Intraoperative Adverse Events in Abdominal Surgery: What Happens in the Operating Room Does Not Stay in the Operating Room

Real-time detection of active bleeding in laparoscopic colectomy using artificial intelligence

BACKGROUND

Most intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) result from surgeons' errors, and bleeding is the majority of iAEs. Recognizing active bleeding timely is important to ensure safe surgery, and artificial intelligence (AI) has great potential for detecting active bleeding and providing real-time surgical support. This study aimed to develop a real-time AI model to detect active intraoperative bleeding.

METHODS

We extracted 27 surgical videos from a nationwide multi-institutional surgical video database in Japan and divided them at the patient level into three sets: training (n = 21), validation (n = 3), and testing (n = 3). We subsequently extracted the bleeding scenes and labeled distinctively active bleeding and blood pooling frame by frame. We used pre-trained YOLOv7_6w and developed a model to learn both active bleeding and blood pooling. The Average Precision at an Intersection over Union threshold of 0.5 (AP.50) for active bleeding and frames per second (FPS) were quantified. In addition, we conducted two 5-point Likert scales (5 = Excellent, 4 = Good, 3 = Fair, 2 = Poor, and 1 = Fail) questionnaires about sensitivity (the sensitivity score) and number of overdetection areas (the overdetection score) to investigate the surgeons' assessment.

RESULTS

We annotated 34,117 images of 254 bleeding events. The AP.50 for active bleeding in the developed model was 0.574 and the FPS was 48.5. Twenty surgeons answered two questionnaires, indicating a sensitivity score of 4.92 and an overdetection score of 4.62 for the model.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed an AI model to detect active bleeding, achieving real-time processing speed. Our AI model can be used to provide real-time surgical support.

Study protocol for the Intraoperative Complications Assessment and Reporting with Universal Standards (ICARUS) global cross-specialty surveys and consensus

Annually, about 300 million surgeries lead to significant intraoperative adverse events (iAEs), impacting patients and surgeons. Their full extent is underestimated due to flawed assessment and reporting methods. Inconsistent adoption of new grading systems and a lack of standardization, along with litigation concerns, contribute to underreporting. Only half of relevant journals provide guidelines on reporting these events, with a lack of standards in surgical literature. To address these issues, the Intraoperative Complications Assessment and Reporting with Universal Standard (ICARUS) Global Surgical Collaboration was established in 2022. The initiative involves conducting global surveys and a Delphi consensus to understand the barriers for poor reporting of iAEs, validate shared criteria for reporting, define iAEs according to surgical procedures, evaluate the existing grading systems' reliability, and identify strategies for enhancing the collection, reporting, and management of iAEs. Invitation to participate are extended to all the surgical specialties, interventional cardiology, interventional radiology, OR Staffs and anesthesiology. This effort represents an essential step towards improved patient safety and the well-being of healthcare professionals in the surgical field.

Appraisal of surgical outcomes and oncological efficiency of intraoperative adverse events in robotic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Surgical quality control is a crucial determinant of evaluating the tumor efficacy.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the ClassIntra grade for quality control and oncological outcomes of robotic radical surgery for gastric cancer (GC).

METHODS

Data of patients undergoing robotic radical surgery for GC at a high-volume center were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were categorized into two groups, the intraoperative adverse event (iAE) group and the non-iAE group, based on the occurrence of intraoperative adverse events. The iAEs were further classified into five sublevels (ranging from I to V according to severity) based on the ClassIntra grade. Surgical performance was assessed using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS) and the General Error Reporting Tool.

RESULTS

This study included 366 patients (iAE group: n = 72 [19.7%] and non-iAE group: n = 294 [80.3%]). The proportion of ClassIntra grade II patients was the highest in the iAE group (54.2%). In total and distal gastrectomies, iAEs occurred most frequently in the suprapancreatic area (50.0% and 54.8%, respectively). In total gastrectomy, grade IV iAEs were most common during lymph node dissection in the splenic hilum area (once for bleeding [grade IV] and once for injury [grade IV]). The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival of the non-iAE group were significantly better than those of the iAE group (Log rank P < 0.001). Uni- and multi-variate analyses showed that iAEs were key prognostic indicators, independent of tumor stage and adjuvant chemotherapy (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

iAEs in patients who underwent robotic radical gastrectomy significantly correlated with the occurrence of postoperative complications and a poor long-term prognosis. Therefore, utilization and inclusion of ClassIntra grading as a crucial surgical quality control and prognostic indicator in the routine surgical quality evaluation system are recommended.

A Narrative Review on Intraoperative Adverse Events: Risks, Prevention, and Mitigation

INTRODUCTION

Adverse events from surgical interventions are common. They can occur at various stages of surgical care, and they carry a heavy burden on the different parties involved. While extensive research and efforts have been made to better understand the etiologies of postoperative complications, more research on intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) remains to be done.

METHODS

In this article, we reviewed the literature looking at iAEs to discuss their risk factors, their implications on surgical care, and the current efforts to mitigate and manage them.

RESULTS

Risk factors for iAEs are diverse and are dictated by patient-related risk factors, the nature and complexity of the procedures, the surgeon's experience, and the work environment of the operating room. The implications of iAEs vary according to their severity and include increased rates of 30-day postoperative morbidity and mortality, increased length of hospital stay and readmission, increased care cost, and a second victim emotional toll on the operating surgeon.

CONCLUSIONS

While transparent reporting of iAEs remains a challenge, many efforts are using new measures not only to report iAEs but also to provide better surveillance, prevention, and mitigation strategies to reduce their overall adverse impact.

Reproducibility and predictive value of three grading systems for intraoperative adverse events in a cohort of abdominal surgery

INTRODUCTION

Intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) are increasingly recognized for their impact on patient outcomes. The Kaafarani classification and Surgical Apgar Score (SAS) were developed to assess the intraoperative course; however, both have their drawbacks. ClassIntra was validated for iAEs of any origin. This study compares the Kaafarani and SAS to ClassIntra considering predictive value and interrater reliability in a cohort of abdominal surgery to support implementation of a classification in clinical practice.

METHODS

The authors made use of the LAParotomy or LAParoscopy and ADhesiolysis (LAPAD) study database of elective abdominal surgery. Detailed descriptions on iAEs were collected in real-time by a researcher. For the current research aim, all iAEs were graded according ClassIntra, Kaafarani, and SAS (score ≤4). The predictive value was assessed using univariable and multivariable linear regression and the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC). Two teams graded ClassIntra and Kaafarani to assess the interrater reliability using Cohen's Kappa.

RESULTS

A total of 755 surgeries were included, in which 335 (44%) iAEs were graded according to ClassIntra, 228 (30%) to Kaafarani, and 130 (20%) to SAS. All classifications were significantly correlated to postoperative complications, with an AUROC of 0.67 (95% CI: 0.62-0.72), 0.64 (0.59-0.70), and 0.71 (0.56-0.76), respectively. For the secondary endpoint, the interrater reliability of ClassIntra with κ 0.87 (95% CI: 0.84-0.90) and Kaafarani 0.90 (95% CI: 0.87-0.93) was both strong.

CONCLUSION

ClassIntra, Kaafarani, and SAS can be used for reporting of iAEs in abdominal surgery with good predictive value for postoperative complications, with strong reliability. ClassIntra, compared with Kaafarani and SAS, included the most iAEs and has the most comprehensive definition suitable for uniform reporting of iAEs in clinical practice and research.

Active learning for extracting surgomic features in robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy: a prospective annotation study

BACKGROUND

With Surgomics, we aim for personalized prediction of the patient's surgical outcome using machine-learning (ML) on multimodal intraoperative data to extract surgomic features as surgical process characteristics. As high-quality annotations by medical experts are crucial, but still a bottleneck, we prospectively investigate active learning (AL) to reduce annotation effort and present automatic recognition of surgomic features.

METHODS

To establish a process for development of surgomic features, ten video-based features related to bleeding, as highly relevant intraoperative complication, were chosen. They comprise the amount of blood and smoke in the surgical field, six instruments, and two anatomic structures. Annotation of selected frames from robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomies was performed by at least three independent medical experts. To test whether AL reduces annotation effort, we performed a prospective annotation study comparing AL with equidistant sampling (EQS) for frame selection. Multiple Bayesian ResNet18 architectures were trained on a multicentric dataset, consisting of 22 videos from two centers.

RESULTS

In total, 14,004 frames were tag annotated. A mean F1-score of 0.75 ± 0.16 was achieved for all features. The highest F1-score was achieved for the instruments (mean 0.80 ± 0.17). This result is also reflected in the inter-rater-agreement (1-rater-kappa > 0.82). Compared to EQS, AL showed better recognition results for the instruments with a significant difference in the McNemar test comparing correctness of predictions. Moreover, in contrast to EQS, AL selected more frames of the four less common instruments (1512 vs. 607 frames) and achieved higher F1-scores for common instruments while requiring less training frames.

