The Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI®): Added Value and Clinical Perspectives 3 Years "Down the Line"

Comparison of Various Functional Assessment Tools to Identify Older Patients Undergoing Aortic Aneurysm Repair at Risk for Postoperative Complications

BACKGROUND

To estimate whether the benefits of aortic aneurysm repair will outweigh the risks, determining individual risks is essential. This single-center prospective cohort study aimed to compare the association of functional tools with postoperative complications in older patients undergoing aortic aneurysm repair.

METHODS

Ninety-eight patients (≥65 years) who underwent aortic aneurysm repair were included. Four functional tools were administered: the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); the 4-Meter Walk Test (4-MWT); handgrip strength; and the Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI). Primary outcome was the association between all tests and 30-day postoperative complications.

RESULTS

After adjusting for confounders, the odds ratio for MoCA was 1.39 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.450; 3.157; P = 0.723), for 4-MWT 0.63 (95% CI 0.242; 1.650; P = 0.348), for GFI 1.82 (95% CI 0.783; 4.323, P = 0.162), and for weak handgrip strength 4.78 (95% CI 1.338; 17.096, P = 0.016).

CONCLUSIONS

Weak handgrip strength is significantly associated with the development of postoperative complications after aortic aneurysm repair. This study strengthens the idea that implementing a quick screening tool for risk assessment at the outpatient clinic, such as handgrip strength, identifies patients who may benefit from preoperative enhancement with help from, for example, Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, eventually leading to better outcomes for this patient group.

Laparoscopic ablation for liver malignancies: initial experience at a Scandinavian high volume HPB center

BACKGROUND

Ablation is an effective, parenchymal-sparing treatment for primary liver cancer and liver metastases. The purpose of this study was to report our initial experience with laparoscopic microwave ablation regarding postoperative complications, rate of conversions to open procedure, and technical efficacy.

METHODS

This was a quality improvement project carried out at a tertiary care center in Denmark. Patients ≥ 18 years old with liver malignancies, not available for percutaneous ablation, and treated with ultrasound-guided laparoscopic ablation were included.

RESULTS

From March 2023 to December 2023, 39 patients were referred for laparoscopic ablation after a multidisciplinary team conference. Of these, two procedures were converted to open procedures due to adhesion and tumor progression. Three patients rejected the sharing of medical information, two procedures were canceled and in one case the strategy was changed perioperatively. Therefore, 32 procedures in 31 patients were available for analysis. Complete ablation was evaluated after 1 month and was achieved in 100% of the procedures. None of the patients died, and no complications were reported in 21 cases (65.6%). Most patients with complications had a grade 1 complication based on the Clavien-Dindo classification, which among others included abdominal and shoulder pain, atrial fibrillation, and subcutaneous hematoma. Two patients had a complication grade 2 (wound infection and decompensated cirrhosis) and one had a grade 4b (sepsis due to pneumonia and urinary tract infection). The median Comprehensive Complication Index was 12.2 (interquartile range 8.7-24.2). Furthermore, univariable logistic regression showed that ≥ 2 tumors treated were associated with a higher risk of complications (odds ratio 6.37, 95% confidence interval [1.20;33.85], p-value = 0.0297).

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound-guided laparoscopic microwave ablation of liver malignancies is feasible and safe with little risk for complications, a high technical efficacy, and a low rate of conversions to open procedures.

Comparison and combination of three data sources from patient medical records to determine optimal quantification of postoperative morbidity according to the Clavien Dindo Classification and the Comprehensive Complication Index. A prospective study

INTRODUCTION

It is currently unknown which data sources from the clinical history, or combination thereof, should be evaluated to achieve the most complete calculation of postoperative complications (PC). The objectives of this study were: to analyze the morbidity and mortality of 200 consecutive patients undergoing major surgery, to determine which data sources or combination collect the maximum morbidity, and to determine the accuracy of the morbidity reflected in the discharge report.

METHODS

Observational and prospective cohort study. The sum of all PC found in the combined review of medical notes, nursing notes, and a specific form was considered the gold standard. PC were classified according to the Clavien Dindo Classification and the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI).

RESULTS

The percentage of patients who presented PC according to the gold standard, medical notes, nursing notes and form were: 43.5%, 37.5%, 35% and 18.7% respectively. The combination of sources improved CCI agreement by 8%-40% in the overall series and 39.1-89.7 % in patients with PC. The correct recording of PC was inversely proportional to the complexity of the surgery, and the combination of sources increased the degree of agreement with the gold standard by 35 %-67.5% in operations of greater complexity. The CDC and CCI of the discharge report coincided with the gold-standard values in patients with PC by 46.8% and 18.2%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of data sources, particularly medical and nursing notes, considerably increases the quantification of PC in general, most notably in complex interventions.

Surgical Outcome Reporting. Moving From a Comic to a Tragic Opera?

OBJECTIVES

To assess the current quality of surgical outcome reporting in the medical literature and to provide recommendations for improvement.

BACKGROUND

In 1996, The Lancet labeled surgery as a "comic opera" mostly referring to the poor quality of outcome reporting in the literature impeding improvement in surgical quality and patient care.

METHODS

We screened 3 first-tier and 2 second-tier surgical journals, as well as 3 leading medical journals for original articles reporting on results of surgical procedures published over a recent 18-month period. The quality of outcome reporting was assessed using a prespecified 12-item checklist.

RESULTS

Six hundred twenty-seven articles reporting surgical outcomes were analyzed, including 125 randomized controlled trials. Only 1 (0.2%) article met all 12 criteria of the checklist, whereas 356 articles (57%) fulfilled less than half of the criteria. The poorest reporting was on cumulative morbidity burden, which was missing in 94% of articles (n=591) as well as patient-reported outcomes missing in 83% of publications (n=518). Comparing journal groups for the individual criterion, we found moderate to very strong statistical evidence for better quality of reporting in high versus lower impact journals for 7 of 12 criteria and strong statistical evidence for better reporting of patient-reported outcomes in medical versus surgical journals ( P <0·001).

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of outcomes reporting in the medical literature remains poor, lacking improvement over the past 20 years on most key end points. The implementation of standardized outcome reporting is urgently needed to minimize biased interpretation of data thereby enabling improved patient care and the elaboration of meaningful guidelines.

Sleep Apnea is Not an Obstacle for Outpatient Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Up to 25% of patients requiring hip or knee arthroplasty have sleep apnea (SA), and these patients have historically been excluded from outpatient programs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate same-day discharge failure as well as 30-day complications, readmissions, and unexpected visits.

METHODS

A retrospective case-control study comparing patients who have and do not have SA matched for age, sex and arthroplasty type (total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, unicompartimental knee arthroplasty) who underwent primary outpatient surgery between February 2019 and December 2022 in 2 academic hospitals was conducted. Cases with mild SA, moderate SA with a body mass index (BMI) <35, and SA of all severity treated by continuous positive airway pressure machines were eligible. There were 156 patients included (78 cases). Complications were assessed according to the Clavien-Dindo Classification and the Comprehensive Complication Index. Continuous variables were evaluated by Student's T or Mann-Whitney tests, while categorical data were analyzed by Chi-square or Fisher tests. Univariate analyses were performed to determine discharge failure risk factors.

RESULTS

There were 6 cases (7.7%) and 5 controls (6.4%) who failed to be discharged on surgery day (P = .754), with postoperative hypoxemia (6, [3.8%]) and apnea periods (3, [1.9%]) being the most common causes. Higher BMI (odds ratio = 1.19, P = .013) and general anesthesia (odds ratio = 11.97, P = .004) were found to be risk factors for discharge failure. No difference was observed on 30-day readmissions (P = .497), unexpected visits (P = 1.000), and complications on the Clavien-Dindo Classification (P > .269) and Comprehensive Complication Index (P > .334) scales.

CONCLUSIONS

Selected patients who have SA can safely undergo outpatient hip or knee arthroplasty. Higher BMI and general anesthesia increased the odds of same-day discharge failure.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, Case-control Study.

Impact of bile leak on the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who have undergone liver resection

PURPOSE

The impact of postoperative bile leak on the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent liver resection is controversial. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of bile leak for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent liver resection.

METHODS

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent liver resection between 2009 and 2019 at Kobe University Hospital and Hyogo Cancer Center were included. After propensity score matching between the bile leak and no bile leak groups, differences in 5-year recurrence-free and overall survival rates were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

A total of 781 patients, including 43 with postoperative bile leak, were analyzed. In the matched cohort, 40 patients were included in each group. The 5-year recurrence-free survival rates after liver resection were 35% and 32% for the bile leak and no bile leak groups, respectively (P = 0.857). The 5-year overall survival rates were 44% and 54% for the bile leak and no bile leak groups, respectively (P = 0.216).

CONCLUSION

Overall, bile leak may not have a profound negative impact on the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who have undergone liver resection.

Real-world outcomes of lobectomy, segmentectomy and wedge resection for the treatment of stage c-IA lung carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

To determine safety and survival outcomes associated with lobectomy, segmentectomy and wedge resection for early-stage lung cancer by quiring the French population-based registry EPIdemiology in THORacic surgery (EPITHOR).

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 19 452 patients with stage c IA lung carcinoma who underwent lobectomy, segmentectomy or wedge resection between 2016 and 2022 with curative-intent. Main outcome measures were 90-day mortality and 5-year overall survival estimates. Proportional hazards regression and propensity score matching were used to adjust outcomes for key patient, tumour and practice environment factors.

