Enhanced Recovery Pathway Improves Colorectal Surgery Outcomes in Private and Safety-Net Settings

Association of Safety-Net hospital status and hospital outcomes following ACDF or PCDF for CSM

INTRODUCTION

Safety net hospitals (SNH) serve a large proportion of patients with Medicaid or without insurance. However, few prior studies have addressed the impact of SNH status on outcomes following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) or posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF) for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). The aim of this study was to assess the association between SNH status outcomes following ACDF or PCDF for CSM.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed using the 2016-2019 National Inpatient Sample Database. All adult patients (≥18 years old) undergoing elective ACDF or PCDF for CSM, identified using ICD-10-CM coding, were stratified by SNH status. Hospitals in the top quartile of Medicaid/uninsured patient admissions were defined as SNHs while all other hospitals were defined as Non-SNHs (N-SNHs). Patient demographics, treating hospital characteristics, comorbidities, operative variables, adverse events (AEs), LOS, discharge disposition, and costs were assessed. Multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of prolonged LOS, non-routine discharge disposition, and increased costs for ACDF and PCDF.

RESULTS

Of the 49,945 study patients, 34,195 (68.5 %) underwent ACDF and 15,750 (31.5 %) underwent PCDF. Within the ACDF and PCDF cohorts, 8,025 patients (23.5 %) and 4,120 (26.2 %) were treated at SNHs, respectively. Mean LOS was significantly greater in the SNH cohorts for both procedures (ACDF: N-SNH: 2.43 ± 3.12 days vs SNH: 2.94 ± 4.13 days, p < 0.001; PCDF: N-SNH: 4.36 ± 4.28 days vs SNH: 5.41 ± 8.67 days, p = 0.002), as were mean costs (ACDF: N-SNH: $20,991 ± $12,126 vs SNH: $22,412 ± $15,302, p = 0.010; PCDF: N-SNH: $25,835 ± $16,812 vs SNH: $28,945 ± $29,166, p = 0.010). A significantly greater proportion of patients in the ACDF cohort treated at SNHs experienced non-routine discharges (N-SNH: 10.9 % vs SNH: 13.9 %, p = 0.006). On multivariate analysis for both procedures, SNH status was not significantly associated with extended LOS [ACDF: p = 0.097; PCDF: p = 0.158], non-routine discharge [ACDF: p = 0.288; PCDF: p = 0.246], or increased costs [ACDF: p = 0.664; PCDF: p = 0.593].

CONCLUSIONS

While our study found patients treated at SNHs with ACDF or PCDF for CSM had significantly longer mean LOS, greater mean costs, and increased non-routine discharge rates than N-SNHs, on multivariate analysis SNH status was not found to be independently associated with these adverse outcomes.

Population Pharmacokinetics and Transfer of Gabapentin When Used as a Pain Adjunct for Cesarean Deliveries

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols for cesarean deliveries (CDs) utilize multimodal pain management strategies that often include gabapentin. While gabapentin is excreted in breast milk, its pharmacokinetics in immediately postpartum lactating women are not known. This observational pharmacokinetic study (NCT05099484) enrolled 21 healthy singleton pregnant individuals, ≥ 18 years old, undergoing CD and planning to breastfeed. Participants received 300 mg oral gabapentin before CD and every 6 h for 48 h per hospital protocol. Serial maternal plasma and breast milk samples were collected over a single dosing interval. Gabapentin pharmacokinetics were assessed using two structurally distinct population pharmacokinetic (POPPK) models to describe transfer of drug into breast milk utilizing (A) milk-to-plasma ratio and (B) inter-compartmental rate constants. These models were then used to estimate exposure to breastfed infants. Postpartum gabapentin plasma concentrations fit a 1-compartment model that was adapted to include breast milk concentrations. The two POPPK models both estimated relative infant doses (RID0-48h) of gabapentin < 0.15% of maternal dose within the first 48 h postpartum. Infant daily dose (IDD) from 24 to 48 h was estimated to be 0.0137 (0.0058-0.0316) mg/kg/day and 0.0139 (0.00041-0.0469) mg/kg/day by models A and B, respectively. These findings indicate limited neonatal exposure to gabapentin administered as part of a postpartum enhanced recovery after surgery protocol.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) society guidelines for gynecologic oncology: Addressing implementation challenges - 2023 update

BACKGROUND

Despite evidence supporting its use, many Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) recommendations remain poorly adhered to and barriers to ERAS implementation persist. In this second updated ERAS® Society guideline, a consensus for optimal perioperative care in gynecologic oncology surgery is presented, with a specific emphasis on implementation challenges.

METHODS

Based on the gaps identified by clinician stakeholder groups, nine implementation challenge topics were prioritized for review. A database search of publications using Embase and PubMed was performed (2018-2023). Studies on each topic were selected with emphasis on meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and large prospective cohort studies. These studies were then reviewed and graded by an international panel according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system.

RESULTS

All recommendations on ERAS implementation challenge topics are based on best available evidence. The level of evidence for each item is presented accordingly.

CONCLUSIONS

The updated evidence base and recommendations for stakeholder derived ERAS implementation challenges in gynecologic oncology are presented by the ERAS® Society in this consensus review.

ERAS implementation in an urban patient population undergoing gynecologic surgery

BACKGROUND

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols improve outcomes. We investigated ERAS implementation in a population with comorbid conditions, inadequate insurance, and barriers to healthcare undergoing gynecologic surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate ERAS implementation in publicly insured/uninsured patients undergoing gynecologic surgery on hospital length of stay (LOS), 30-day hospital readmission rates, opioid administration, and pain scores.