CONCLUSION

We presented ten surgomic features relevant for bleeding events in esophageal surgery automatically extracted from surgical video using ML. AL showed the potential to reduce annotation effort while keeping ML performance high for selected features. The source code and the trained models are published open source.

Analyzing interprofessional teamwork in the operating room: An exploratory observational study using conventional and alternative approaches

Intraoperative teamwork is vital for patient safety. Conventional tools for studying intraoperative teamwork typically rely on behaviorally anchored rating scales applied at the individual or team level, while others capture narrative information across several units of analysis. This prospective observational study characterizes teamwork using two conventional tools (Operating Theatre Team Non-Technical Skills Assessment Tool [NOTECHS]; Team Emergency Assessment Measure [TEAM]), and one alternative approach (modified-Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety [SEIPS] model). We aimed to explore the advantages and disadvantages of each for providing feedback to improve teamwork practice. Fifty consecutive surgical cases at a Canadian academic hospital were recorded with the OR Black Box®, analyzed by trained raters, and summarized descriptively. Teamwork performance was consistently high within and across cases rated with NOTECHS and TEAMS. For cases analyzed with the modified-SEIPS tool, both optimal and suboptimal teamwork behaviors were identified, and team resilience was frequently observed. NOTECHS and TEAM provided summative assessments and overall pattern descriptions, while SEIPS facilitated a deeper understanding of teamwork processes. As healthcare organizations continue to prioritize teamwork improvement, SEIPS may provide valuable insights regarding teamwork behavior and the broader context influencing performance. This may ultimately enhance the development and effectiveness of multi-level teamwork interventions.

Development and evaluation of a data-driven integrated management app for perioperative adverse events: protocol for a mixed-design study

INTRODUCTION

A patient record review study conducted in 2006 in a random sample of 21 Dutch hospitals found that 51%-77% of adverse events are related to perioperative care, while Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data in USA in 2013 estimated that the medical error is the third-leading cause of mortality. To capitalise on the potential of apps to enhance perioperative medical quality, there is a need for interventions developed in consultation with real-world users designed to support integrated management for perioperative adverse events (PAEs). This study aims: (1) to access the knowledge, attitude and practices for PAEs among physicians, nurses and administrators, and to identify the needs of healthcare providers for a mobile-based PAEs tool; (2) to develop a data-driven app for integrated PAE management that meets those needs and (3) to test the usability, clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the developed app.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will adopt an embedded mixed-methods research technique; qualitative data will be used to assess user needs and app adoption, while quantitative data will provide crucial insights to establish the demand for the app, and measure the app effects. Phase 1 will enrol surgery-related healthcare providers from the West China Hospital and identify their latent demand for mobile-based PAEs management using a self-designed questionnaire underpinned by the knowledge, attitude and practice model, as well as expert interviews. In phase 2, we will develop the app for integrated PAE management and test its effectiveness and sustainability. In phase 3, the effects on the total number and severity of reported PAEs will be evaluated using Poisson regression with interrupted time-series analysis over a 2-year period, while users' engagement, adherence, process evaluation and cost-effectiveness will be evaluated using quarterly surveys and interviews.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The West China Hospital of Sichuan University's Institutional Review Board authorised this study after approving the study protocol, permission forms and questionnaires (number: 2022-1364). Participants will be provided with study information, and informed written consent will be obtained. Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

Clavien-Dindo, comprehensive complication index and classification of intraoperative adverse events: a uniform and holistic approach in adverse event registration for (deep) endometriosis surgery

STUDY QUESTION

What is the additional value of the comprehensive complication index (CCI) and ClassIntra system (classification for intraoperative adverse events (ioAEs)) in adverse event (AE) reporting in (deep) endometriosis (DE) surgery compared to only using the Clavien-Dindo (CD) system?

SUMMARY ANSWER

The CCI and ClassIntra are useful additional tools alongside the CD system for a complete and uniform overview of the total AE burden in patients with extensive surgery (such as DE), and with this uniform data registration, it is possible to provide greater insight into the quality of care.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Uniform comparison of AEs reported in the literature is hampered by scattered registration. In endometriosis surgery, the usage of the CD complication system and the CCI is internationally recommended; however, the CCI is not routinely adapted in endometriosis care and research. Furthermore, a recommendation for ioAEs registration in endometriosis surgery is lacking, although this is vital information in surgical quality assessments.

STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION

A prospective mono-center study was conducted with 870 surgical DE cases from a non-university DE expertise center between February 2019 and December 2021.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS

Endometriosis cases were collected with the EQUSUM system, a publicly available web-based application for registration of surgical procedures for endometriosis. Postoperative adverse events (poAEs) were classified with the CD complication system and CCI. Differences in reporting and classifying AEs between the CCI and the CD were assessed. ioAEs were assessed with the ClassIntra. The primary outcome measure was to assess the additional value toward the CD classification with the introduction of the CCI and ClassIntra. In addition, we report a benchmark for the CCI in DE surgery.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

A total of 870 DE procedures were registered, of which 145 procedures with one or more poAEs, resulting in a poAE rate of 16.7% (145/870), of which in 36 cases (4.1%), the poAE was classified as severe (≥Grade 3b). The median CCI (interquartile range) of patients with poAEs was 20.9 (20.9-31.7) and 33.7 (33.7-39.7) in the group of patients with severe poAEs. In 20 patients (13.8%), the CCI was higher than the CD because of multiple poAEs. There were 11 ioAEs reported (11/870, 1.3%) in all procedures, mostly minor and directly repaired serosa injuries.

LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION

This study was conducted at a single center; thus, trends in AE rates and type of AEs could differ from other centers. Furthermore, no conclusion could be drawn on ioAEs in relation to the postoperative course because the power of this database is not robust enough for that purpose.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

From our data, we would advise to use the Clavien-Dindo classification system together with the CCI and ClassIntra for a complete overview of AE registration. The CCI appeared to provide a more complete overview of the total burden of poAEs compared to only reporting the most severe poAEs (as with CD). If the use of the CD, CCI, and ClassIntra is widely adapted, uniform data comparison will be possible at (inter)national level, providing better insight into the quality of care. Our data could be used as a first benchmark for other DE centers to optimize information provision in the shared decision-making process.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS

No funding was received for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

N/A.

Classification of Adverse Events in Adult Surgery

Successful surgery combines quality (achievement of a positive outcome) with safety (avoidance of a negative outcome). Outcome assessment serves the purpose of quality improvement in health care by establishing performance indicators and allowing the identification of performance gaps. Novel surgical quality metric tools (benchmark cutoffs and textbook outcomes) provide procedure-specific ideal surgical outcomes in a subgroup of well-defined low-risk patients, with the aim of setting realistic and best achievable goals for surgeons and centers, as well as supporting unbiased comparison of surgical quality between centers and periods of time. Validated classification systems have been deployed to grade adverse events during the surgical journey: (1) the ClassIntra classification for the intraoperative period; (2) the Clavien-Dindo classification for the gravity of single adverse events; and the (3) Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) for the sum of adverse events over a defined postoperative period. The failure to rescue rate refers to the death of a patient following one or more potentially treatable postoperative adverse event(s) and is a reliable proxy of the institutional safety culture and infrastructure. Complication assessment is undergoing digital transformation to decrease resource-intensity and provide surgeons with real-time pre- or intraoperative decision support. Standardized reporting of complications informs patients on their chances to realize favorable postoperative outcomes and assists surgical centers in the prioritization of quality improvement initiatives, multidisciplinary teamwork, surgical education, and ultimately, in the enhancement of clinical standards.

Understanding Outcomes After Major Surgery

The global volume of surgery is increasing. Adverse outcomes after surgery have resource implications and long-term impact on quality of life and consequently represent a significant and underappreciated public health issue. Standardization of outcome reporting is essential for evidence synthesis, risk stratification, perioperative care planning, and to inform shared decision-making. The association between short- and long-term outcomes, which persists when corrected for base-line risk, has significant implications for patients and providers and warrants further investigation. Candidate mechanisms include sustained inflammation and reduced physician activity, which may, in the future, be mitigated by targeted interventions.

Automated Capture of Intraoperative Adverse Events Using Artificial Intelligence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) impact the outcomes of surgery, and yet are not routinely collected, graded, and reported. Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to power real-time, automatic detection of these events and disrupt the landscape of surgical safety through the prediction and mitigation of iAEs. We sought to understand the current implementation of AI in this space. A literature review was performed to PRISMA-DTA standards. Included articles were from all surgical specialties and reported the automatic identification of iAEs in real-time. Details on surgical specialty, adverse events, technology used for detecting iAEs, AI algorithm/validation, and reference standards/conventional parameters were extracted. A meta-analysis of algorithms with available data was conducted using a hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). The QUADAS-2 tool was used to assess the article risk of bias and clinical applicability. A total of 2982 studies were identified by searching PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore, with 13 articles included for data extraction. The AI algorithms detected bleeding (n = 7), vessel injury (n = 1), perfusion deficiencies (n = 1), thermal damage (n = 1), and EMG abnormalities (n = 1), among other iAEs. Nine of the thirteen articles described at least one validation method for the detection system; five explained using cross-validation and seven divided the dataset into training and validation cohorts. Meta-analysis showed the algorithms were both sensitive and specific across included iAEs (detection OR 14.74, CI 4.7-46.2). There was heterogeneity in reported outcome statistics and article bias risk. There is a need for standardization of iAE definitions, detection, and reporting to enhance surgical care for all patients. The heterogeneous applications of AI in the literature highlights the pluripotent nature of this technology. Applications of these algorithms across a breadth of urologic procedures should be investigated to assess the generalizability of these data.