RESULTS

The treatment distribution was 72.2% for lobectomy, 21.5% for segmentectomy and 6.3% for wedge. Unadjusted 90-day mortality rates were 1.6%, 1.2% and 1.1%, respectively (P = 0.10). Unadjusted 5-year overall survival estimates were 80%, 78% and 70%, with significant inter-group survival curves differences (P < 0.0001). Multivariable proportional hazards regression showed that wedge was associated with worse overall survival [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), 1.23 (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.47); P = 0.021] compared with lobectomy, while no significant difference was disclosed when comparing segmentectomy to lobectomy (1.08 [0.97-1.20]; P = 0.162). The three-way propensity score analyses confirmed similar 90-day mortality rate for wedge resection and segmentectomy compared with lobectomy (hazard ratio: 0.43; 95% confidence interval 0.16-1.11; P = 0.081 and 0.99; 0.48-2.10; P = 0.998, respectively), but poorer overall survival (1.45; 1.13-1.86; P = 0.003 and 1.31; 1-1.71; P = 0.048, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Wedge resection was associated with comparable 90-day mortality but lower overall survival when compared to lobectomy. Overall, all types of sublobar resections may not offer equivalent oncologic effectiveness in real-world settings.

Normothermic Liver Machine Perfusion and Successful Transplantation of Split Liver Grafts: From Proof of Concept to Clinical Implementation

BACKGROUND

Normothermic liver machine perfusion (NLMP) is advancing the field of liver transplantation (LT). Beyond improved preservation and organ assessment, NLMP helps to increase organ utilization. We herein address the feasibility and merit of NLMP in split liver transplantation (SLT) to postpone the transplantation of the second split graft to the following day.

METHODS

We analyzed the perfusion characteristics and outcomes of all consecutive adult recipients who underwent SLT following NLMP from February 1, 2018, to June 30, 2023. The primary endpoint was 90-d graft and patient survival. Secondary endpoints were posttransplant complications and 90-d morbidity.

RESULTS

Three right and 3 extended right SLT following NLMP have been performed. NLMP was uneventful in all cases. Perfusion characteristics differed according to graft volume. Mean perfusion time was 17:00 h (±05:13) and bile production ranged between 8 and 21 mL/h. All split grafts fulfilled predefined center viability criteria during NLMP and were transplanted on the following day. The 90-d graft and patient survival rate was 100%. Three patients (50%) required an early relaparotomy, and 2 patients (33.3%) developed biliary complications. The 90-d morbidity as recorded by the comprehensive complication index was 62.7 (±24.7).

CONCLUSIONS

NLMP of split liver grafts is technically feasible and safe. Through prolongation of preservation time, NLMP allows to safely postpone transplantation of the second split liver graft to the next day.

Sequential Normothermic Regional Perfusion and End-ischemic Ex Situ Machine Perfusion Allow the Safe Use of Very Old DCD Donors in Liver Transplantation

BACKGROUND

In Italy, 20 min of continuous, flat-line electrocardiogram are required for death declaration. Despite prolonged warm ischemia time, Italian centers reported good outcomes in controlled donation after circulatory death (cDCD) liver transplantation by combining normothermic regional and end-ischemic machine perfusion (MP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the use of septuagenarian and octogenarian cDCD donors with this approach.

METHODS

All cDCD older than 70 y were evaluated during normothermic regional perfusion and then randomly assigned to dual hypothermic or normothermic MP.

RESULTS

In the period from April 2021 to December 2022, 17 cDCD older than 70 y were considered. In 6 cases (35%), the graft was not considered suitable for liver transplantation, whereas 11 (65%) were evaluated and eventually transplanted. The median donor age was 82 y, being 8 (73%) older than 80. Median functional warm ischemia and no-flow time were 36 and 28 min, respectively. Grafts were randomly assigned to ex situ dual hypothermic oxygenated MP in 6 cases (55%) and normothermic MP in 5 (45%). None was discarded during MP. There were no cases of primary nonfunction, 1 case of postreperfusion syndrome (9%) and 2 cases (18%) of early allograft dysfunction. At a median follow-up of 8 mo, no vascular complications or ischemic cholangiopathy were reported. No major differences were found in terms of postoperative hospitalization or complications based on the type of MP.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of sequential normothermic regional and end-ischemic MP allows the safe use of very old donation after circulatory death donors.

The impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on surgical outcomes after surgery for an acute abdominal diagnosis

PURPOSE

The current study was undertaken to describe the independent contribution of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to the risk of postoperative morbidity and in-hospital mortality among patients undergoing surgery for an acute abdominal diagnosis.

METHODS

Patients who underwent emergency abdominal procedures were identified from the electronic database of the Department of Visceral, Transplantation, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery of our institution. To evaluate differences in surgical risk associated with COPD, patients with COPD were matched for age, sex, and type of surgery with an equal number of controls who did not have COPD. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the univariate and multivariate associations between the independent variables, including COPD and outcome variables.

RESULTS

Between January 2012 and December 2022, 3519 patients undergoing abdominal emergency surgery were identified in our abdominal surgical department. After removing ineligible cases, 201 COPD cases with an equal number of matched controls remained for analysis. The prevalence of COPD after the exclusion of ineligible cases was 5.7%. There were statistically significant differences in the rate of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs [57.7% vs. 35.8%; P < 0.001]), ventilator dependence (VD [63.2% vs. 46.3%; P < 0.001]), thromboembolic events (TEEs [22.9% vs. 12.9%; P = 0.009]), and in-hospital mortality (41.3% vs. 30.8%; P = 029) for patients with and without COPD. Independent of other covariates, the presence of COPD was not associated with a significantly increased risk of in-hospital mortality (OR, 1.16; 95% CI 0.70-1.97; P = 0.591) but was associated with an increased risk of PPCs (OR, 2.49; 95% CI 1.41-4.14; P = 0.002) and VD (OR, 2.26; 95% CI 1.22-4.17; P = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

Preexisting COPD may alter a patient's risk of PPCs and VD. However, it was not associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality.

Preoperative cognitive performance and its association with postoperative complications in vascular surgery patients: A prospective study

BACKGROUND

Cognitive impairment affects nearly half of vascular surgery patients, but its association with postoperative outcomes remains poorly understood. This study explores the link between preoperative cognitive performance and postoperative complications, including postoperative delirium, in vascular surgery patients.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted on vascular surgery patients aged ≥65. Preoperative cognitive performance was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and postoperative complications were evaluated using the Comprehensive Complication Index. The association was analyzed through multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among 110 patients (18.2 ​% female, mean age 73.8 ​± ​5.7 years), cognitive impairment was evident in 48.2 ​%. Of the participants, 29 (26.3 ​%) experienced postoperative complications, among which 11 (10 ​%) experienced postoperative delirium. The adjusted odds ratio for the association between cognitive performance and postoperative complications was 1.19 (95 ​% CI 1.02-1.38; p ​= ​0.02).

CONCLUSION

Worse preoperative cognitive performance correlated with increased odds of postoperative complications and postoperative delirium in vascular surgery patients.

Morbidity and mortality of elderly patients with pancreaticobiliary disease according to age and comprehensive geriatric assessment: A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

This study was designed to analyze the influence of age and comprehensive geriatric evaluation on clinical results of pancreaticobiliary disease management in elderly patients.

METHODS

A prospective observational study has been undertaken, including 140 elderly patients (over 75 years) with benign pancreaticobiliary disease. Patients were divided according to age in the following groups: group 1: 75-79 years old; group 2: 80-84 years old; group 3: 85 years and older. They underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment with different scales: Barthel Index, Pfeiffer Index, Charlson Index, and Fragility scale, at admission and had been follow-up 90 days after hospital discharge to analyze its influence on morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS

Overall, 140 patients have been included (group 1=51; group 2=43 and group 3=46). Most of them, 52 cases (37.8%), had acute cholecystitis, followed by 29 cases of acute cholangitis (20.2%) and acute pancreatitis with 25 cases (17.9%). Significant differences has been observed on complications in different age groups (p=0.033). Especially in patients with a Barthel Index result ≤60, which suggests that these less functional patients had more severe complications after their treatment (p=0.037). The mortality rate was 7.1% (10 patients).

CONCLUSIONS

No significant differences were found between age, morbidity and mortality in elderly patients with pancreaticobiliary disease. Comprehensive geriatric scales showed some utility in their association with specific complications.

Experts vs. machine - comparison of machine learning to expert-informed prediction of outcome after major liver surgery

BACKGROUND

Machine learning (ML) has been successfully implemented for classification tasks (e.g., cancer diagnosis). ML performance for more challenging predictions is largely unexplored. This study's objective was to compare machine learning vs. expert-informed predictions for surgical outcome in patients undergoing major liver surgery.

METHODS

Single tertiary center data on preoperative parameters and postoperative complications for elective hepatic surgery patients were included (2008-2021). Expert-informed prediction models were established on 14 parameters identified by two expert liver surgeons to impact on postoperative outcome. ML models used all available preoperative patient variables (n = 62). Model performance was compared for predicting 3-month postoperative overall morbidity. Temporal validation and additional analysis in major liver resection patients were conducted.

RESULTS

889 patients included. Expert-informed models showed low average bias (2-5 CCI points) with high over/underprediction. ML models performed similarly: average prediction 5-10 points higher than observed CCI values with high variability (95% CI -30 to 50). No performance improvement for major liver surgery patients.

CONCLUSION

No clinical relevance in the application of ML for predicting postoperative overall morbidity was found. Despite being a novel hype, ML has the potential for application in clinical practice. However, at this stage it does not replace established approaches of prediction modelling.

