which anesthesiology interns complete a dedicated month-long didactic rotation in evidence-based medicine (EBM) and research methodology. We sought to assess its utility. Scores on a validated EBM test before and after the rotation were compared and assessed for significance of improvement. A survey was also given to gauge satisfaction with the quality of the rotation and self-reported improvement in understanding of EBM topics. Fourteen consecutive interns completed the research rotation during the study period. One hundred percent completed both the pre- and postrotation test. The mean pretest score was 7.78 ± 2.46 (median = 7.5, 0–15 scale, and interquartile range 7.0–10.0) and the mean posttest score was 10.00 ± 2.35 (median = 9.5, interquartile range 8.0–12.3), which represented a statistically significant increase (P = 0.011, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). All fourteen of the residents “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that they would recommend the course to future interns and that the course increased their ability to critically review the literature. Our findings demonstrate that this can be an effective means of improving understanding of EBM topics and anesthesiology research.

Residual Paralysis: Does it Influence Outcome After Ambulatory Surgery?

Neuromuscular blocking agents are used to facilitate tracheal intubation in patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. The use of high-dose neuromuscular blocking agents to achieve muscle paralysis throughout the case carries an increased risk of residual post-operative neuromuscular blockade, which is associated with increased respiratory morbidity. Visually monitoring the train-of-four (TOF) fade is not sensitive enough to detect a TOF fade between 0.4 and 0.9. A ratio <0.9 indicates inadequate recovery. Quantitative neuromuscular transmission monitoring (e.g., acceleromyography) should be used to exclude residual neuromuscular blockade at the end of the case. Residual neuromuscular blockade needs to be reversed with neostigmine, but it's use must be guided by TOF monitoring results since deep block cannot be reversed, and neostigmine administration after complete recovery of the TOF-ratio can induce muscle weakness. The development and use of new selectively binding reversal agents (sugammadex and calabadion) warrants reevaluation of this area of clinical practice.

An alternative outpatient care model: postoperative guest suite-based care

BACKGROUND

Patients recovering from outpatient surgery are responsible for managing their pain, managing ambulation, and even implementing thromboembolism prophylaxis after discharge. Because of the importance of postoperative care to prevent complications, a model of care that helps a patient transition to independent self-care could provide optimal results.

OBJECTIVES

The authors investigated the safety and morbidity rate for patients who underwent body contouring procedures and overnight care at an attached, nurse-staffed guest suite facility.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted of 246 patients who underwent major body contouring and who stayed at least 1 night in the guest suite facility. Major complications included a return to the operating room within 48 hours, major wound infection, and unplanned hospitalization within 48 hours. Minor complications included any postsurgical effect necessitating unplanned physician intervention within the first 30 days. Univariate analyses correlating patient characteristics and complication rates were conducted, as well as comparison of complication rates among same procedures reported in the literature.

RESULTS

The complication rate (major and minor complications) was 25.20%. Surgical site infection occurred in 8.13% of patients. The most common wound complication was erythema around the incision site (12.20%). Death, deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism did not occur. Comparison with relevant results reported in the literature indicated a significant reduction in the occurrence of postoperative venous thromboembolism.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient education after surgery is essential to healing and adequate care. The guest suite model provides improved care and education for the patient and family postsurgery by addressing some of the known risk factors of plastic surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

Quality assessment in hand surgery

Measuring quality assessment in hand surgery remains an underexplored area. However, measuring quality is becoming increasingly transparent and important. Patients now have direct access to hospital and physician metrics and large payers have linked financial incentives to quality metrics. It is critical for hand surgeons to understand the essential elements of quality and its assessment. This article reviews several areas of hand surgery quality assessments including safety, outcomes, satisfaction, and cost.

Analysis of 35 cases of Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis

BACKGROUND

To retrospectively determine key demographic and clinical features of 35 patients with Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) in a New Zealand setting and to compare it with the existing literature.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients having a confirmed diagnosis of XGP on histopathology examination was performed. Key clinical and demographic features were analysed and compared with the published literature.

RESULTS

XGP was diagnosed in 35 patients over a 12-year (2001-2013) period in Auckland Public Hospital. Ninety-one percent of the patients were female. The population had significantly higher numbers of Maori and Pacific Island patients compared with the general population (74%). Staghorn calculi were the most common cause (51.4%) with obstructing ureteric calculi as the next most common (22.9%) cause. Twenty percent of cases were not thought to be XGP prior to nephrectomy (suspicious renal mass). Thirteen (38%) patients suffered serious complications post-operatively (Clavien 3-5).

CONCLUSION

XGP is a rare chronic inflammatory condition that appears to be overrepresented by Maori and Pacific islanders in our cohort when compared with the overall patient pool. Surgical treatment is associated with significant morbidity but remains the only definitive option. Obesity and other conditions associated with metabolic syndrome may coexist at the time of presentation and may be contributing factors to the development of XGP and poor outcomes associated with it.