Inter-Rater Agreement of the Classification of Intraoperative Adverse Events (ClassIntra) in Abdominal Surgery

OBJECTIVE AND SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Adverse events in surgical patients can occur preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively. Universally accepted classification systems are not yet available for intraoperative adverse events (iAEs). ClassIntra has recently been developed and validated as a tool for grading iAEs that occur between skin incision and skin closure irrespective of the origin, that is, surgery, anesthesia, or organizational. The aim of this study is to assess the inter-rater agreement of ClassIntra and assess its predictive value for postoperative complications in elective abdominal surgery.

METHODS

This study is a secondary use of data from the LAParotomy or LAParoscopy and ADhesiolysis (LAPAD) study, with detailed data on incidence and management of intra-operative and post-operative complications. Data were collected in a cohort of elective abdominal surgeries. Two teams graded all recorded events in the LAPAD study according to ClassIntra. Cohen Kappa coefficient was calculated to determine inter-rater agreement. Uni- and multivariable linear regression was used to assess the predictive value of the ClassIntra grades for postoperative complications.

RESULTS

IAEs were rated in 333 of 755 (44%) surgeries by team 1, and in 324 of 755 (43%) surgeries by team 2. Cohen kappa coefficient for ClassIntra grades was 0.87 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84-0.90]. Discrepancies in grading were most frequent for intraoperative bleeding and adhesions' associated injuries. At least 1 postoperative complication was observed in 278 (37%) patients. The risk of a postoperative complications increased with every increase in severity grade of ClassIntra. Intraoperative hypotension [mean difference (MD) 23.41, 95% CI 12.93-33.90] and other organ injuries (MD 18.90, 95% CI -4.22 - 42.02) were the strongest predictors for postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

ClassIntra has an almost perfect inter-rater agreement for the classification of iAEs. An increasing grade of ClassIntra was associated with a higher incidence of postoperative complications. Discrepancies in grading related to common complications in abdominal procedures mostly consisted of intraoperative bleeding and adhesion-related injuries. Grading of interoperative events in abdominal surgery might further improve by consensus regarding the definitions of a number of frequent events.

Association Between Postoperative Complications and Long-term Survival After Non-cardiac Surgery Among Veterans

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between postoperative complications and long-term survival.

SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND

Postoperative complications remain a significant driver of healthcare costs and are associated with increased perioperative mortality, yet the extent to which they are associated with long-term survival is unclear.

METHODS

National cohort study of Veterans who underwent non-cardiac surgery using data from the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2011-2016). Patients were classified as having undergone outpatient, low-risk inpatient, or high-risk inpatient surgery. Patients were categorized based on number and type of complications. The association between the number of complications (or the specific type of complication) and risk of death was evaluated using multivariable Cox regression with robust standard errors using a 90-day survival landmark.

RESULTS

Among 699,002 patients, complication rates were 3.0%, 6.1%, and 18.3% for outpatient, low-risk inpatient, and high-risk inpatient surgery, respectively. There was a dose-response relationship between an increasing number of complications and overall risk of death in all operative settings [outpatient surgery: no complications (ref); one-hazard ratio (HR) 1.30 (1.23 - 1.38); multiple-HR 1.61 (1.46 - 1.78); low-risk inpatient surgery: one-HR 1.34 (1.26 - 1.41); multiple-HR 1.69 (1.55 - 1.85); high-risk inpatient surgery: one-HR 1.14 (1.10 - 1.18); multiple-HR 1.42 (1.36 - 1.48)]. All complication types were associated with risk of death in at least 1 operative setting, and pulmonary complications, sepsis, and clostridium difficile colitis were associated with higher risk of death across all settings. Conclusions: Postoperative complications have an adverse impact on patients' long-term survival beyond the immediate postoperative period. Although most research and quality improvement initiatives primarily focus on the perioperative impact of complications, these data suggest they also have important longer-term implications that merit further investigation.

Recommendations for Intraoperative Adverse Events Data Collection in Clinical Studies and Study Protocols. An ICARUS Global Surgical Collaboration Study

Introduction

Intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) occur and have the potential to impact the postoperative course. However, iAEs are underreported and are not routinely collected in the contemporary surgical literature. There is no widely utilized system for the collection of essential aspects of iAEs, and there is no established database for the standardization and dissemination of this data that likely have implications for outcomes and patient safety. The Intraoperative Complication Assessment and Reporting with Universal Standards (ICARUS) Global Surgical Collaboration initiated a global effort to address these shortcomings, and the establishment of an adverse event data collection system is an essential step. In this study, we present the core-set variables for collecting iAEs that were based on the globally validated ICARUS criteria for surgical/interventional and anesthesiologic intraoperative adverse event collection and reporting.

Material and Methods

This article includes three tools to capture the essential aspects of iAEs. The core-set variables were developed from the globally validated ICARUS criteria for reporting iAEs (item 1). Next, the summary table was developed to guide researchers in summarizing the accumulated iAE data in item 1 (item 2). Finally, this article includes examples of the method and results sections to include in a manuscript reporting iAE data (item 3). Then, 5 scenarios demonstrating best practices for completing items 1-3 were presented both in prose and in a video produced by the ICARUS collaboration.

Dissemination

This article provides the surgical community with the tools for collecting essential iAE data. The ICARUS collaboration has already published the 13 criteria for reporting surgical adverse events, but this article is unique and essential as it actually provides the tools for iAE collection. The study team plans to collect feedback for future directions of adverse event collection and reporting.

Highlights

This article represents a novel, fully-encompassing system for the data collection of intraoperative adverse events.The presented core-set variables for reporting intraoperative adverse events are not based solely on our opinion, but rather are synthesized from the globally validated ICARUS criteria for reporting intraoperative adverse events.Together, the included text, figures, and ICARUS collaboration-produced video should equip any surgeon, anesthesiologist, or nurse with the tools to properly collect intraoperative adverse event data.Future directions include translation of this article to allow for the widest possible adoption of this important collection system.

Surgomics: personalized prediction of morbidity, mortality and long-term outcome in surgery using machine learning on multimodal data

BACKGROUND

Personalized medicine requires the integration and analysis of vast amounts of patient data to realize individualized care. With Surgomics, we aim to facilitate personalized therapy recommendations in surgery by integration of intraoperative surgical data and their analysis with machine learning methods to leverage the potential of this data in analogy to Radiomics and Genomics.

METHODS

We defined Surgomics as the entirety of surgomic features that are process characteristics of a surgical procedure automatically derived from multimodal intraoperative data to quantify processes in the operating room. In a multidisciplinary team we discussed potential data sources like endoscopic videos, vital sign monitoring, medical devices and instruments and respective surgomic features. Subsequently, an online questionnaire was sent to experts from surgery and (computer) science at multiple centers for rating the features' clinical relevance and technical feasibility.

RESULTS

In total, 52 surgomic features were identified and assigned to eight feature categories. Based on the expert survey (n = 66 participants) the feature category with the highest clinical relevance as rated by surgeons was "surgical skill and quality of performance" for morbidity and mortality (9.0 ± 1.3 on a numerical rating scale from 1 to 10) as well as for long-term (oncological) outcome (8.2 ± 1.8). The feature category with the highest feasibility to be automatically extracted as rated by (computer) scientists was "Instrument" (8.5 ± 1.7). Among the surgomic features ranked as most relevant in their respective category were "intraoperative adverse events", "action performed with instruments", "vital sign monitoring", and "difficulty of surgery".

CONCLUSION

Surgomics is a promising concept for the analysis of intraoperative data. Surgomics may be used together with preoperative features from clinical data and Radiomics to predict postoperative morbidity, mortality and long-term outcome, as well as to provide tailored feedback for surgeons.

Effect of Patient Safety Training Program of Nurses in Operating Room

PURPOSE

This study developed an in-service training program for patient safety and aimed to evaluate the impact of the program on nurses in the operating room (OR).

METHODS

A pretest-posttest self-controlled survey was conducted on OR nurses from May 6 to June 14, 2020. An in-service training program for patient safety was developed on the basis of the knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) theory through various teaching methods. The levels of safety attitude, cognition, and attitudes toward the adverse event reporting of nurses were compared to evaluate the effect of the program. Nurses who attended the training were surveyed one week before the training (pretest) and two weeks after the training (posttest).