Protocol for a prospective multicentre cohort study to address the question whether diabetes and its management is still a risk factor in fast-track joint arthroplasty

INTRODUCTION

Perioperative glycaemic control is important. However, the complexity of guidelines for perioperative diabetes management is complicated due to different and novel antihyperglycaemic medications, limited procedure-specific data and lack of data from implemented fast-track regimens which otherwise are known to reduce morbidity and glucose homeostasis disturbances. Consequently, outcome in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) after surgery and the influence of perioperative diabetes management on postoperative recovery remains poorly understood.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A prospective observational multicentre study involving 8 arthroplasty centres across Denmark with a documented implemented fast-track programme (median length of hospitalisation (LOS) 1 day). We will collect detailed perioperative data including preoperative haemoglobin A1c and antidiabetic treatment in 1400 unselected consecutive patients with DM undergoing hip and knee arthroplasty from September 2022 to December 2025, enrolled after consent. Follow-up duration is 90 days after surgery. The primary outcome is the proportion of patients with DM with LOS >4 days and 90-day readmission rate after fast-track total hip arthroplasty (THA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). The secondary outcome is the association between perioperative diabetes treatment and LOS >2 days, 90-day readmission rate, other patient demographics and Comprehensive Complication Index for patients with DM after THA/TKA/UKA in a fast-track regimen.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study will follow the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and ICH-Good Clinical Practice guideline. Ethical approval was not necessary as this is a non-interventional observational study on current practice. The trial is registered in the Region of Southern Denmark and on ClinicalTrials.gov. The main results and all substudies of this trial will be published in peer-reviewed international medical journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05613439.

Predictive value of a novel digital risk calculator to determine early patient outcomes after major surgery: a proof-of-concept pilot study

BACKGROUND

A structured risk assessment of patients with validated and evidence-based tools can help to identify modifiable factors before major surgeries. The Protego Maxima trial investigated the value of a new digitized risk assessment tool that combines tools which can be easily used and implemented in the clinical workflow by doctors and qualified medical staff. The hypothesis was that the structured assessment and risk-grouping is predictive of short-term surgical quality reflected by complications and overall survival.

METHODS

The Protego Maxima Trial was a prospective cohort analysis of patients undergoing major surgery (visceral, thoracic, urology, vascular and gynecologic surgeries) as key inclusion criterion and the absence of an acute or acute on chronically decompensated pulmo-cardiovascular decompensation. Patients were risk-scored with the software (The Prehab App) that includes a battery of evidence-based risk assessment tools that allow a structured risk assessment. The data were grouped to predefined high and low risk groups and aggregate and individual scores. The primary outcome was to validate the predictive value of the RAI score and the TUG for overall survival in the high and low risk groups. Secondary outcomes were surgical outcomes at 90-days after surgery (overall survival, Clavien-Dindo (CD) 1-5 (all complications), and CD 3-5 (major complications)). The study was carried out in accordance with the DIN ISO 14,155, and the medical device regulation (MDR) at Frankfurt University Hospital between March 2022 and January 2023.

RESULTS

In total 267 patients were included in the intention to treat analysis. The mean age was 62.1 ± 12.4 years. Patients with a RAI score > 25 and/or a timed up and go (TUG) > 8 s had a higher risk for mortality at 90 days after surgery. The low-risk group predicted beneficial outcome and the high-risk group predicted adverse outcome in the ROC analysis (Area Under the Curve Receiver Operator Characteristics: AUROC > 0.800; p = 0.01). Risk groups (high vs. low) showed significant differences for 90-day survival (99.4% vs. 95.5%; p = 0.04) and major complications (16.4% vs. 32.4%; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The proof-of-concept trial showed that a risk assessment with 'The Prehab App' may be viable to estimate the preoperative risk for mortality and major complications before major surgeries. The overall performance in this initial set of data indicated a certain reliability of the scoring and risk grouping, especially of the RAI score and the TUG. A larger data set will be required to proof the generalizability of the risk scoring to every subgroup and may be fostered by artificial intelligence approaches.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Ethics number: 2021-483-MDR/MPDG-zuständig monocentric; The Federal Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices/BfArM, reference number: 94.1.04-5660-13655; Eudamed: CIV-21-07-0307311; German Clinical Trial Registry: DRKS 00026985.

Comparative analysis of linear- and circular-stapled gastrojejunostomies in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a focus on postoperative morbidity using the comprehensive complication index

PURPOSE

The linear-stapled (LSA) and the circular-stapled anastomosis (CSA) are the two most commonly performed techniques for the gastrojejunostomy (GJ) during laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). This study compared the outcome after both techniques with special focus on postoperative morbidity using the comprehensive complication index (CCI).

METHODS

Five hundred eighty-eight patients operated between 01/2010 and 12/2019 were included in the final analysis and divided in two cohorts according to the surgical technique of the GJ (LSA (n = 290) or CSA (n = 298)). Before 09/2016, the CSA was exclusively performed for the GJ, while after 09/2016, the LSA was solely used.

RESULTS

The mean CCI for patients with Clavien-Dindo complication grade ≥ 2 within the first 90 days after RYGB was 31 ± 9.1 in the CSA and 25.7 ± 6.8 in the LSA group (p < 0.001), both values still below the previously published benchmark cutoff (≤ 33.73). The C-reactive Protein (CRP)-levels on postoperative days (POD) 1 and 3 as well as the use of opioids on POD 1 were significantly higher in the CSA- than in the LSA-group (all p < 0.001). There were significantly more internal herniations in the CSA group during the first 24 postoperative months (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Patients after RYGB with CSA were found to have higher CCI values during the first 90 PODs compared to patients in which the LSA was applied. To achieve optimal outcomes in terms of patient morbidity, the LSA seems to be the superior technique for GJ in RYGB.

Predictive Factors for Successful Same-Day Discharge After Minimally Invasive Colectomy and Stoma Reversal

BACKGROUND

Same-day discharge after minimally invasive colorectal surgery is a safe, effective practice in specific patients that can enhance the efficiency of enhanced recovery pathways.

OBJECTIVE

To identify predictive factors associated with success or failure of same-day discharge.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study from January 2020 to March 2023.

SETTINGS

Tertiary colorectal center.

PATIENTS

Adult patients eligible for same-day discharge with remote postdischarge follow-up included those with minimal comorbidities, residing near the hospital, having sufficient home support, and owning a mobile device.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were discharged on the day of surgery upon meeting specific criteria, including adequate pain control, tolerance of oral intake, independent mobility, urination, and the absence of complications. Successful same-day discharge was defined as discharge on the day of surgery without unplanned visits in the first 72 hours.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Factors associated with successful or failed same-day discharge after minimally invasive colorectal surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 175 patients (85.3%) were discharged on the day of surgery, with 14 patients (8%) having an unplanned visit within 72 hours. Overall, 161 patients (78.5%) were categorized as same-day discharge success and 44 patients (21.5%) as same-day discharge failure. The same-day discharge failure group had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (3.7 vs 2.8, p = 0.03). Mean length of stay (0.8 vs 3.0, p = 0.00), 30-day complications (10% vs 48%, p = 0.00), and readmissions (8% vs 27%, p = 0.00) were higher in the same-day discharge failure group. Regression analysis showed that failed same-day discharge was associated with higher comorbidities (OR 0.79; 95% CI, 0.66-0.95) and prolonged postanesthesia care unit time (OR 0.99; 95% CI, 0.99-0.99). Individuals who received a regional nerve block (OR 4.1; 95% CI, 1.2-14) and those who did not consume postoperative opioids (OR 4.6; 95% CI, 1-21) were more likely to have successful same-day discharge.

LIMITATIONS

Single-center study.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that comorbidities and prolonged postanesthesia care unit stays were associated with same-day discharge failure, whereas regional nerve blocks and minimal postoperative opioids were related to success. These factors may inform future research aiming to enhance colorectal surgery recovery protocols. See Video Abstract .

FACTORES PREDICTIVOS PARA UN ALTA EXITOSA EL MISMO DA DESPUS DE UNA COLECTOMA MNIMAMENTE INVASIVA Y REVERSIN DEL ESTOMA

ANTECEDENTES:El alta el mismo día después de una cirugía colorrectal mínimamente invasiva es una práctica segura y eficaz en pacientes específicos que puede mejorar la eficiencia de las vías de recuperación mejoradas.OBJETIVO:Identificar factores predictivos asociados con el éxito o fracaso del alta el mismo día.DISEÑO:Estudio de cohorte prospectivo del 01/2020 al 03/2023.AJUSTES:Centro colorrectal terciario.PACIENTES:Los pacientes adultos elegibles para el alta el mismo día con seguimiento remoto posterior al alta incluyeron aquellos con comorbilidades mínimas, que residían cerca del hospital, tenían suficiente apoyo en el hogar y poseían un dispositivo móvil.INTERVENCIONES:Los pacientes fueron dados de alta el día de la cirugía al cumplir con criterios específicos, incluido un control adecuado del dolor, tolerancia a la ingesta oral, movilidad independiente, micción y ausencia de complicaciones. El alta exitosa el mismo día se definió como el alta el día de la cirugía sin visitas no planificadas en las primeras 72 horas.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Factores asociados con el alta exitosa o fallida el mismo día después de una cirugía colorrectal mínimamente invasiva.RESULTADOS:Un total de 175 (85,3%) pacientes fueron dados de alta el día de la cirugía y 14 (8%) pacientes tuvieron una visita no planificada dentro de las 72 horas. En total, 161 (78,5%) pacientes se clasificaron como éxito del alta el mismo día y 44 (21,5%) pacientes como fracaso del alta el mismo día. El grupo de fracaso del alta el mismo día tuvo un índice de comorbilidad de Charlson más alto (3,7, 2,8, p = 0,03). La duración media de la estancia hospitalaria (0,8, 3,0, p = 0,00), las complicaciones a los 30 días (10%, 48%, p = 0,00) y los reingresos (8%, 27%, p = 0,00) fueron mayores en el mismo día grupo de fallo de descarga. El análisis de regresión mostró que el alta fallida el mismo día se asoció con mayores comorbilidades (OR 0,79; IC del 95 %: 0,66; 0,95) y tiempo prolongado en la unidad de cuidados postanestésicos (OR 0,99; IC del 95 %: 0,99; 0,99). Las personas que recibieron un bloqueo nervioso regional (OR 4,1; IC del 95 %: 1,2, 14) y aquellos que no consumieron opioides posoperatorios (OR 4,6, IC del 95 %: 1-21) tuvieron más probabilidades de tener éxito en el mismo día -descarga.LIMITACIONES:Estudio unicéntrico.CONCLUSIONES:Nuestros hallazgos indican que las comorbilidades y las estancias prolongadas en la unidad de cuidados postanestésicos se asociaron con el fracaso del alta el mismo día, mientras que los bloqueos nerviosos regionales y los opioides postoperatorios mínimos se relacionaron con el éxito. Estos factores pueden informar investigaciones futuras destinadas a mejorar los protocolos de recuperación de la cirugía colorrectal. (Traducción-Yesenia Rojas-Khalil ).