STUDY DESIGN

Data were obtained pre- and post-ERAS implementation. Patients undergoing gynecologic surgery with private insurance, public insurance, and uninsured were included (N = 589). LOS, readmission <30 days, opioid administration, and pain scores were assessed.

RESULTS

Implementation of ERAS led to shorter LOS 1.75 vs. 1.49 days (p = 0.008). Average pain scores decreased from 3.07 pre-ERAS vs. 2.47 post-ERAS (p = <0.001). Opioid use decreased for ERAS patients (67.22 vs. 33.18, p = <0.001). Hospital readmission rates were unchanged from 8.2% pre-ERAS vs. 10.3% post-ERAS (p = 0.392).

CONCLUSIONS

ERAS decreased pain scores and opioid use without increasing LOS or readmissions.

Association between preoperative frailty and outcomes among adults undergoing cardiac surgery: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The identification of frailty before complex and invasive procedures may have relevance for prognostic and recovery purposes, to optimally inform patients, caregivers and clinicians about perioperative risk and postoperative care needs. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of frailty and describe the associated clinical course and outcomes of patients referred for nonemergent cardiac surgery.

METHODS

A prospective cohort of patients aged 50 years and older referred for nonemergent cardiac surgery in Alberta, Canada, from November 2011 to March 2014 were screened preoperatively for frailty, defined as a Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) score of 5 or greater. Postoperatively, patients were followed by telephone to assess CFS score, health services use and vital status. The primary outcome was all-cause hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included health services use, hospital discharge disposition, 1-year health-related quality of life and all-cause 5-year mortality.

RESULTS

The cohort (n = 529) had a mean age of 67 (standard deviation [SD] 9) years; 25.9% were female, and the prevalence of frailty was 9.6% (n = 51; 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.3%-12.5%). Frail patients were older (median age 75, interquartile range [IQR] 65-80 v. 67, IQR 60-73, yr; p < 0.001), were more likely to be female (51.0% v. 23.2%; p < 0.001), had a higher mean EuroSCORE II (8, SD 3 v. 5, SD 3; p < 0.001) and received combined coronary artery bypass grafting and valve procedures more frequently (29.4% v. 15.9%; p = 0.02) than nonfrail patients. Postoperatively, frail patients had a longer median duration of stay in the cardiovascular intensive care unit (median difference 2.2, 95% CI 1.60-2.79) and hospital (median difference 9.3, 95% CI 8.2-10.3). Hospital mortality was 9.8% among frail patients and 1.0% among nonfrail patients (adjusted hazard ratio 3.84, 95% CI 0.90-16.34).

INTERPRETATION

Preoperative frailty was present in 10% of patients and was associated with a higher risk of morbidity and greater health services use. Preoperative frailty has important implications for the postoperative clinical course and resource utilization of patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Hospital-Level Medicaid Prevalence Is Associated with Increased Length of Stay after Asymptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy and Stenting Despite no Increase in Major Complications

BACKGROUND

Length of stay (LOS) after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) for asymptomatic disease is used as a quality measure and affects hospital operating margins. Patient-level Medicaid status has traditionally been associated with longer hospital LOS. Our goal was to assess the association between hospital-level Medicaid prevalence and postoperative LOS after CEA and CAS.

METHODS

The National Inpatient Sample was queried from 2006-2014 for CEA and CAS performed for asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Overall hospital-level Medicaid prevalence was divided into quartiles. The quartiles were further categorized into low Medicaid prevalence (LM) (lowest quartile), medium Medicaid prevalence (MM) (second and third quartiles), and high Medicaid prevalence (HM) (fourth quartile) cohorts. The primary outcome evaluated was postoperative LOS >1 day. The secondary outcomes included perioperative/in-hospital complications and mortality.

RESULTS

There were 984,283 patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis who underwent CEA (88%) or CAS (12%). Mean postoperative LOS after CEA at hospitals with LM, MM, and HM prevalence was 1.4 ± 1.5, 2.1 ± 2.5, and 2.2 ± 2.8 days (P = 0.0001), respectively, and after CAS were 1.7 ± 2.6, 1.8 ± 2.1, and 2 ± 2.6 days (P < 0.0001), respectively. After CEA, relative to LM prevalence, MM (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.17-2.24) and HM (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.2-2.28) prevalence were associated with a higher likelihood of LOS > 1 day (P = 0.009). After CAS, relative to LM prevalence, HM prevalence was associated with a higher likelihood of LOS >1 day (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.06-1.91) (P = 0.003). After CEA, neurologic (0.8% vs. 0.9% vs. 0.9%, P = 0.83) and cardiac complications (0.9% vs. 1.2% vs. 1.2%, P = 0.24) were similar among hospitals with LM, MM, and HM prevalence, respectively. After CAS, the prevalence of neurological (1.1% vs. 1% vs. 1.2%, P = 0.42) and cardiac complications (2% vs. 1.3% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.46) were also similar. After both CEA and CAS, mortality was similar among Medicaid prevalence cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher hospital-level Medicaid prevalence was associated with longer LOS after CEA and CAS for asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Value-based payment models should adjust for hospital-level Medicaid prevalence to appropriately reimburse providers and hospital with higher Medicaid prevalence as well as investigate care pathways and systems improvement to help reduce LOS.