RESULTS

A total of 84 nurses participated in the study. After the training, the scores of safety attitude, cognition, and attitudes toward adverse event reporting of nurses showed a significant increase relative to the scores before the training (p < .001). The effects of safety training on the total score and the dimensions of safety attitude, cognition, and attitudes toward nurses' adverse event reporting were above the moderate level.

CONCLUSION

The proposed patient safety training program based on KAP theory improves the safety attitude of OR nurses. Further studies are required to develop an interprofessional patient safety training program. In addition to strength training, hospital managers need to focus on the aspects of workflow, management system, department culture, and other means to promote safety culture.

Classification of intraoperative adverse events in visceral surgery

BACKGROUND

Intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) are frequent in visceral surgery, but severity and related postoperative outcome are poorly investigated. A novel classification of intraoperative adverse events, ClassIntra, includes surgical and anesthesiologic intraoperative adverse events using 5 severity grades and showed a high criterion and construct validity across all surgical disciplines. ClassIntra was studied for reproducibility in a prespecified group of patients undergoing visceral surgery.

METHODS

iAEs were recorded in all patients enrolled in the ClassIntra validation study (NCT03009929). Postoperative complications were assessed daily according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Results of the visceral group were compared with those of the non-visceral group and the full cohort. The risk-adjusted association between most severe intra and postoperative complications was investigated in a multivariable proportional odds model. Second, risk-adjusted association between ClassIntra grade and Comprehensive Complication Index, and postoperative length of stay was investigated.

RESULTS

In total, 1,270 out of 2,520 patients (50%) underwent visceral surgery. Compared with the nonvisceral group and full cohort, more intraoperative (337/1270 [27%] vs 273/1250 [22%] vs 610/2520 [24%] patients) and postoperative complications (457/1270 [36%] vs 381/1250 [30%] vs 838/2520 [33%] patients) occurred. The risk for a more severe postoperative complication increased with each ClassIntra grade (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] I vs 0 1.10 [0.73 to 1.66], II vs 0 1.69 [1.10 to 2.60], III vs 0 2.31 [1.21 to 4.41], IV vs 0 2.35 [0.69 to 8.06]). Accordingly, CCI and postoperative length of stay increased with each ClassIntra grade in the visceral group, comparable with the nonvisceral and full cohort.

CONCLUSION

Consistent results for the association of intraoperative adverse events and patient outcomes render ClassIntra a valuable instrument in visceral surgery.

Intraoperative Deaths: Who, Why, and Can We Prevent Them?

INTRODUCTION

Intraoperative deaths (IODs) are rare but catastrophic. We systematically analyzed IODs to identify clinical and patient safety patterns.

METHODS

IODs in a large academic center between 2015 and 2019 were included. Perioperative details were systematically reviewed, focusing on (1) identifying phenotypes of IOD, (2) describing emerging themes immediately preceding cardiac arrest, and (3) suggesting interventions to mitigate IOD in each phenotype.

RESULTS

Forty-one patients were included. Three IOD phenotypes were identified: trauma (T), nontrauma emergency (NT), and elective (EL) surgery patients, each with 2 sub-phenotypes (e.g., ELm and ELv for elective surgery with medical arrests or vascular injury and bleeding, respectively). In phenotype T, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated before incision in 42%, resuscitative thoracotomy was performed in 33%, and transient return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in 30% of patients. In phenotype NT, ruptured aortic aneurysms accounted for half the cases, and median blood product utilization was 2,694 mL. In phenotype ELm, preoperative evaluation did not include electrocardiogram in 12%, cardiac consultation in 62%, stress test in 87%, and chest x-ray in 37% of patients. In phenotype ELv, 83% had a single peripheral intravenous line, and vascular injury was almost always followed by escalation in monitoring (e.g., central/arterial line), alert to the blood bank, and call for surgical backup.

CONCLUSIONS

We have created a framework for IOD that can help with intraoperative safety and quality analysis. Focusing on interventions that address appropriateness versus futility in care in phenotypes T and NT, and on prevention and mitigation of intraoperative vessel injury (e.g., intraoperative rescue team) or preoperative optimization in phenotype EL may help prevent IODs.

Spanish Version of the Scale "Eventos Adversos Associados às Práticas de Enfermagem" (EAAPE): Validation in Nursing Students

Healthcare carried out by different health professionals, including nurses, implies the possible appearance of adverse events that affect the safety of the patient and may cause damage to the patient. In clinical practice, it is necessary to have measurement instruments that allow for the evaluation of the presence of these types of events in order to prevent them. This study aims to validate the "Eventos adversos associados às práticas de enfermagem" (EAAPE) scale in Spanish and evaluate its reliability. The validation was carried out through a cross-sectional study with a sample of 337 nursing students from the University of Valencia recruited during the 2018-19 academic year. An exploratory factor analysis was carried out using principal components and varimax rotation. The factor analysis extracted two factors that explained 32.10% of the total variance. Factor 1 explains 22.19% and refers to the "adverse results" of clinical practice (29 items), and factor 2 explains 9.62% and refers to "preventive practices" (24 items). Both factors presented high reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.902 and 0.905, respectively). The Spanish version of the EAAPE is valid and reliable for measuring the perception of adverse events associated with nursing practice and the presence of prevention measures.

Machine Learning for the Prediction of Complications in Patients After Mitral Valve Surgery

Background: This study intended to use a machine learning model to identify critical preoperative and intraoperative variables and predict the risk of several severe complications (myocardial infarction, stroke, renal failure, and hospital mortality) after cardiac valvular surgery.

Study Design and Methods: A total of 1,488 patients undergoing cardiac valvular surgery in eight large tertiary hospitals in China were examined. Fifty-four perioperative variables, such as essential demographic characteristics, concomitant disease, preoperative laboratory indicators, operation type, and intraoperative information, were collected. Machine learning models were developed and validated by 10-fold cross-validation. In each fold, Recursive Feature Elimination was used to select key variables. Ten machine learning models and logistic regression were developed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC), accuracy (ACC), Youden index, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were used to compare the prediction performance of different models. The SHapley Additive ex Planations package was applied to interpret the best machine learning model. Finally, a model was trained on the whole dataset with the merged key variables, and a web tool was created for clinicians to use.

Results: In this study, 14 vital variables, namely, intraoperative total input, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative colloid bolus, Classification of New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart function, preoperative hemoglobin (Hb), preoperative platelet (PLT), age, preoperative fibrinogen (FIB), intraoperative minimum red blood cell volume (Hct), body mass index (BMI), creatinine, preoperative Hct, intraoperative minimum Hb, and intraoperative autologous blood, were finally selected. The eXtreme Gradient Boosting algorithms (XGBOOST) algorithm model presented a significantly better predictive performance (AUROC: 0.90) than the other models (ACC: 81%, Youden index: 70%, sensitivity: 89%, specificity: 81%, F1-score:0.26, PPV: 15%, and NPV: 99%).

Conclusion: A model for predicting several severe complications after cardiac valvular surgery was successfully developed using a machine learning algorithm based on 14 perioperative variables, which could guide clinical physicians to take appropriate preventive measures and diminish the complications for patients at high risk.

Deep neuromuscular block reduces the incidence of intra-operative complications during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: a pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials

Study objective

To assess whether different intensities of intra-abdominal pressure and deep neuromuscular blockade influence the risk of intra-operative surgical complications during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

Design

A pooled analysis of ten previously performed prospective randomized controlled trials.

Setting

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy performed in four academic hospitals in the Netherlands: Radboudumc, Leiden UMC, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, and Amsterdam UMC.

Patients

Five hundred fifty-six patients undergoing a transperitoneal, fully laparoscopic donor nephrectomy enrolled in ten prospective, randomized controlled trials conducted in the Netherlands from 2001 to 2017.

Interventions

Moderate (tetanic count of four > 1) versus deep (post-tetanic count 1–5) neuromuscular blockade and standard (≥10 mmHg) versus low (<10 mmHg) intra-abdominal pressure.

Measurements

The primary endpoint is the number of intra-operative surgical complications defined as any deviation from the ideal intra-operative course occurring between skin incision and closure with five severity grades, according to ClassIntra. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of intra- and postoperative complications.

Main results

In 53/556 (9.5%) patients, an intra-operative complication with ClassIntra grade ≥ 2 occurred. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed standard intra-abdominal pressure (OR 0.318, 95% CI 0.118–0.862; p = 0.024) as a predictor of less intra-operative complications and moderate neuromuscular blockade (OR 3.518, 95% CI 1.244–9.948; p = 0.018) as a predictor of more intra-operative complications. Postoperative complications occurred in 31/556 (6.8%), without significant predictors in multiple logistic regression analyses.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that the use of deep neuromuscular blockade could increase safety during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. Future randomized clinical trials should be performed to confirm this and to pursue whether it also applies to other types of laparoscopic surgery.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov LEOPARD-2 (NCT02146417), LEOPARD-3 trial (NCT02602964), and RELAX-1 study (NCT02838134), Klop et al. (NTR 3096), Dols et al. 2014 (NTR1433).