Short-Term Prognostic Effect of Comprehensive Complication Index in Patients With Gastric Cardia Adenocarcinoma

INTRODUCTION

The Clavien-Dindo Classification (CDC) has been traditionally used for assessing postoperative complications. Recently, the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) has been introduced as a new tool. However, its prognostic significance in Gastric Cardia Adenocarcinoma (GCA) is yet to be determined.

METHODS

The CCI and CDC of 203 patients who underwent radical surgery for GCA at Jinling Hospital from 2016 to 2023 were evaluated. Primary outcome variables included Hospital Length of Stay, duration of intensive care unit stay postoperatively, time to return to normal activities, and total hospitalization cost. The area under the curve was used to measure the correlation strength of the CCI and CDC for these outcomes.

RESULTS

The CCI demonstrated superior association strength, indicated by higher area under the curve values for all primary outcome variables compared to the CDC: Hospital Length of Stay (0.956 versus 0.910), intensive care unit stay duration (0.969 versus 0.954), time to return to normal activities (0.983 versus 0.962), and total hospitalization cost (0.925 versus 0.911).

CONCLUSIONS

The CCI showed a stronger positive association than the CDC with short-term postoperative complications in GCA. It has potential implications for improving postoperative patient management.

Cost-effectiveness of prehabilitation of elderly frail or pre-frail patients prior to elective surgery (PRAEP-GO) versus usual care - Protocol for a health economic evaluation alongside a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Prehabilitation aims to improve patients' functional capacity before surgery to reduce perioperative complications, promote recovery and decrease probability of disability. The planned economic evaluation is performed alongside a large German multi-centre pragmatic, two-arm parallel-group, randomized controlled trial on prehabilitation for frail elderly patients before elective surgery compared to standard care (PRAEP-GO RCT). The aim is to determine the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of prehabilitation for frail elderly before an elective surgery.

METHODS

The planned health economic evaluation comprises cost-effectiveness, and cost-utility analyses. Analyses are conducted in the German context from different perspectives including the payer perspective, i.e. the statutory health insurance, the societal perspective and the health care provider perspective. Data on outcomes and costs, are collected alongside the ongoing PRAEP-GO RCT. The trial population includes frail or pre-frail patients aged ≥70 years with planned elective surgery. The intervention consists of frailty screening (Fried phenotype), a shared decision-making conference determining modality (physiotherapy and unsupervised physical exercises, nutrition counselling, etc.) and setting (inpatient, day care, outpatient etc.) of a 3-week individual multimodal prehabilitation prior to surgery. The control group receives standard preoperative care. Costs include the intervention costs, the costs of the index hospital stay for surgery, and health care resources consumed during a 12-month follow-up. Clinical effectiveness outcomes included in the economic evaluation are the level of care dependency, the degree of disability as measured by the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0), quality-adjusted life years (QALY) derived from the EQ-5D-5L and the German utility set, and complications occurring during the index hospital stay. Each adopted perspective considers different types of costs and outcomes as outlined in the protocol. All analyses will feature Intention-To-Treat analysis. To explore methodological and parametric uncertainties, we will conduct probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses. Subgroup analyses will be performed as secondary analyses.

DISCUSSION

The health economic evaluation will provide insights into the cost-effectiveness of prehabilitation in older frail populations, informing decision-making processes and contributing to the evidence base in this field. Potential limitation includes a highly heterogeneous trial population.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PRAEP-GO RCT: NCT04418271; economic evaluation: OSF ( https://osf.io/ecm74 ).

The impact of patient activation on the effectiveness of digital health remote post-discharge follow-up and same-day-discharge after elective colorectal surgery

BACKGROUND

Low patient activation (PA) is associated with worse postoperative outcomes, however, its impact on the effectiveness of digital health interventions is unknown. We sought to determine the impact of PA on the effectiveness of digital health application for remote post-discharge follow-up for patients undergoing elective colectomy.

METHODS

Data analysis included a control cohort (CC) of patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery from 10/2017 to 04/2018 without the digital health intervention and a digital application cohort (DAC) that received a smart phone application for remote post-discharge follow-up from 03/2021 to 08/2022, including a subset of same-day discharge (SDD) patients. PA was measured using the Patient Activation Measure (PAM; score 0-100) and categorized into low (< 55.1) and high (≥ 55.1). The PAM was administered 4-6 weeks before surgery in the DAC group and on postoperative day (POD) 1 in the CC group. The main outcome measure was 30-day emergency department (ED) visits.

RESULTS

A total of 164 patients were included (89DAC with 50 SDD, 75CC), with no differences in patient characteristics other than more stoma closures in the DAC group. Overall, 77% of patients had high PA level, with no difference between CC and DAC (77% vs. 81%, p = 0.25). There was no difference in ED visits between CC and DAC (19% vs. 18%, p = 0.90). Overall, low PA was associated more ED visits (29% vs 14%, p = 0.04). In the SDD subgroup, low PA patients had more ED visits (38% vs. 7%, p = 0.015). PA level did not affect app usage metrics. On multiple regression, only low PA remained independently associated with ED visits (OR 3.42, 95%CI 1.27, 9.24).

CONCLUSION

Low PA remains an important predictor of surgical outcomes after elective colorectal surgery regardless of the use of a digital health application for remote post-discharge follow-up. This suggests that improving PA levels may improve postoperative outcomes.

Malpractice claims after antireflux surgery and paraesophageal hernia repair: a population-based analysis

BACKGROUND

The complication rate of modern antireflux surgery or paraesophageal hernia repair is unknown, and previous estimates have been extrapolated from institutional cohorts.

METHODS

A population-based retrospective cohort study of patient injury cases involving antireflux surgery and paraesophageal hernia repair from the Finnish National Patient Injury Centre (PIC) register between Jan 2010 and Dec 2020. Additionally, the baseline data of all the patients who underwent antireflux and paraesophageal hernia operations between Jan 2010 and Dec 2018 were collected from the Finnish national care register.

RESULTS

During the study period, 5734 operations were performed, and the mean age of the patients was 54.9 ± 14.7 years, with 59.3% (n = 3402) being women. Out of all operations, 341 (5.9%) were revision antireflux or paraesophageal hernia repair procedures. Antireflux surgery was the primary operation for 79.9% (n = 4384) of patients, and paraesophageal hernia repair was the primary operation for 20.1% (n = 1101) of patients. A total of 92.5% (5302) of all the operations were laparoscopic. From 2010 to 2020, 60 patient injury claims were identified, with half (50.0%) of the claims being related to paraesophageal hernia repair. One of the claims was made due to an injury that resulted in a patient's death (1.7%). The mean Comprehensive Complication Index scores were 35.9 (± 20.7) and 47.6 (± 20.8) (p = 0.033) for antireflux surgery and paraesophageal hernia repair, respectively. Eleven (18.3%) of the claims pertained to redo surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of antireflux surgery has diminished and the rate of paraesophageal hernia repair has risen in Finland during the era of minimally invasive surgery. Claims to the PIC remain rare, but claims regarding paraesophageal hernia repairs and redo surgery are overrepresented. Additionally, paraesophageal hernia repair is associated with more serious complications.

The BAR Score Predicts and Stratifies Outcomes Following Liver Retransplantation: Insights From a Retrospective Cohort Study

Liver retransplantation (reLT) yields poorer outcomes than primary liver transplantation, necessitating careful patient selection to avoid futile reLT. We conducted a retrospective analysis to assess reLT outcomes and identify associated risk factors. All adult patients who underwent a first reLT at the Medical University of Innsbruck from 2000 to 2021 (N = 111) were included. Graft- and patient survival were assessed via Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank tests. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of graft loss. Five-year graft- and patient survival rates were 64.9% and 67.6%, respectively. The balance of risk (BAR) score was found to correlate with and be predictive of graft loss and patient death. The BAR score also predicted sepsis (AUC 0.676) and major complications (AUC 0.720). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified sepsis [HR 5.179 (95% CI 2.575-10.417), p < 0.001] as the most significant independent risk factor for graft loss. At a cutoff of 18 points, the 5 year graft survival rate fell below 50%. The BAR score, a simple and easy to use score available at the time of organ acceptance, predicts and stratifies clinically relevant outcomes following reLT and may aid in clinical decision-making.

Liver transplantation with uncontrolled versus controlled DCD donors using normothermic regional perfusion and ex-situ machine perfusion

In Italy, 20 minutes of continuous, flat-line electrocardiogram are required for death declaration, which significantly increases the risks of donation after circulatory death (DCD) LT. Despite prolonged warm ischemia time, Italian centers reported good outcomes in controlled donation after circulatory death LT by combining normothermic regional and end-ischemic machine perfusion. However, data on uncontrolled DCD (uDCD) LT performed by this approach are lacking. This was a multicenter, retrospective study performed at 3 large-volume centers comparing clinical outcomes of uncontrolled versus controlled DCD LT. The aim of the study was to assess outcomes of sequential normothermic regional perfusion and end-ischemic machine perfusion in uncontrolled DCD liver transplantation (LT). Of 153 DCD donors evaluated during the study period, 40 uDCD and 59 donation after circulatory death grafts were transplanted (utilization rate 52% vs. 78%, p = 0.004). Recipients of uDCD grafts had higher MEAF (4.9 vs. 3.5, p < 0.001) and CCI scores at discharge (24.4 vs. 8.7, p = 0.026), longer ICU stay (5 vs. 4 d, p = 0.047), and a trend toward more severe AKI. At multivariate analysis, 90-day graft loss was associated with recipient BMI and lactate downtrend during normothermic regional perfusion. One-year graft survival was lower in uDCD (75% vs. 90%, p = 0.007) but became comparable when non-liver-related graft losses were treated as censors (77% vs. 90%, p = 0.100). The incidence of ischemic cholangiopathy was 10% in uDCD versus 3% in donation after circulatory death, p = 0.356. uDCD LT with prolonged warm ischemia is feasible by the sequential use of normothermic regional perfusion and end-ischemic machine perfusion. Proper donor and recipient selection are key to achieving good outcomes in this setting.

Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC), Oncological Outcomes and Long-Term Survival among Patients with Gastric Cancer and Limited Peritoneal Disease Progression after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

INTRODUCTION

The role of surgery in stage IV gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis (PM) remains unclear. The objective of the current single-center study was to define the impact of gastrectomy with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) on outcomes among Central European GC patients with limited peritoneal disease progression after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

METHODS

Patients with histologically confirmed GC who underwent curative-intent multimodal treatment between 2013 and 2023 were included. Patients without adenocarcinoma, who did not undergo gastrectomy, had early (cT1) or metastatic GC at the time of initial diagnosis, who underwent multivisceral resection, incomplete cytoreduction or palliative care, died before planned curative-intent treatment, or had incomplete clinical or pathological missing information were excluded.

RESULTS

A total of 74 patients who underwent curative-intent treatment for GC with PM were included in the final analytic cohort. Patients who underwent gastrectomy with CRS+HIPEC were less likely to achieve TOO (CRS+HIPEC: 28% vs. CRS: 57.1%, p = 0.033) compared with individuals after CRS alone. Specifically, patients who underwent gastrectomy with CRS+HIPEC had a higher likelihood of postoperative complications (CRS+HIPEC: 48% vs. CRS: 20.4%, p = 0.018) and longer hospital LOS (median, CRS+HIPEC: 12 vs. CRS: 10, p = 0.019). While administration of HIPEC did not impact long-term survival (median OS, CRS+HIPEC: 16 months vs. CRS: 12 months, p = 0.55), postoperative complications (median OS, CCI < 30:16 months vs. CCI > 30:5 months, p = 0.024) and ICU stay (median OS, no ICU stay: 16 months vs. ICU stay: 5 months, p = 0.008) were associated with worsened long-term survival among GC patients with PM.

CONCLUSIONS

Data from the current study demonstrated a lack of survival benefit among advanced GC patients with PM undergoing gastrectomy with CRS+HIPEC when compared with individuals after gastrectomy with CRS alone. Administration of perioperative chemotherapy and achievement of TO failed to withstand the peritoneal disease progression during NAC.

An Innovative Technique for Ejaculation-Sparing Prostatic Enucleation with Thulium:YAG Laser

Purpose: We report our experience with 100 patients who underwent an innovative prostate enucleation technique that spares the complete urethral-plate from the veru montanum to the bladder neck using a low-energy thulium laser emission. The aim of our study was to evaluate the short-term effects of this procedure on ejaculation preservation and urinary obstruction. Materials and Methods: The International Prostate Symptom Index (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), and Male Sexual Health Questionnaire Ejaculatory Dysfunction (MSHQ-EJD) Short Form were used as validated instruments to quantify ejaculatory dysfunction before and 6 months after the surgery. Results: The median IPSS score pre- and postoperatively was 20 and 5, respectively (p < 0.0001); QoL dropped from a median of 4-1 (p < 0.0001); and the mean preoperative maximal flow rate improved significantly (8.5 vs 21.2 mL/min) (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, there was significant reduction in postvoid residual postoperatively (p < 0.0001). Postoperative ejaculatory function was preserved in 92/100 patients (92%). According to the MSHQ-EJD score, patients reported a slight nonsignificant decrease in frequency of ejaculation (item 1), force of expulsion (item 2) and reduction in semen volume during ejaculation (item 3), with the exception of ejaculation discomfort (item 4). Conclusion: According to our results, complete removal of the apical tissue, which has been advocated as an integral part of the so called ejaculatory hood, does not interfere with ejaculation if the ventral lissosphincter remains intact.

Development and Validation of Prediction Models and Risk Calculators for Posthepatectomy Liver Failure and Postoperative Complications Using a Diverse International Cohort of Major Hepatectomies

OBJECTIVE

The study aim was to develop and validate models to predict clinically significant posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) and serious complications [a Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI)>40] using preoperative and intraoperative variables.

BACKGROUND

PHLF is a serious complication after major hepatectomy but does not comprehensively capture a patient's postoperative course. Adding the CCI as an additional metric can account for complications unrelated to liver function.

METHODS

The cohort included adult patients who underwent major hepatectomies at 12 international centers (2010-2020). After splitting the data into training and validation sets (70:30), models for PHLF and a CCI>40 were fit using logistic regression with a lasso penalty on the training cohort. The models were then evaluated on the validation data set.

RESULTS

Among 2192 patients, 185 (8.4%) had clinically significant PHLF and 160 (7.3%) had a CCI>40. The PHLF model had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.80, calibration slope of 0.95, and calibration-in-the-large of -0.09, while the CCI model had an AUC of 0.76, calibration slope of 0.88, and calibration-in-the-large of 0.02. When the models were provided only preoperative variables to predict PHLF and a CCI>40, this resulted in similar AUCs of 0.78 and 0.71, respectively. Both models were used to build 2 risk calculators with the option to include or exclude intraoperative variables ( PHLF Risk Calculator; CCI>40 Risk Calculator ).

CONCLUSIONS

Using an international cohort of major hepatectomy patients, we used preoperative and intraoperative variables to develop and internally validate multivariable models to predict clinically significant PHLF and a CCI>40 with good discrimination and calibration.

Novel Benchmark Values for Open Major Anatomic Liver Resection in Non-cirrhotic Patients: A Multicentric Study of 44 International Expert Centers

OBJECTIVE

This study aims at establishing benchmark values for best achievable outcomes following open major anatomic hepatectomy for liver tumors of all dignities.

BACKGROUND

Outcomes after open major hepatectomies vary widely lacking reference values for comparisons among centers, indications, types of resections, and minimally invasive procedures.

METHODS

A standard benchmark methodology was used covering consecutive patients, who underwent open major anatomic hepatectomy from 44 high-volume liver centers from 5 continents over a 5-year period (2016-2020). Benchmark cases were low-risk non-cirrhotic patients without significant comorbidities treated in high-volume centers (≥30 major liver resections/year). Benchmark values were set at the 75th percentile of median values of all centers. Minimum follow-up period was 1 year in each patient.

RESULTS

Of 8044 patients, 2908 (36%) qualified as benchmark (low-risk) cases. Benchmark cutoffs for all indications include R0 resection ≥78%; liver failure (grade B/C) ≤10%; bile leak (grade B/C) ≤18%; complications ≥grade 3 and CCI ® ≤46% and ≤9 at 3 months, respectively. Benchmark values differed significantly between malignant and benign conditions so that reference values must be adjusted accordingly. Extended right hepatectomy (H1, 4-8 or H4-8) disclosed a higher cutoff for liver failure, while extended left (H1-5,8 or H2-5,8) were associated with higher cutoffs for bile leaks, but had superior oncologic outcomes, when compared to formal left hepatectomy (H1-4 or H2-4). The minimal follow-up for a conclusive outcome evaluation following open anatomic major resection must be 3 months.

CONCLUSION

These new benchmark cutoffs for open major hepatectomy provide a powerful tool to convincingly evaluate other approaches including parenchymal-sparing procedures, laparoscopic/robotic approaches, and alternative treatments, such as ablation therapy, irradiation, or novel chemotherapy regimens.

Quality and Outcome Assessment for Surgery

ABSTRACT

This forum summarizes the proceedings of the joint European Surgical Association (ESA)/American Surgical Association (ASA) symposium on Quality and Outcome Assessment for Surgery that took place in Bordeaux, France, as part of the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the ESA. Three presentations focused on a) the main messages from the Outcome4Medicine Consensus Conference, which took place in Zurich, Switzerland, in June 2022, b) the patient perspective, and c) benchmarking were hold by ESA members and discussed by ASA members in a symposium attended by members of both associations.

Textbook Oncological Outcome in European GASTRODATA

OBJECTIVE

To assess the rate of textbook outcome (TO) and textbook oncological outcome (TOO) in the European population based on the GASTRODATA registry.

BACKGROUND

TO is a composite parameter assessing surgical quality and strongly correlates with improved overall survival. Following the standard of treatment for locally advanced gastric cancer, TOO was proposed as a quality and optimal multimodal treatment parameter.

METHODS

TO was achieved when all the following criteria were met: no intraoperative complications, radical resection according to the surgeon, pR0 resection, retrieval of at least 15 lymph nodes, no severe postoperative complications, no reintervention, no admission to the intensive care unit, no prolonged length of stay, no postoperative mortality and no hospital readmission. TOO was defined as TO with the addition of perioperative chemotherapy compliance.

RESULTS

Of the 2558 patients, 1700 were included in the analysis. TO was achieved in 1164 (68.5%) patients. The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy [odds ratio (OR) = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.04-1.70] and D2 or D2+ lymphadenectomy (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.15-2.10) had a positive impact on TO achievement. Older age (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54-0.94), pT3/4 (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63-0.99), ASA 3/4 (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.54-0.86) and total gastrectomy (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.45-0.70), had a negative impact on TO achievement. TOO was achieved in 388 (22.8%) patients. Older age (OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.27-0.53), pT3 or pT4 (OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.39-0.69), and ASA 3 or 4 (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.43-0.79) had a negative impact on TOO achievement.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite successively improved surgical outcomes, stage-appropriate chemotherapy in adherence to the current guidelines for multimodal treatment of gastric cancer remains poor. Further implementation of oncologic quality metrics should include greater emphasis on perioperative chemotherapy and adequate lymphadenectomy.