Hyaluronate carboxymethylcellulose sheets for the prevention of adhesive complications: a model-based cost-utility analysis

AIM

Clinical trials suggest that hyaluronate carboxymethylcellulose (HA/CMC) prevents adhesion-related complications after intra-abdominal surgery, but at a high upfront cost. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of HA/CMC for patients undergoing curative-intent open colorectal cancer surgery.

METHODS

Using a Markov Monte Carlo microsimulation model, we conducted a cost-utility analysis comparing the cost-effectiveness of HA/CMC at curative-intent open colorectal cancer surgery versus standard management. We considered a scenario where HA/CMC was used at the index operation only, as well as where it was used at the index operation and any subsequent operations. The perspective was that of the third-party payer. Costs and utilities were discounted 1.5% annually, with a 1-month cycle length and 5-year time horizon. Model input data were obtained from a literature review. Outcomes included cost, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), small bowel obstructions (SBOs) and operations for SBO.

RESULTS

Using HA/CMC at the index operation results in an incremental cost increase of CA$316 and provides 0.001 additional QALYs, for an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of CA$310,000 per QALY compared to standard management. In our simulated cohort of 10,000 patients, HA/CMC prevented 460 SBOs and 293 surgeries for SBO. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis found that HA/CMC was cost-effective in 18.5% of iterations, at a cost-effectiveness threshold of CA$50,000 per QALY. Results of the scenario analysis where HA/CMC was used at the index operation and any subsequent operations were similar.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyaluronate carboxymethylcellulose prevents adhesive bowel obstruction after open colorectal cancer surgery but is unlikely to be cost-effective given minimal long-term impact on healthcare costs and QALYs.

Challenges in surgical video annotation

Annotation of surgical video is important for establishing ground truth in surgical data science endeavors that involve computer vision. With the growth of the field over the last decade, several challenges have been identified in annotating spatial, temporal, and clinical elements of surgical video as well as challenges in selecting annotators. In reviewing current challenges, we provide suggestions on opportunities for improvement and possible next steps to enable translation of surgical data science efforts in surgical video analysis to clinical research and practice.

Clinical Evaluation of Intraoperative Near Misses in Laparoscopic Rectal Cancer Surgery

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the frequency, nature, and severity of intraoperative adverse near miss events within advanced laparoscopic surgery and report any associated clinical impact.

BACKGROUND

Despite implementation of surgical safety initiatives, the intraoperative period is poorly documented with evidence of underreporting. Near miss analyses are undertaken in high-risk industries but not in surgical practice.

METHODS

Case video and data from 2 laparoscopic total mesorectal excision randomized controlled trials were analyzed (ALaCaRT ACTRN12609000663257, 2D3D ISRCTN59485808). Intraoperative adverse events were identified and categorized using the observational clinical human reliability analysis technique. The EAES classification was applied by 2 blinded assessors. EAES grade 1 events (nonconsequential error, no damage, or need for correction) were considered near misses. Associated clinical impact was assessed with early morbidity and histopathology outcomes.

RESULTS

One hundred seventy-five cases contained 1113 error events. Six hundred ninety-eight (62.7%) were near misses (median 3, IQR 2-5, range 0-15) with excellent inter-rater and test-retest reliability (κ=0.86, 95% CI 0.83-0.89, P < 0.001 and κ=0.88, 95% CI 0.85-0.9, P < 0.001 respectively). Significantly more near misses were seen in patients who developed early complications (4 (3-6) vs. 3 (2-4), P < 0.001). Higher numbers of near misses were seen in patients with more numerous (P = 0.002) and more serious early complications (P = 0.003). Cases containing major intraoperative adverse events contained significantly more near misses (5 (3-7) vs. 3 (2-5), P < 0.001) with a major event observed for every 19.4 near misses.

CONCLUSION

Intraoperative adverse events and near misses can be reliably and objectively captured in advanced laparoscopic surgery. Near misses are commonplace and closely associated with morbidity outcomes.

Artificial Intelligence for Surgical Safety: Automatic Assessment of the Critical View of Safety in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Using Deep Learning

OBJECTIVE

To develop a deep learning model to automatically segment hepatocystic anatomy and assess the criteria defining the critical view of safety (CVS) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).

BACKGROUND

Poor implementation and subjective interpretation of CVS contributes to the stable rates of bile duct injuries in LC. As CVS is assessed visually, this task can be automated by using computer vision, an area of artificial intelligence aimed at interpreting images.

METHODS

Still images from LC videos were annotated with CVS criteria and hepatocystic anatomy segmentation. A deep neural network comprising a segmentation model to highlight hepatocystic anatomy and a classification model to predict CVS criteria achievement was trained and tested using 5-fold cross validation. Intersection over union, average precision, and balanced accuracy were computed to evaluate the model performance versus the annotated ground truth.

RESULTS

A total of 2854 images from 201 LC videos were annotated and 402 images were further segmented. Mean intersection over union for segmentation was 66.6%. The model assessed the achievement of CVS criteria with a mean average precision and balanced accuracy of 71.9% and 71.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Deep learning algorithms can be trained to reliably segment hepatocystic anatomy and assess CVS criteria in still laparoscopic images. Surgical-technical partnerships should be encouraged to develop and evaluate deep learning models to improve surgical safety.

Intraoperative and early postoperative complications in postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy among patients with germ cell tumors using validated grading classifications

BACKGROUND

Postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy (PC-RPLND) is an essential, yet potentially morbid, therapy for the management of patients with advanced germ cell tumors. In the current study, the authors sought to define the complication profile of PC-RPLND using validated grading systems for intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) and early postoperative complications.

METHODS

Between 2000 and 2018, all patients who underwent PC-RPLND were analyzed for iAEs and early postoperative complications using the Kaafarani and Clavien-Dindo classifications, respectively. Logistic regression models were conducted to assess patient and tumor factors associated with iAEs and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Of the 453 patients identified, 115 patients (25%) and 252 patients (56%), respectively, experienced an iAE and postoperative complication. Major iAEs (grade ≥3) were observed in 15 patients (3%) and major postoperative complications (grade ≥3) were noted in 80 patients (18%). The most common iAE was vascular injury (112 of 132 events; 85%), which occurred in 92 patients (20%), and the most frequent postoperative complication was ileus, which occurred in 121 patients (27%). Original and postchemotherapy retroperitoneal mass size, nonretroperitoneal metastases, intermediate and/or poor International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group classification, previous RPLND, elevated tumor markers at the time of RPLND, and anticipated adjuvant surgical procedures increased the risk of both iAEs and postoperative complications. Patients who experienced an iAE were significantly more likely to experience a postoperative complication (odds ratio, 2.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.58-3.97 [P < .001]).

CONCLUSIONS

In what to the authors' knowledge is the first analysis of PC-RPLND using validated classifications for both iAEs and postoperative complications, advanced disease and surgical complexity significantly increased the risks of major iAEs and postoperative complications. Standardized reporting of adverse perioperative events allows providers and patients to appreciate the consequences of PC-RPLND during counseling and decision making.

Prospective validation of classification of intraoperative adverse events (ClassIntra): international, multicentre cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively assess the construct and criterion validity of ClassIntra version 1.0, a newly developed classification for assessing intraoperative adverse events.

DESIGN

International, multicentre cohort study.

SETTING

18 secondary and tertiary centres from 12 countries in Europe, Oceania, and North America.

PARTICIPANTS

The cohort study included a representative sample of 2520 patients in hospital having any type of surgery, followed up until discharge. A follow-up to assess mortality at 30 days was performed in 2372 patients (94%). A survey was sent to a representative sample of 163 surgeons and anaesthetists from participating centres.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Intraoperative complications were assessed according to ClassIntra. Postoperative complications were assessed daily until discharge from hospital with the Clavien-Dindo classification. The primary endpoint was construct validity by investigating the risk adjusted association between the most severe intraoperative and postoperative complications, measured in a multivariable hierarchical proportional odds model. For criterion validity, inter-rater reliability was evaluated in a survey of 10 fictitious case scenarios describing intraoperative complications.

RESULTS

Of 2520 patients enrolled, 610 (24%) experienced at least one intraoperative adverse event and 838 (33%) at least one postoperative complication. Multivariable analysis showed a gradual increase in risk for a more severe postoperative complication with increasing grade of ClassIntra: ClassIntra grade I versus grade 0, odds ratio 0.99 (95% confidence interval 0.69 to 1.42); grade II versus grade 0, 1.39 (0.97 to 2.00); grade III versus grade 0, 2.62 (1.31 to 5.26); and grade IV versus grade 0, 3.81 (1.19 to 12.2). ClassIntra showed high criterion validity with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.76 (95% confidence interval 0.59 to 0.91) in the survey (response rate 83%).