Comprehensive Complication Index to Monitor Morbidity and Mortality After Liver Transplantation in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate the short-term and long-term morbidity after liver transplantation (LTx) in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

BACKGROUND

PSC is a common indication for LTx in Scandinavia. Recently, research has focused on long-term survival and morbidity. The Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) precisely describes postsurgical complications, by considering both number and severity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Two patient groups were compared: those with classical PSC symptoms (n=148) and those with increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma (n=51, premalignant group). Two CCI scores were calculated, at 1-year post-LTx and a cumulative overall score at the latest follow-up. In addition, we investigated factors potentially related to high CCI.

RESULTS

The 1-year median CCI were 29.6 and 26.2 in the classical and premalignant groups, respectively ( P =0.308). The median overall CCI were 43.2 and 46.8 ( P =0.765), respectively. Patient survival was significantly lower in patients with 1-year CCI>42. The most common complications associated with low survival were cholangitis, infections, and hypertension. One-year and overall CCI were similar between sexes and different types of biliary anastomosis. Patients with pre-LTx Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores >20 had higher 1-year and overall CCI (36.2 and 52.6, respectively) than those with lower Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores. Both low (<22) and high (>25 kg/m 2 ) body mass indices were associated with high overall 1-year and overall CCI (50.9 and 41.8, respectively), but median body mass indices were associated with significantly lower 1-year and overall CCI (38.4, P =0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

The previously determined 1-year CCI cutoff of 42 could significantly predict survival post-LTx. Mortality and morbidity were not significantly different between the PSC groups analyzed.

Preoperative Computed Tomography Volumetry and Graft Weight Estimation of Left Lateral Segment in Pediatric Living Donor Liver Transplant

OBJECTIVES

Liver volumetry based on a computed tomography scan is widely used to estimate liver volume before any liver resection, especially before living donorliver donation. The 1-to-1 conversion rule for liver volume to liver weight has been widely adopted; however, debate continues regarding this approach. Therefore, we analyzed the relationship between the left-lateral lobe liver graft volume and actual graft weight.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study retrospectively included consecutive donors who underwent left lateral hepatectomy for pediatric living donor liver transplant from December 2008 to September 2020. All donors were healthy adults who met the evaluation criteria for pediatric living donor liver transplant and underwent a preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan. Manual segmentation of the leftlateral liverlobe for graft volume estimation and intraoperative measurement of an actual graft weight were performed. The relationship between estimated graft volume and actual graft weight was analyzed.

RESULTS

Ninety-four living liver donors were included in the study. The mean actual graft weight was ~283.4 ± 68.5 g, and the mean graft volume was 244.9 ± 63.86 mL. A strong correlation was shown between graft volume and actual graft weight (r = 0.804; P < .001). Bland-Altman analysis revealed an interobserver agreement of 38.0 ± 97.25, and intraclass correlation coefficient showed almost perfect agreement(r = 0.840; P < .001). The conversion formula for calculating graft weight based on computed tomography volumetry was determined based on regression analysis: 0.88 × graft volume + 41.63.

CONCLUSIONS

The estimation of left liver graft weight using only the 1-to-1 rule is subject to measurable variability in calculated graft weights and tends to underestimate the true graft weight. Instead, a different, improved conversion formula should be used to calculate graft weight to more accurately determine donor graft weight-to-recipient body weightratio and reduce the risk of underestimation of liver graft weightin the donor selection process before pediatric living donor liver transplant.

Unlocking the Power of Benchmarking: Real-World-Time Data Analysis for Enhanced Sarcoma Patient Outcomes

Benchmarking is crucial for healthcare providers to enhance quality and efficiency, notably for complex conditions like sarcomas. Multidisciplinary teams/sarcoma boards (MDT/SBs) are vital in sarcoma management, but differences in their processes can affect patient outcomes and treatment costs, despite adherence to international guidelines. To address this issue, this study aimed to compare two MDT/SBs and establish an interoperable digital platform, Sarconnector®, for real-time-world data assessment and automated analysis. The study included 983 patients, 46.0% of whom female, with a median age of 58 years, and 4.5% of patients presented with metastasis at diagnosis. Differences were observed in the number of first-time presentations, follow-up presentations, primary sarcomas, biopsies and chemotherapy indications between the two MDT/SB. The results highlight the importance of benchmarking and utilizing a harmonized data approach, such as the RWT approach provided by the Sarconnector®, to standardize and evaluate quality and cost metrics. By identifying areas of improvement and making data-driven decisions on the meta-level, healthcare providers can optimize resources and improve patient outcomes. In conclusion, benchmarking with the RWT harmonized data approach provided by the Sarconnector® can help healthcare providers improve the overall effectiveness of the healthcare system and achieve better outcomes for their patients in terms of both outcomes and costs.

Surgical outcome improvement by shared decision-making: value of a preoperative multidisciplinary target clinic for the elderly in colorectal surgery

PURPOSE

Frailty and comorbidities increase the risk of postoperative complications and raise treatment costs. Perioperative optimisation is shown to improve surgical outcomes for the elderly. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of introducing a multidisciplinary preoperative clinic for older patients (Colchester Older Persons' Evaluation for Surgery (COPES) clinic) undergoing major colorectal surgery.

METHODS

This 5-year single centre study included patients >65 years with ≥3 comorbidities undergoing major colorectal surgery. From October 2018, patients with these characteristics were evaluated and optimised in the COPES clinic by a geriatrician and an anaesthetist. Outcomes were compared to high-risk patients operated on prior to COPES (pre-COPES group). The primary outcomes were postoperative morbidity at discharge and 6 months measured by the Comprehensive Complication Index. Patients were matched on age and number of comorbidities.

RESULTS

A total of 54 patients were enrolled in the pre-COPES and 18 in the COPES group. After matching, the results were comparable for both groups. The length of stay was shorter in the COPES group and the recurrence rate was higher; however, it did not reach statistical significance in both findings.

CONCLUSION

This clinic intends to improve treatment quality, placing emphasis on shared decision-making. More focus should be put on patient-reported outcomes and experiences. Especially for elderly patients, quality of life and maintaining independence are often their priority. To determine the true value of a preoperative multidisciplinary clinic targeting elderly comorbid patients, a prospective study with larger cohort is needed, focusing not only on objective outcomes but also on patient-reported outcomes.

Randomised clinical trial to test the phenolization in sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease

To test the efficacy and safety of phenolization in uncomplicated Sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease (SPD) the phenolization in uncomplicated SPD is feasible and secure in selected patients in observational studies. The greatest benefits are obtained to reduce the length of sick leave (LSL) and complications. Single-center randomised controlled clinical trial. Patients were recruited at University Hospital of Tarragona Joan XXIII of Spain. Patients were randomised into two treatment groups. All patients with uncomplicated sacrococcygeal disease, localised in the midline and with only 1 fistulous orifice. The patients were randomly assigned to the phenolization group (PhG) or conventional-surgery group (CsG). Both groups were managed without admission. The main endpoint was the recurrence of sacrococcygeal disease. Secondary endpoints included time of sick leave, complications, and readmission. 124 patients were included in the study. No disease recurrence was observed in either group. Clinical follow-up was carried out with a mean of 493.8 days (SD 6.59). The LSL was shorter in the PhG (mean 19.63 days, SD 28.15) than in the CSG (43.95 days, SD 38.60). The LSL reduction was -24.31 days (P .002). The phenolization in selected SPD is a safe and feasible procedure in selected patients. This approach could become the standard of care for patients with selected Sacrococcygeal pilonidal.

Multicentre, prospective, randomized control non-inferiority trial of bladder catheter management in colon surgery

AIM

Perioperative bladder catheterization is a controversial issue. Most current recommendations are based on data from open surgery extrapolated to enhanced recovery after surgery or fast-track programmes ranging between 24 and 48 h. The aim of this study is to provide a rationale for reducing catheterization time while at the same time avoiding acute urine retention (AUR), in patients undergoing scheduled laparoscopic colon surgery.

METHOD

This is a multicentre, prospective, controlled, randomized non-inferiority study of bladder catheter management in patients undergoing scheduled laparoscopic colon surgery, randomized into two groups: experimental (with catheter removal immediately after surgery) and control (with catheter removal 24 h post-surgery). The main outcome will be the development of AUR, and secondary outcomes the development of urinary infection within the first 30 days and hospital stay. Demographic, surgical and pathological variables will also be evaluated, especially the development of adverse effects assessed according to the Clavien scale and the Comprehensive Complication Index. Following the literature, we assume an incidence of AUR of 11% and a margin of non-inferiority (delta) of 8% and estimate that a sample size of 208 patients per group will be required (with an estimated 10% of losses per group).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study we try to demonstrate that the bladder catheter can be removed immediately after scheduled laparoscopic colon surgery, without increasing acute urine retention. This measure would offers the benefits of earlier mobilization and reduces catheter-related morbidity.

A toolbox for a structured risk-based prehabilitation program in major surgical oncology

Prehabilitation is a multimodal concept to improve functional capability prior to surgery, so that the patients' resilience is strengthened to withstand any peri- and postoperative comorbidity. It covers physical activities, nutrition, and psychosocial wellbeing. The literature is heterogeneous in outcomes and definitions. In this scoping review, class 1 and 2 evidence was included to identify seven main aspects of prehabilitation for the treatment pathway: (i) risk assessment, (ii) FITT (frequency, interventions, time, type of exercise) principles of prehabilitation exercise, (iii) outcome measures, (iv) nutrition, (v) patient blood management, (vi) mental wellbeing, and (vii) economic potential. Recommendations include the risk of tumor progression due to delay of surgery. Patients undergoing prehabilitation should perceive risk assessment by structured, quantifiable, and validated tools like Risk Analysis Index, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), American Society of Anesthesiology Score, or Eastern Co-operative Oncology Group scoring. Assessments should be repeated to quantify its effects. The most common types of exercise include breathing exercises and moderate- to high-intensity interval protocols. The program should have a duration of 3-6 weeks with 3-4 exercises per week that take 30-60 min. The 6-Minute Walking Testing is a valid and resource-saving tool to assess changes in aerobic capacity. Long-term assessment should include standardized outcome measurements (overall survival, 90-day survival, Dindo-Clavien/CCI®) to monitor the potential of up to 50% less morbidity. Finally, individual cost-revenue assessment can help assess health economics, confirming the hypothetic saving of $8 for treatment for $1 spent for prehabilitation. These recommendations should serve as a toolbox to generate hypotheses, discussion, and systematic approaches to develop clinical prehabilitation standards.

The Optimal Fluid Strategy Matters in Liver Surgery: A Retrospective Single Centre Analysis of 666 Consecutive Liver Resections

As optimal intraoperative fluid management in liver surgery has not been established, we retrospectively analyzed our fluid strategy in a high-volume liver surgery center in 666 liver resections. Intraoperative fluid management was divided into very restrictive (<10 m kg^-1 h^-1) and normal (≥10 mL kg^-1 h^-1) groups for study group characterization. The primary endpoint was morbidity as assessed by the Clavien-Dindo (CD) score and the comprehensive complication index (CCI). Logistic regression models identified factors most predictive of postoperative morbidity. No association was found between postoperative morbidity and fluid management in the overall study population (p = 0.89). However, the normal fluid management group had shorter postoperative hospital stays (p = <0.001), shorter ICU stays (p = 0.035), and lower in-hospital mortality (p = 0.02). Elevated lactate levels (p < 0.001), duration (p < 0.001), and extent of surgery (p < 0.001) were the most predictive factors for postoperative morbidity. In the subgroup of major/extreme liver resection, very low total (p = 0.028) and normalized fluid balance (p = 0.025) (NFB) were associated with morbidity. Moreover, fluid management was not associated with morbidity in patients with normal lactate levels (<2.5 mmol/L). In conclusion, fluid management in liver surgery is multifaceted and must be applied judiciously as a therapeutic measure. While a restrictive strategy appears attractive, hypovolemia should be avoided.

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation: which graft warns the most?

BACKGROUND

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) is still characterized by high rates of postoperative complications. This study aims to offer an in-depth characterization of early, medium-term, and late complications following SPK to derive insights for postoperative management and follow-up.

METHODS

Consecutive SPK transplantations were analysed. Pancreatic graft (P-graft)- and kidney graft (K-graft)-related complications were analysed separately. The global postoperative course was assessed in three timeframes (early, medium-term, and late) using the comprehensive complication index (CCI). Predictors of complications and early graft loss were explored.

RESULTS

Complications occurred in 61.2% of patients, and the 90-day mortality was 3.9%. The overall burden of complications was significantly high during admission (CCI 22.4 ± 21.1) and decreased gradually afterwards. P-graft-related complications burdened the most in the early postoperative course (CCI 11.6 ± 13.8); postoperative ileus and perigraft fluid collection were the most frequent complications, and pseudoaneurysms, haemorrhages, and bowel leaks were the major concerns. K-related complications were milder but represented the largest proportion of the CCI in the late postoperative timeframe (CCI 7.6 ± 13.6). No predictors of P-graft- or K-graft-related complications were found.

CONCLUSION

Pancreas graft-related complications represent the largest part of the clinical burden in the early postoperative timeframe but are negligible after 3 months. Kidney grafts have a relevant impact in the long term. The multidisciplinary approach to SPK recipients should be driven based on all graft-specific complications and tailored on a time-dependent basis.

The unrestricted global effort to complete the COOL trial

BACKGROUND

Severe complicated intra-abdominal sepsis (SCIAS) has an increasing incidence with mortality rates over 80% in some settings. Mortality typically results from disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, progressive and self-perpetuating bio-mediator generation, systemic inflammation, and multiple organ failure. A further therapeutic option may be open abdomen (OA) management with negative peritoneal pressure therapy (NPPT) to remove inflammatory ascites and attenuate the systemic damage from SCIAS, although there are definite risks of leaving the abdomen open whenever it might possibly be closed. This potential therapeutic paradigm is the rationale being assessed in the Closed Or Open after Laparotomy (COOL trial) ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03163095 ). Initially, the COOL trial received Industry sponsorship; however, this funding mandated the use of a specific trademarked and expensive NPPT device in half of the patients allocated to the intervention (open) arm. In August 2022, the 3 M/Acelity Corporation without consultation but within the terms of the contract canceled the financial support of the trial. Although creating financial difficulty, there is now no restriction on specific NPPT devices and removing a cost-prohibitive intervention creates an opportunity to expand the COOL trial to a truly global basis. This document describes the evolution of the COOL trial, with a focus on future opportunities for global growth of the study.

METHODS

The COOL trial is the largest prospective randomized controlled trial examining the random allocation of SCIAS patients intra-operatively to either formal closure of the fascia or the use of the OA with an application of an NPPT dressing. Patients are eligible if they have free uncontained intraperitoneal contamination and physiologic derangements exemplified by septic shock OR severely adverse predicted clinical outcomes. The primary outcome is intended to definitively inform global practice by conclusively evaluating 90-day survival. Initial recruitment has been lower than hoped but satisfactory, and the COOL steering committee and trial investigators intend with increased global support to continue enrollment until recruitment ensures a definitive answer.

DISCUSSION

OA is mandated in many cases of SCIAS such as the risk of abdominal compartment syndrome associated with closure, or a planned second look as for example part of "damage control"; however, improved source control (locally and systemically) is the most uncertain indication for an OA. The COOL trial seeks to expand potential sites and proceed with the evaluation of NPPT agnostic to device, to properly examine the hypothesis that this treatment attenuates systemic damage and improves survival. This approach will not affect internal validity and should improve the external validity of any observed results of the intervention.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

National Institutes of Health ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03163095 ).

The unrestricted global effort to complete the COOL trial

BACKGROUND

Severe complicated intra-abdominal sepsis (SCIAS) has an increasing incidence with mortality rates over 80% in some settings. Mortality typically results from disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, progressive and self-perpetuating bio-mediator generation, systemic inflammation, and multiple organ failure. A further therapeutic option may be open abdomen (OA) management with negative peritoneal pressure therapy (NPPT) to remove inflammatory ascites and attenuate the systemic damage from SCIAS, although there are definite risks of leaving the abdomen open whenever it might possibly be closed. This potential therapeutic paradigm is the rationale being assessed in the Closed Or Open after Laparotomy (COOL trial) ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03163095 ). Initially, the COOL trial received Industry sponsorship; however, this funding mandated the use of a specific trademarked and expensive NPPT device in half of the patients allocated to the intervention (open) arm. In August 2022, the 3 M/Acelity Corporation without consultation but within the terms of the contract canceled the financial support of the trial. Although creating financial difficulty, there is now no restriction on specific NPPT devices and removing a cost-prohibitive intervention creates an opportunity to expand the COOL trial to a truly global basis. This document describes the evolution of the COOL trial, with a focus on future opportunities for global growth of the study.

METHODS

The COOL trial is the largest prospective randomized controlled trial examining the random allocation of SCIAS patients intra-operatively to either formal closure of the fascia or the use of the OA with an application of an NPPT dressing. Patients are eligible if they have free uncontained intraperitoneal contamination and physiologic derangements exemplified by septic shock OR severely adverse predicted clinical outcomes. The primary outcome is intended to definitively inform global practice by conclusively evaluating 90-day survival. Initial recruitment has been lower than hoped but satisfactory, and the COOL steering committee and trial investigators intend with increased global support to continue enrollment until recruitment ensures a definitive answer.

DISCUSSION

OA is mandated in many cases of SCIAS such as the risk of abdominal compartment syndrome associated with closure, or a planned second look as for example part of "damage control"; however, improved source control (locally and systemically) is the most uncertain indication for an OA. The COOL trial seeks to expand potential sites and proceed with the evaluation of NPPT agnostic to device, to properly examine the hypothesis that this treatment attenuates systemic damage and improves survival. This approach will not affect internal validity and should improve the external validity of any observed results of the intervention.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

National Institutes of Health ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03163095 ).

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.

Consensus recommendations on how to assess the quality of surgical interventions

Postoperative complications represent a major public health burden worldwide. Without standardized, clinically relevant and universally applied endpoints, the evaluation of surgical interventions remains ill-defined and inconsistent, opening the door for biased interpretations and hampering patient-centered health care delivery. We conducted a Jury-based consensus conference incorporating the perspectives of different stakeholders, who based their recommendations on the work of nine panels of experts. The recommendations cover the selection of postoperative outcomes from the perspective of patients and other stakeholders, comparison and interpretation of outcomes, consideration of cultural and demographic factors, and strategies to deal with unwarranted outcomes. With the recommendations developed exclusively by the Jury, we provide a framework for surgical outcome assessment and quality improvement after medical interventions, that integrates the main stakeholders' perspectives.

Definition, Documentation, and Classification of Complications in Pediatric Surgical Literature-A Plea for Standardization

Severity grading systems for complications in surgical patients have been used since 1992. An increasing assessment of these instruments in pediatric surgery is also noticed, without their validation in children. To analyze the current practice, we performed a literature review with focus on the assessment and grading of complications. The review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies reporting on postoperative complications as a primary or secondary endpoint using a severity grading system were included. Definition for simple adverse events, classification systems used, and the time horizon of postoperative documentation were analyzed. A total of 566 articles were screened, of which 36 met the inclusion criteria. About 86.1% of the papers were retrospective and 13.9% prospective analyses. None of the studies were prospective-randomized trials. Twenty (55.6%) studies did not include a definition of adverse events, whereas the remaining 16 (44.4%) showed variations in their definitions. All studies applied the Clavien-Dindo classification, whereas five (13.9%) additionally used the Comprehensive Complication Index. One study compared alternative grading instruments with the Clavien-Dindo classification, without demonstrating the superiority of any classification in pediatric surgery. Twenty-two studies (61.1%) did not report the time horizon of perioperative complication documentation, while 8 studies (22.2%) used 30 days and 6 studies (16.7%) used 3 months of postoperative documentation. Definition and classification of postoperative complications are inconsistent in the pediatric surgical literature. Establishment of a standardized protocol is mandatory to accurately compare outcome data.