CONCLUSIONS

ClassIntra is the first prospectively validated classification for assessing intraoperative adverse events in a standardised way, linking them to postoperative complications with the well established Clavien-Dindo classification. ClassIntra can be incorporated into routine practice in perioperative surgical safety checklists, or used as a monitoring and outcome reporting tool for different surgical disciplines. Future studies should investigate whether the tool is useful to stratify patients to the appropriate postoperative care, to enhance the quality of surgical interventions, and to improve long term outcomes of surgical patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03009929.

Development and Evaluation of a Novel Instrument to Measure Severity of Intraoperative Events Using Video Data

OBJECTIVE

To develop and evaluate a novel instrument to measure SEVERE processes using video data.

BACKGROUND

Surgical video data can serve an important role in understanding the relationship between intraoperative events and postoperative outcomes. However, a standard tool to measure severity of intraoperative events is not yet available.

METHODS

Items to be included in the instrument were identified through literature and video reviews. A committee of experts guided item reduction, including pilot tests and revisions, and determined weighted scores. Content validity was evaluated using a validated sensibility questionnaire. Inter-rater reliability was assessed by calculating intraclass correlation coefficient. Construct validity was evaluated on a sample of 120 patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure, in which comprehensive video data was obtained.

RESULTS

SEVERE index measures severity of 5 event types using ordinal scales. Each intraoperative event is given a weighted score out of 10. Inter-rater reliability was excellent [0.87 (95%-confidence interval, 0.77-0.92)]. In a sample of consecutive 120 patients undergoing gastric bypass procedures, a median of 12 events [interquartile range (IQR) 9-18] occurred per patient and bleeding was the most frequent type (median 10, IQR 7-14). The median SEVERE score per case was 11.3 (IQR 8.3-16.9). In risk-adjusted multivariable regression models, history of previous abdominal surgery (P = 0.02) and body mass index (P = 0.005) were associated with SEVERE scores, demonstrating construct validity evidence.

CONCLUSION

The SEVERE index may prove to be a useful instrument in identifying patients with high risk of developing postoperative complications.

Smoking and risk of surgical bleeding: nationwide analysis of 5,452,411 surgical cases

BACKGROUND

Although smoking is associated with several postoperative complications, a possible association with surgical bleeding remains unclear. We examined if smoking is associated with a higher risk of surgical bleeding.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We included patients from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program 2007-2016 from 680 hospitals across the United States. Patients with information on age, sex, surgical specialty, and smoking status were included. Surgical bleeding was defined as 1 or more red blood cell (RBC) units transfused intraoperatively to 72 hours postoperatively. The association between smoking and surgical bleeding was examined using logistic regressions adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, ethnicity, comorbidities, laboratory values, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, type of anesthesia, duration of surgery, work relative value unit (surrogate for operative complexity), surgical specialty, and procedure year.

RESULTS

A total of 5,452,411 cases were recorded, of whom 19% smoked and 6% received transfusion. Odds ratios for transfusion were 1.06 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.07) for smokers versus nonsmokers and 1.06 (95% CI, 1.04-1.09) for current smokers versus never-smokers. Odds ratios for cumulative smoking were 0.97 (95% CI, 0.95-1.00) for greater than 0 to 20 versus 0 pack-years, 1.04 (95% CI, 1.01-1.07) for greater than 20 to 40, and 1.12 (95% CI, 1.09-1.15) for greater than 40 (p for trend < 0.001). Hazard ratios for reoperations due to any cause and to bleeding were 1.28 (95% CI, 1.27-1.31) and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.93-1.04).

CONCLUSION

Smoking was associated with a higher risk of RBC transfusion as a proxy for surgical bleeding across all surgical specialties combined.

Effect of an individualized versus standard pneumoperitoneum pressure strategy on postoperative recovery: a randomized clinical trial in laparoscopic colorectal surgery

Background

It remains uncertain whether individualization of pneumoperitoneum pressures during laparoscopic surgery improves postoperative recovery. This study compared an individualized pneumoperitoneum pressure (IPP) strategy with a standard pneumoperitoneum pressure (SPP) strategy with respect to postoperative recovery after laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Methods

This was a multicentre RCT. The IPP strategy comprised modified patient positioning, deep neuromuscular blockade, and abdominal wall prestretching targeting the lowest intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) that maintained acceptable workspace. The SPP strategy comprised patient positioning according to the surgeon's preference, moderate neuromuscular blockade and a fixed IAP of 12 mmHg. The primary endpoint was physiological postoperative recovery, assessed by means of the Postoperative Quality of Recovery Scale. Secondary endpoints included recovery in other domains and overall recovery, the occurrence of intraoperative and postoperative complications, duration of hospital stay, and plasma markers of inflammation up to postoperative day 3.

Results

Of 166 patients, 85 received an IPP strategy and 81 an SPP strategy. The IPP strategy was associated with a higher probability of physiological recovery (odds ratio (OR) 2·77, 95 per cent c.i. 1·19 to 6·40, P = 0·017; risk ratio (RR) 1·82, 1·79 to 1·87, P = 0·049). The IPP strategy was also associated with a higher probability of emotional (P = 0·013) and overall (P = 0·011) recovery. Intraoperative adverse events were less frequent with the IPP strategy (P &lt; 0·001) and the plasma neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio was lower (P = 0·029). Other endpoints were not affected.

Conclusion

In this cohort of patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery, an IPP strategy was associated with faster recovery, fewer intraoperative complications and less inflammation than an SPP strategy. Registration number: NCT02773173 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Reoperation Incidence and Severity Within 6 Months After Bariatric Surgery: a Propensity-Matched Study from Nationwide Data

BACKGROUND

Data about incidence and severity of reoperations up to 6 months after bariatric surgery are currently limited. The aim of this cohort study was to evaluate the incidence and severity of reoperations after initial bariatric surgical procedures and to compare this between the 3 most frequent current surgical procedures (sleeve, gastric bypass, gastric banding).

STUDY DESIGN

Nationwide observational cohort study using data from French Hospital Information System (2013-2015) to evaluate incidence and severity of reoperations within 6 months after bariatric surgery. Hazard ratios (HR) of longitudinal comparison between historical propensity-matched cohorts were estimated from a Fine and Gray's model using competing risk of death.

RESULTS

Cumulative reoperation rates increased from postoperative day-30 to day-180. Consequently, 31.1 to 90.0% of procedures would have been missed if the reoperation rate was based solely on a 30-day follow-up. Reoperation rate at 6 months was significantly higher after gastric bypass than after sleeve (HR 0.64; IC 95% [0.53-0.77]) and corresponded to moderate-risk reoperations (HR 0.65; IC 95% [0.53-0.78]). Reoperation rate at 6 months was significantly higher after gastric banding than after sleeve (HR 0.08; IC 95% [0.07-0.09]) and corresponded to moderate-risk reoperations (HR 0.08; IC 95% [0.07-0.10]).

CONCLUSION

Cumulative incidence of reoperations increased from 30 days to 6 months after sleeve, gastric bypass, or gastric banding and corresponded to moderate-risk surgical procedures. Consequently, 30-day reoperation rate should no longer be considered when evaluating complications and surgical performance after bariatric surgery.

Unexpected Intraoperative Findings, Situations, and Complications in Bariatric Surgery

BACKGROUND

Bariatric surgery is considered a safe therapy to treat obesity. Postoperative complications are well known; however, there is a lack of data describing intraoperative complications and/or unexpected findings, and if there is further impact on outcomes.

METHODS

Retrospective study with patients operated between 2013 and 2016 at a single institution. All operative information was collected prospectively and aimed to analyze the incidence and causes of unexpected intraoperative findings, complications, change in surgical plan, extra surgeries, and procedure interruption in patients submitted to bariatric surgery. Secondarily, a morbidity analysis was performed, correlating intraoperative complications with postoperative complications and length of stay.

RESULTS

Four-hundred and five patients were included. Female sex comprised 82% of cases, and a median age of 38 years old was observed; almost 90% were gastric bypass. In 29.3% of cases, there were intraoperative findings, mainly adhesions, abdominal wall hernias, positive methylene blue test, hiatal hernias, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Associated surgeries were performed in 8.6% cases, and intraoperative adverse events reported in 7.1%, where organ injury and anastomosis problems were the most frequent. A change in the operative plan was done in 0.9% and surgery interruption in 1.2% of the cases. Early complications were observed in 6.6%. There was no correlation between intraoperative complications and length of stay or early complications.

CONCLUSION

Unexpected intraoperative findings/complications are common in bariatric surgery, but without increasing morbidity or length of stay. Surgery suspension, change in the planned technique, or adding extra (non-bariatric) procedures may occur.

Red blood cell transfusion in surgery: an observational study of the trends in the USA from 2011 to 2016

Guidelines recommend restrictive red blood cell transfusion strategies. We conducted an observational study to examine whether the rate of peri-operative red blood cell transfusion in the USA had declined during the period from 01 January 2011 to 31 December 2016. We included 4,273,168 patients from all surgical subspecialties. We examined parallel trends in rates of the following: pre-operative transfusion; prevalence of bleeding disorders and coagulopathy; and minimally invasive procedures. To account for changes in population and procedure characteristics, we performed multivariable logistic regression to assess whether the risk of receiving a transfusion had declined over the study period. Clinical outcomes included peri-operative myocardial infarction, stroke and all-cause mortality at 30 days. Peri-operative red blood cell transfusion rates declined from 37,040/441,255 (8.4%) in 2011 to 46,845/1,000,195 (4.6%) in 2016 (p < 0.001) across all subspecialties. Compared with 2011, the corresponding adjusted OR (95%CI) for red blood cell transfusion decreased gradually from 0.88 (0.86-0.90) in 2012 to 0.51 (0.50-0.51) in 2016 (p < 0.001). Pre-operative red blood cell transfusion rates and the prevalence of bleeding disorders decreased, whereas haematocrit levels and the proportion of minimally invasive procedures increased. Compared with 2011, the adjusted hazard ratios (95%CI) in 2012 and 2016 were 0.96 (0.90-1.02) and 1.05 (0.99-1.11) for myocardial infarction, 0.91 (0.83-0.99) and 0.99 (0.92-1.07) for stroke and 0.98 (0.94-1.02) and 0.99 (0.96-1.03) for all-cause mortality. Use of peri-operative red blood cell transfusion declined from 2011 to 2016. This was not associated with an increase in adverse clinical outcomes.

Predicting postoperative delirium severity in older adults: The role of surgical risk and executive function

OBJECTIVES

Delirium is an important postoperative complication, yet predictive risk factors for postoperative delirium severity remain elusive. We hypothesized that the NSQIP risk calculation for serious complications (NSQIP-SC) or risk of death (NSQIP-D), and cognitive tests of executive function (Trail Making Tests A and B [TMTA and TMTB]), would be predictive of postoperative delirium severity. Further, we demonstrate how advanced statistical techniques can be used to identify candidate predictors.

METHODS/DESIGN

Data from an ongoing perioperative prospective cohort study of 100 adults (65 y old or older) undergoing noncardiac surgery were analyzed. In addition to NSQIP-SC, NSQIP-D, TMTA, and TMTB, participant age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, tobacco use, surgery type, depression, Framingham risk score, and preoperative blood pressure were collected. The Delirium Rating Scale-R-98 (DRS) measured delirium severity; the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) identified delirium. LASSO and best subsets linear regression were employed to identify predictive risk factors.

RESULTS

Ninety-seven participants with a mean age of 71.68 ± 4.55, 55% male (31/97 CAM+, 32%), and a mean peak DRS of 21.5 ± 6.40 were analyzed. LASSO and best subsets regression identified NSQIP-SC and TMTB to predict postoperative delirium severity (P < 00.001, adjusted R² : 0.30). NSQIP-SC and TMTB were also selected as predictors for postoperative delirium incidence (AUROC 0.81, 95% CI, 0.72-0.90).

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort, we identified NSQIP risk score for serious complications and a measure of executive function, TMT-B, to predict postoperative delirium severity using advanced modeling techniques. Future studies should investigate the utility of these variables in a formal delirium severity prediction model.

Obesity as protective against, rather than a risk factor for, postoperative Clostridium difficile infection: A nationwide retrospective analysis of 1,426,807 surgical patients

BACKGROUND

Recent studies suggest that obesity is a risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection, possibly due to disruptions in the intestinal microbiome composition. We hypothesized that body mass index (BMI) is associated with increased incidence of C. difficile infection in surgical patients.

METHODS

In this nationwide retrospective cohort study in 680 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program participating sites across the United States, the occurrence of C. difficile infection within 30 days postoperatively between different BMI groups was compared. All American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program patients between 2015 and 2016 were classified as underweight, normal-weight, overweight, or obese class I-III if their BMI was less than 18.5, 18.5 to 25, 25 to 30, 30 to 35, 35 to 40 or greater than 40, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 1,426,807 patients were included; median age was 58 years, 43.4% were male, and 82.9% were white. The postoperative incidence of C. difficile infection was 0.42% overall: 1.11%, 0.56%, 0.39%, 0.35%, 0.33% and 0.36% from the lowest to the highest BMI group, respectively (p < 0.001 for trend). In univariate then multivariable logistic regression analyses, adjusting for patient demographics (e.g., age, sex), comorbidities (e.g., diabetes, systemic sepsis, immunosuppression), preoperative laboratory values (e.g., albumin, white blood cell count), procedure complexity (work relative unit as a proxy) and procedure characteristics (e.g., emergency, type of surgery [general, vascular, other]), compared with patients with normal BMI, high BMI was inversely and incrementally correlated with the postoperative occurrence of C. difficile infection. The underweight were at increased risk (odds ratio, 1.15 [1.00-1.32]) while the class III obese were at the lowest risk (odds ratio, 0.73 [0.65-0.81]).

CONCLUSION

In this nationwide retrospective cohort study, obesity is independently and in a stepwise fashion associated with a decreased risk of postoperative C. difficile infection. Further studies are warranted to explore the potential and unexpected association.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic/Epidemiologic, Level IV.

Impact of Intra-Operative Adverse Events on the Risk of Surgical Site Infection in Abdominal Surgery

BACKGROUND

Intra-operative adverse events (iAEs) recently were shown to correlate independently with an increased risk of post-operative death, morbidity, re-admissions, and length of hospital stay. We sought to understand further the impact of iAEs on surgical site infections (SSIs) in abdominal surgical procedures and delineate which patient populations are most affected. We hypothesized that all patients with iAEs have an increased risk for SSI, especially those with pre-existing risk factors for SSI.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

To identify iAEs, a well-described three-step methodology was used: (1) the 2007-2012 American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was merged with the administrative database of our tertiary academic center, (2) the merged database was screened for iAEs in abdominal surgical procedures using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification-based Patient Safety Indicator "Accidental Puncture/Laceration," and (3) each flagged record was systematically reviewed to confirm iAE occurrence. Uni-variable and backward stepwise multi-variable analyses (adjusting for demographics, co-morbidities, type and complexity of operation) were performed to study the independent correlation between iAEs and SSIs (superficial, deep incisional, and organ-space). The correlation between iAEs and SSIs was investigated especially in patients deemed a priori at high risk for SSIs, specifically those older than age 60 and those with diabetes mellitus, obesity, cigarette smoking, steroid use, or American Society of Anesthesiologists class ≥III.

RESULTS

A total of 9,288 operations were included, and iAEs were detected in 183 (2.0%). Most iAEs consisted of bowel (44%) or vessel (29%) injuries and were addressed intra-operatively (92%). SSI occurred in 686 (7.4%) cases and included 331 (3.5%) superficial, 32 (0.34%) deep incisional, and 333 (3.6%) organ/space infections. iAEs were correlated independently with SSI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-2.52, p = 0.013), and more severe iAEs were associated with a higher risk of infection. Analysis by SSI type revealed a significant association with organ/space SSI (OR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.07-3.05; p = 0.027), but not incisional infections. Most interestingly, the occurrence of an iAE was correlated with increased SSI rate in the low-risk but not the high-risk patient populations. Specifically, iAEs increased SSI in patients younger than 60 (OR = 2.69, 95% CI 1.55-4.67, p < 0.001), non-diabetic patients (OR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.04-2.58, p = 0.034), non-obese patients (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.81-4.66, p < 0.001), non-smokers (OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.08-2.6, p = 0.022), with no steroid use (OR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.15-2.6, p < 0.008), and with ASA class <III (OR = 2.26, 95% CI 1.31-3.87, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

The iAEs are associated independently with increased SSIs, particularly in patients with less pre-existing risk factors for SSI. Preventing iAEs or mitigating their impact, once they occur, may help decrease the rate of SSIs.

Do Not Blame the Resident: the Impact of Surgeon and Surgical Trainee Experience on the Occurrence of Intraoperative Adverse Events (iAEs) in Abdominal Surgery

OBJECTIVE

Intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) are defined as inadvertent injuries that occur during an operation and are associated with increased mortality, morbidity, and health care costs. We sought to study the impact of attending surgeon experience as well as resident training level on the occurrence of iAEs.

DESIGN

The institutional American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and administrative databases for abdominal surgeries were linked and screened for iAEs using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification-based Patient Safety Indicator "accidental puncture/laceration." Each flagged record was systematically reviewed to confirm iAE occurrence and determine the number of years of independent practice of the attending surgeon and the postgraduate year (PGY) of the assisting resident at the time of the operation. The attending surgeon experience was divided into quartiles (<6 years, 6-13 years, 13-20 years, >20 years). The resident experience level was defined as Junior (PGY-1 to PGY-3) or Senior (PGY-4 or PGY-5). Univariate/bivariate then multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusting for patient demographics, comorbidities, and operation type and/or complexity (using RVUs as a proxy) were performed to assess the independent impact of resident and attending surgeon experience on the occurrence of iAEs.

SETTING

A large tertiary care teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients included in the 2007-2012 ACS-NSQIP that had an abdominal surgery performed by both an attending surgeon and a resident.

RESULTS

A total of 7685 operations were included and iAEs were detected in 159 of them (2.1%). Junior residents participated in 1680 cases (21.9%), while senior residents were involved in 6005 (78.1%). The iAE rates for attending surgeons with <6, 6-13, 13-20, and >20 years of experience were 2.7%, 1.7%, 2.4%, and 1.4%, respectively. In multivariable analyses, the risk of occurrence of an iAE was significantly decreased for surgeons with >20 years of experience compared to those with <6 years of experience (odds ratio=0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.32-0.86, p = 0.011). On bivariate analyses, iAEs occurred in 1.2% of junior resident cases, while senior residents had an iAE rate of 2.3%. However, after risk adjustment on multivariable analyses, the resident experience level did not significantly impact the rate of iAEs.

CONCLUSIONS

The surgeon's level of experience, but not the resident's, is associated with the occurrence of iAEs in abdominal surgery. Efforts to improve patient safety in surgery should explore the value of pairing junior surgeons with the more experienced ones thru formalized coaching programs, rather than focus on curbing resident operative autonomy.

Are surgeons reluctant to accurately report intraoperative adverse events? A prospective study of 1,989 patients

BACKGROUND

The true incidence of intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) remains unknown.

METHODS

All patients undergoing abdominal surgery at an academic institution between January and July 2016 were included in a prospective fashion. At the end of surgery, using a secure REDCap database, the surgeon was given the Institute of Medicine definition of intraoperative adverse events and asked whether an intraoperative adverse event had occurred. Blinded reviewers systematically examined all operative reports for intraoperative adverse events and their severity. The response rate and the intraoperative adverse event rate reported by surgeons were calculated. The latter was compared with the rate of intraoperative adverse events detected by operative report review. The severity of intraoperative adverse events was assessed based on a previously validated intraoperative adverse event classification system.

RESULTS

A total of 1,989 operations were included. The surgeons' response rate was 71.9%, reporting intraoperative adverse events in 107 operations (7.5%). Of those intraoperative adverse events, 26 (24.3%) were not described in the operative report. Operative report review revealed intraoperative adverse events in 417 operations (21.0%). Most injuries were of lower severity (85.8% were either class I or II). The surgeons' response rate was similar in operations with and without intraoperative adverse events (69.8% versus 72.5%, P=.28), but they underreported low severity intraoperative adverse events-only 13.2% of class I compared with 35.3%, 36.8%, and 55.6% of injury classes II, III, and IV respectively (P<.001).

CONCLUSION

Surgeons are willing to report intraoperative adverse events, but systematically and significantly underreport them, especially if they are of lower severity. This is potentially related to the absence of a clear intraoperative adverse event definition or their personal interpretation of their clinical significance.

Adverse outcomes after planned surgery with anticipated intensive care admission in out-of-office-hours time periods: a multicentre cohort study

BACKGROUND

Increasing mortality for patients admitted to hospitals during the weekend is a contentious but well described phenomenon. However, it remains uncertain whether adverse outcomes, including prolonged hospital length-of-stay (LOS), may also occur after patients undergoing major planned surgery are admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) out-of-office-hours, either during weeknights (after 18:00) or on weekends.

METHODS

All planned surgical admissions requiring admission to one of 183 ICUs across Australia and New Zealand between 2006 and 2016 were included in this retrospective population-based cohort study. Primary outcomes were hospital LOS and hospital mortality.

RESULTS

Of the total 504 713 planned postoperative ICU admissions, 33.6% occurred during out-of-office-hours. After adjusting for available risk factors, out-of-office-hours ICU admissions were associated with a significant increase in hospital LOS [+2.6 days, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.5-2.6], mortality [odd ratio (OR) 1.5, 95%CI 1.4-1.6], and a reduced chance of being directly discharged home (OR 0.8, 95%CI 0.8-0.8). The strongest association for adverse outcomes occurred with weekend ICU admissions (hospital LOS: +3.0 days, 95%CI 3.2-3.6; hospital mortality: OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.6-1.8). Clustering of adverse outcomes by hospitals was not observed in the generalised estimating equation analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a greater clinical staff availability and higher monitoring levels, planned surgery requiring anticipated out-of-office-hours ICU admission was associated with a prolonged hospital LOS, reduced discharge directly home, and increased mortality compared with in-office-hours admissions. Our findings have potential clinical, economic and health policy implications on how complex planned surgery should be planned and managed.

Improving detection of intraoperative medical errors (iMEs) and intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) and their contribution to postoperative outcomes

Our knowledge of the types of intraoperative patient safety events, their harm to patients, and relationship to postoperative complications is sparse. This study examined intraoperative medical errors (iMEs) and intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) voluntarily reported by providers using two programs at our hospital: surgical debriefing and incident reporting. Among the 3020 surgical procedures assessed, 142 iMEs and 103 iAEs were reported, yielding an overall rate of 8%. Of these events, 135 (55%) were obtained from incident reporting and 110 (45%) from surgical debriefing. The overall association between intraoperative events (iMEs and iAEs) and 30-day postoperative morbidity was significant (adjusted odds ratio = 1.08 with 95% confidence interval (CI) of (1.03, 1.13). This association was stronger when we included only the iAEs (1.47, 95% CI (1.35, 1.58)). Our findings suggest that hospitals should consider using both programs to obtain a more complete picture of intraoperative patient safety and to reduce postoperative morbidity.

Risk factors for unfavourable postoperative outcome in patients with Crohn's disease undergoing right hemicolectomy or ileocaecal resection An international audit by ESCP and S-ECCO

BACKGROUND

Patient and disease-related factors, as well as operation technique all have the potential to impact on postoperative outcome in Crohn's disease. The available evidence is based on small series and often displays conflicting results.

AIM

To investigate the effect of pre- and intra-operative risk factors on 30-day postoperative outcome in patients undergoing surgery for Crohn's disease.

METHOD

International prospective snapshot audit including consecutive patients undergoing right hemicolectomy or ileocaecal resection. This study analysed a subset of patients who underwent surgery for Crohn's disease. The primary outcome measure was the overall Clavien-Dindo postoperative complication rate. The key secondary outcomes were anastomotic leak, re-operation, surgical site infection and length of stay at hospital. Multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were used to produce odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Three hundred and seventy five resections in 375 patients were included. The median age was 37 and 57.1% were female. In multivariate analyses, postoperative complications were associated with preoperative parenteral nutrition (OR 2.36 95% CI 1.10-4.97)], urgent/expedited surgical intervention (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.13-3.55) and unplanned intraoperative adverse events (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.20-4.45). The postoperative length of stay in hospital was prolonged in patients who received preoperative parenteral nutrition (OR 31, CI [1.08-1.61]) and those who had urgent/expedited operations (OR 1.21, CI [1.07-1.37]).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative parenteral nutritional support, urgent/expedited operation and unplanned intraoperative adverse events were associated with unfavourable postoperative outcome. Enhanced preoperative optimization and improved planning of operation pathways and timings may improve outcomes for patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Surgical data science: The new knowledge domain

Healthcare in general, and surgery/interventional care in particular, is evolving through rapid advances in technology and increasing complexity of care, with the goal of maximizing the quality and value of care. Whereas innovations in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies have driven past improvements in the quality of surgical care, future transformation in care will be enabled by data. Conventional methodologies, such as registry studies, are limited in their scope for discovery and research, extent and complexity of data, breadth of analytical techniques, and translation or integration of research findings into patient care. We foresee the emergence of surgical/interventional data science (SDS) as a key element to addressing these limitations and creating a sustainable path toward evidence-based improvement of interventional healthcare pathways. SDS will create tools to measure, model, and quantify the pathways or processes within the context of patient health states or outcomes and use information gained to inform healthcare decisions, guidelines, best practices, policy, and training, thereby improving the safety and quality of healthcare and its value. Data are pervasive throughout the surgical care pathway; thus, SDS can impact various aspects of care, including prevention, diagnosis, intervention, or postoperative recovery. The existing literature already provides preliminary results, suggesting how a data science approach to surgical decision-making could more accurately predict severe complications using complex data from preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative contexts, how it could support intraoperative decision-making using both existing knowledge and continuous data streams throughout the surgical care pathway, and how it could enable effective collaboration between human care providers and intelligent technologies. In addition, SDS is poised to play a central role in surgical education, for example, through objective assessments, automated virtual coaching, and robot-assisted active learning of surgical skill. However, the potential for transforming surgical care and training through SDS may only be realized through a cultural shift that not only institutionalizes technology to seamlessly capture data but also assimilates individuals with expertise in data science into clinical research teams. Furthermore, collaboration with industry partners from the inception of the discovery process promotes optimal design of data products as well as their efficient translation and commercialization. As surgery continues to evolve through advances in technology that enhance delivery of care, SDS represents a new knowledge domain to engineer surgical care of the future.