Delivering Safe Surgical Care While Simultaneously Caring for Patients With COVID-19; Assessment of Patient Selection, Volume and Outcomes in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Objectives: Compare patient selection and postoperative outcomes after surgical treatment for gastrointestinal disorders before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Methods: We assessed gastrointestinal surgeries conducted at a tertiary center from 2017–2021 for differences in patient populations and procedures before (up to February 2020) and during the pandemic (March 2020 to December 2021). We analyzed mortality, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) length of stay, admission to ICU and postoperative complications for complex procedures using descriptive statistics and regression models.

Results: 7309 procedures were analyzed, showing a caseload reduction in March and October 2020, but no statistical evidence for fewer overall procedures overall. Population characteristics differed with lower Body Mass Indices in 2020 and 2021, more patients smoking and with diabetes treated in 2020. There was no increased mortality, ICU length of stay and in 1,144 complex procedures assessed low overall morbidity at 90 days postoperative.

Conclusion: Delivering surgical care while treating patients for COVID-19 in the same hospital was safe. Healthcare officials should consider continuing surgical care during future health crises as consequences of limiting surgical treatment for gastrointestinal disorders may be fatal for patients.

Early Prediction of a Serious Postoperative Course in Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Trajectory Analysis of the Comprehensive Complication Index

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to visualize the postoperative clinical course using the comprehensive complication index (CCI) and to propose an early alarming sign for subsequent serious outcomes in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND

Surgery for this disease carries a high risk of morbidity and mortality. The developmental course of the overall morbidity burden and its clinical utility are unknown.

METHODS

Patients who underwent major hepatectomy for perihilar cholan-giocarcinoma between 2010 and 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. All postoperative complications were evaluated according to the Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC), and the CCI was calculated on a daily basis until postoperative day 14 to construct an accumulating graph as a trajectory. Group-based trajectory modeling was conducted to categorize the trajectory into clinically distinct patterns and the predictive power of early CCI for a subsequent serious course was assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 4230 complications occurred in the 484 study patients (CDC grade I, n = 27; II, n = 132; IlIa, n = 290; IIIb, n = 4; IVa, n = 21; IVb, n = 1; and V, n = 9). The trajectory was categorized into 3 patterns: mild (n = 209), moderate (n = 235), and severe (n = 40) morbidity courses. The 90-day mortality rate significantly differed among the courses: 0%, 0.9%, and 17.5%, respectively (P<0.001). The cutoff values of the CCI on postoperative days 1, 4, and 7 for predicting a severe morbidity course were 15.0, 28.5, and 40.6 with areas under the curves of 0.780, 0.924, and 0.984, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The CCI could depict the chronological increase in the overall morbidity burden, categorized into 3 patterns. Early CCI potentially predicted sequential progression to serious outcomes.

Using the Comprehensive Complication Index to Rethink the ISGLS Criteria for Post-hepatectomy Liver Failure in an International Cohort of Major Hepatectomies

OBJECTIVE

To compare different criteria for post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) and evaluate the association between International Study Group of Liver Surgery (ISGLS) PHLF and the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI)" and 90-day mortality.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

PHLF is a serious complication following hepatic resection. Multiple criteria have been developed to characterize PHLF.

METHODS

Adults who underwent major hepatectomies at twelve international centers (2010-2020) were included. We identified patients who met criteria for PHLF based on three definitions: 1) ISGLS, 2) Balzan (INR > 1.7 and bilirubin > 2.92mg/dL) or 3) Mullen (peak bilirubin >7mg/dL). We compared the 90-day mortality and major morbidity predicted by each definition. We then used logistic regression to determine the odds of CCI>40 and 90-day mortality associated with ISGLS grades.

RESULTS

Among 1646 included patients, 19 (1.1%) met Balzan, 68 (4.1%) met Mullen, and 444 (27.0%) met ISGLS criteria for PHLF. Of the three definitions, the ISGLS criteria best predicted 90-day mortality (AUC = 0.72; sensitivity 69.4%). Patients with ISGLS grades B&C were at increased odds of CCI > 40 (grade B OR 4.0; 95% CI: 2.2-7.2; grade C OR 137.0; 95% CI: 59.2-317.4). Patients with ISGLS grade C were at increased odds of 90-day mortality (OR 113.6; 95% CI: 55.6-232.1). Grade A was not associated with CCI> 40 or 90-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In this diverse international cohort of major hepatectomies, ISGLS grade A was not associated with 90-day mortality or high CCI, calling into question the current classification of patients in this group as having clinically significant PHLF.

Benchmarking: a novel measuring tool for outcome comparisons in surgery

INTRODUCTION

Benchmarking, a novel measuring tool for outcome comparisons, is a recent concept in surgery. The objectives of this review are to examine the concept, definition, and evolution of benchmarking and its application in surgery.

METHODS

The literature about benchmarking was reviewed through an ever-narrowing search strategy, commencing from the concept, definition, and evolution of benchmarking to the application of benchmarking and experiences of benchmarking in surgery. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Science Direct databases were searched until 20 September 2022, in the English language according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines.

RESULTS

In the first phase of the literature search, the development of benchmarking was identified. The definitions of benchmarking evolved from a surveying term to a novel quality-improvement tool to assess the best achievable results in surgery. In the second phase, a total of 23 studies were identified about benchmarking in surgery, including esophagectomy, hepatic surgery, pancreatic surgery, rectum resection, and bariatric surgery. All studies were multicenter analyses from national, international, or global expert centers. Most studies (87.0%) adopted the definition that benchmark was the 75th percentile of the median values of centers. Performance metrics to define benchmarks were clinically relevant intraoperative and postoperative outcome indicators.

CONCLUSION

Benchmarking in surgery is a novel quality-improvement tool to define and measure the best achievable results, establishing a meaningful reference to evaluate surgical performance.

Comparison between Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI®) and Clavien-Dindo Classification for laparoscopic single-stage treatment of choledocholithiasis with concomitant cholelithiasis

PURPOSE

The Clavien-Dindo Classification (CDC) and the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI®) are both widely used methods for reporting postoperative complications. Several studies have compared the CCI® with the CDC in evaluating postoperative complications of major abdominal surgery. However, there are no published reports comparing both indexes in single-stage laparoscopic common bile duct exploration with cholecystectomy (LCBDE) for the treatment of common bile duct stones. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of the CCI® and the CDC in evaluating the complications of LCBDE.

METHODS

In total, 249 patients were included. Spearman's rank test was used to calculate the correlation coefficient between CCI® and CDC with length of postoperative stay (LOS), reoperation, readmission, and mortality rates. Student t-test and Fisher's exact test were used to study, if higher ASA, age, larger surgical time, history of previous abdominal surgery, preoperative ERCP, and intraoperative cholangitis finding were associated with higher CDC grade or higher CCI® score.

RESULTS

Mean CCI® was 5.17 ± 12.8. CCI® ranges overlap among three CDC grades: II (20.90-36.20), IIIa (26.20-34.60), and IIIb (33.70-52.10). Age > 60 years, ASA ≥ III, and intraoperative cholangitis finding were associated with higher CCI® (p = 0.010, p = 0.044, and p = 0.031) but not with CDC ≥ IIIa (p = 0.158, p = 0.209, and p = 0.062). In patients with complications, LOS presented a significantly higher correlation with CCI® than with CDC (p = 0.044).

CONCLUSION

In LCBDE, the CCI® assesses better the magnitude of postoperative complications in patients older than 60 years, with a high ASA as well as in those who present intraoperative cholangitis. In addition, the CCI® correlates better with LOS in patients with complications.

Clinical validation and comparison of the Comprehensive Complication Index and Clavien-Dindo classification in predicting post-operative outcomes after cytoreductive surgery in advanced ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE

The Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) is an instrument used to measure cumulative post-operative complications. Our study aimed to validate the CCI after cytoreductive surgery for primary advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer, and to compare its diagnostic performance with the Clavien-Dindo classification.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study classified post-operative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification and the CCI. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between both classifications with intensive care unit admission, prolonged length of hospital stay (defined as stays longer than the 75th percentile of all stays in this study), 30-day readmission, and time to initiating chemotherapy after surgery >42 days. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) were used to assess the discriminative performance of each classification.

RESULTS

A total of 300 patients were included in the analysis. Most patients (n=255, 85%) underwent interval cytoreductive surgery. Complete cytoreduction was achieved in 235 (78%) patients. Overall, 30-day post-operative complications classified by the Clavien-Dindo classification occurred in 147 (49%) patients. Severe complications (grade ≥3a) occurred in 51 (17%) patients. Approximately 30% (n=82) had multiple complications. The CCI showed an excellent correlation with the Clavien-Dindo classification (r=0.906, p<0.001). In comparison with the Clavien-Dindo classification, the proportion of patients classified with severe complications increased from 17% to 30% when stratified with the CCI, and 20% of patients were diagnosed with a CCI score that correlated with a higher Clavien-Dindo classification grade. On regression analysis, both Clavien-Dindo classification and CCI had associations with intensive care unit admission, prolonged length of hospital stay, 30-day readmission, and time to chemotherapy >42 days (all p<0.05). AUC demonstrated that CCI (0.842, 95% CI 0.792 to 0.893) and Clavien-Dindo classification (0.813, 95% CI 0.762 to 0.864, p<0.001) had a good diagnostic performance for prolonged length of hospital stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the Clavien-Dindo classification and CCI showed significant associations with all surgical outcomes. However, the cumulative complications score of the CCI demonstrated a more superior discriminative performance than the Clavien-Dindo classification for prolonged length of hospital stay in advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer.