Surgeon's Experience Overrides the Effect of Hospital Volume for Postoperative Outcomes of Laparoscopic Surgery in Gastric Cancer: Multi-institutional Study

Comparison of totally laparoscopic and laparoscopic-assisted approach in gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy for advanced gastric cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a retrospective comparative study

Purpose

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is strongly recommended for advanced gastric cancer due to good local control and a high rate of R0 dissection with this strategy. Minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy-assisted or total laparoscopic approaches is becoming more and more acceptable in the treatment for gastric cancer. However, the safety and efficiency of total laparoscopic D2 gastrectomy (TLG) for advanced gastric cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy have not been well evaluated.

Methods

A retrospective study in a single center from 2014 to 2016 was conducted. A total of 65 locally advanced gastric cancers were treated by laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) or TLG. Parameters which include operation time, blood loss, complications, hospital stay, 3-year overall survival, and 3-year disease-free survival were used for comparison.

Results

The time of operation in the TLG group was shorter than in the LAG group (P = 0.013), blood loss was less (P = 0.002) and time to first flatus was shorter (P = 0.039) in the TLG group than that in the LLG group. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were comparable in both groups. No significant difference was found in 3-year overall and disease-free survival.

Conclusion

For patients with locally advanced gastric cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, laparoscopic D2 gastrectomy can be considered as a safe and efficient alternative. A further multicenter prospective randomized controlled study is needed to elucidate the applicability of this technique for advanced gastric cancer.

The influence of institutional pancreaticoduodenectomy volume on short-term outcomes in the Brazilian public health system: 2008-2021

INTRODUCTION

pancreaticoduodenectomy is a complex surgical procedure that can result in high rates of complications and morbimortality. Due to its complexity, the establishment of referral centers has increased in recent decades. This study aims to evaluate the influence of the institutional volume of pancreaticoduodenectomy for periampullary cancer on short-term outcomes in the Brazilian public health system.

METHODS

this study used a population-based approach and investigated the number of pancreaticoduodenectomies performed by institutions within Brazil's public health system between 2008 and 2021. High-volume institutions were defined as those that performed more than two standard deviations above the mean number of procedures per year. Specifically, if a center performed eight or more pancreaticoduodenectomies annually, it was considered a high-volume institution.

RESULTS

in Brazil, 283 public hospitals performed pancreaticoduodenectomy for cancer between 2008 and 2021. Only ten hospitals performed at least eight pancreaticoduodenectomies per year, accounting for approximately 3.5% of the institutions. High-volume institutions had a significantly lower in-hospital mortality rate than low-volume institutions (8 vs. 17%). No significant differences between groups were observed for length of stay, hospitalizations using the ICU, and ICU length of stay. The linear regression model showed that the number of hospital admissions for pancreaticoduodenectomy and age were significantly associated with hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

institutional pancreaticoduodenectomy volume implies a lowering of in-hospital mortality. The findings of this nationwide study can affect how the public health system manages pancreaticoduodenectomy care.

Complication After Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer According to Hospital Volume: Based on Korean Gastric Cancer Association-Led Nationwide Survey Data

PURPOSE

This study aimed to analyze the incidence and risk factors of complications following gastric cancer surgery in Korea and to compare the correlation between hospital complications based on the annual number of gastrectomies performed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from 12,244 patients from 64 Korean institutions. Complications were classified using the Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for severe complications.

RESULTS

Postoperative complications occurred in 14% of the patients, severe complications (CDC IIIa or higher) in 4.9%, and postoperative death in 0.2%. The study found that age, stage, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, hospital stay, approach methods, and extent of gastric resection showed statistically significant differences depending on hospital volumes (P<0.05). In the univariate analysis, patient age, comorbidity, ASA score, ECOG score, approach methods, extent of gastric resection, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, and hospital volume were significant risk factors for severe complications. However, only age, sex, ASA score, ECOG score, extent of gastric resection, and TNM stage were statistically significant in the multivariate analysis (P<0.05). Hospital volume was not a significant risk factor in the multivariate analysis (P=0.152).

CONCLUSIONS

Hospital volume was not a significant risk factor for complications after gastric cancer surgery. The differences in the frequencies of complications based on hospital volumes may be attributed to larger hospitals treating patients with younger age, lower ASA scores, better general conditions, and earlier TNM stages.

Current Trends in Volume and Surgical Outcomes in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is ranked as the fifth most frequently diagnosed type of cancer. Complete resection with adequate lymphadenectomy represents the goal of treatment with curative intent. Quality assurance is a crucial factor in the evaluation of oncological surgical care, and centralization of healthcare in referral hospitals has been proposed in several countries. However, an international agreement about the setting of “high-volume hospitals” as well as “minimum volume standards” has not yet been clearly established. Despite the clear postoperative mortality benefits that have been described for gastric cancer surgery conducted by high-volume surgeons in high-volume hospitals, many authors have highlighted the limitations of a non-composite variable to define the ideal postoperative period. The textbook outcome represents a multidimensional measure assessing the quality of care for cancer patients. Transparent and easily available hospital data will increase patients’ awareness, providing suitable elements for a more informed hospital choice.

First experience of junior surgeon with laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal herniorrhaphy: Comparison with experienced surgeon in single institution

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (TEP) herniorrhaphy is among the current leading inguinal hernia repair methods. This study aimed to investigate the safety and feasibility of a junior surgeon's first experience with laparoscopic TEP herniorrhaphy.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed between January 2017 and December 2019 to analyze the medical records of patients with inguinal hernia who underwent laparoscopic TEP herniorrhaphy. The operative outcomes and complications of patients undergoing surgery by an experienced surgeon (group A, n = 100) were compared with those undergoing surgery by a junior surgeon (group B, n = 100).

RESULTS

The mean operative time for group B was significantly longer than that for group A (52.0 ± 15.1 min vs 60.1 ± 17.4 min; P = 0.03). A statistical difference was also found in the mean postoperative stay (1.1 ± 0.3 d vs 1.4 ± 0.7 d; P = 0.02) between the two groups. There were 2 and 3 cases of recurrence in these two groups respectively (P = 0.72). Considering the operating time as a variable of learning curve, significant stabilization can be achieved after 30 cases (67.3 ± 17.8 min vs 53.1 ± 11.1 min; P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

The surgical outcomes of laparoscopic TEP herniorrhaphy performed by a well-trained junior surgeon were similar to the outcomes of an experience surgeon.

Perforation on the superior side of duodenum is a risk factor of laparoscopic primary repair for duodenal ulcer perforation

Purpose

Primary repair is the standard surgical method for treating duodenal ulcer perforations, with very good results usually anticipated because of the simplicity of the associated surgical techniques. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the risk factors that affect laparoscopic primary repair outcomes for duodenal ulcer perforation.

Methods

Between June 2010 and June 2020, 124 patients who underwent laparoscopic primary repair for duodenal ulcer perforations were reviewed. Early surgical outcomes were evaluated and risk factors for postoperative complications were assessed.

Results

All surgeries were performed laparoscopically without open conversion. Multivariate analysis showed that the elderly (over 70 years), and perforations that needed more than 2 stitches for closure were risk factors for overall postoperative complications. Perforations that needed more than 2 stitches and perforations on the superior side of the duodenum were major risk factors for severe postoperative complications. Severe postoperative complications occurred in 6 of the patients, and 1 of them died of multiorgan failure.

Conclusion

Based on our results, we suggest that laparoscopic primary repair can be safely performed in duodenal ulcer perforation. However, more careful surgery and postoperative care are needed to improve the surgical outcomes of patients who need more than 2 stitches to close their perforation or who have perforations on the superior side of the duodenum.

Association of surgeon and hospital volume with postoperative mortality after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer: data from 71,307 Japanese patients collected from a nationwide web-based data entry system

BACKGROUND

Despite interest in surgeon and hospital volume effects on total gastrectomy (TG), clinical significance has not been confirmed in a large-scale population. This study aimed at clarifying the association of surgeon and hospital volume on postoperative mortality after TG for gastric cancer among Japanese patients in National Clinical Database (NCD).

METHODS

Between 2011 and 2015, we retrospectively extracted data on TG for gastric cancer from the NCD. The primary outcome was operative mortality. We divided surgeon volume as the number of TGs performed by a patient's surgeon in the previous year: S1 (0-2 cases), S2 (3-9), S3 (10-25), S4 (26-79) and hospital volume by the number of TGs performed in the previous year: H1 (0-11 cases), H2 (12-26), H3 (27-146). We calculated the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the mortality rate based on odds ratios (OR) estimated from a hierarchical logistic regression model.

RESULTS

We analyzed 71,307 patients at 2051 institutions. Low-volume surgeons and hospitals had significantly older and poorer-risk patients with various comorbidities. The operative mortality rate decreased with surgeon volume, 2.5% in S1 and 0.6% in S4. The operative mortality was 3.1% in H1, 1.7% in H2, and 1.2% in H3. After risk adjustment for surgeon, hospital volume and patient characteristics, hospital volume was significantly associated with operative morality (H3: OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.43-0.63).

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate hospital volume has an impact on postoperative mortality after TG in a nationwide population study. These findings suggest centralization may improve outcomes after TG.

Comparison of totally laparoscopic and laparoscopic assisted gastrectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and laparoscopic surgery have been increasingly used in the treatment of gastric cancer, however, the feasibility and safety of totally laparoscopic gastrectomy after NACT still remain unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

At the Gastrointestinal cancer center of Peking university cancer hospital and institute in Beijing, clinical and pathological data of patients who has received NACT, followed by radical laparoscopic gastrectomy was retrospectively reviewed between March 2011 and November 2019. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether intracorporeal anastomosis or extracorporeal anastomosis had been performed, short-term outcomes (post-operative recovery index and complications) and economic cost were compared between 2 groups.

RESULT

All of 139 patients underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy. 87 [62.6%] patients had totally laparoscopic gastrectomy (TLG) and 52 [37.4%] patients had laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy (LAG). Overall complication rate was 28.8% in all patients. TLG group was significantly associated with lower overall complication rate (21.8% VS 40.4%; p = 0.019) and major complication rate (3.4% VS 13.5%; p = 0.001) compared with LAG group. Overall cost was similar (p = 0.077). In subgroup analysis, totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG) group showed lower overall postoperative complication rate (19.0% VS 56.5%; p = 0.011), as well as marginal significant differences in major complication (0% VS 21.7%; p = 0.05) than laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) group. Earlier first liquid diet (4 [3.5-5] day VS 6 [4-6.5] day; p = 0.047), earlier first aerofluxus (3 [3-4] day VS 4 [3-4.5] day; p = 0.02) and a shorter hospital stay (9 [8-12] day VS 12 [10-15] day; p = 0.004) were observed in TLTG group. Overall and major complication rate were similar in totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) and laparoscopic assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) group (22.7% VS 27.6%; p = 0.611; 4.5% VS 6.9%; p = 0.639; respectively). Significant differences were found between TLDG and LADG groups regarding time to first liquid diet (4 [3-5] day VS 6 [3.75-6] day; p = 0.006), time to first aerofluxus (3 [3-3] day VS 4 [3-6] day; p< 0.001), time to first defecation (4 [4-5] day VS 5 [4-6] day; p = 0.045), time to remove all drainage (7 [6-8] day VS 8 [6-9] day; p = 0.021), white blood cell count on postoperative Day 1 (9.54 ± 2.49 10⁹/L VS 10.91 ± 2.89 10⁹/L; p = 0.021)and postoperative hospital stay (9 [8-10] day VS 10 [9,13] day; p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

For patients with Locally advanced gastric cancer who received NACT, totally laparoscopic gastrectomy, including TLTG and TLDG, doesn't increase complications and overall cost compared with LAG, and has advantages in gastrointestinal function recovery, incision length and postoperative hospital stay.

First experience of junior surgeons with laparoscopic distal gastrectomy: in view of comparison with experienced surgeons

Introduction

Laparoscopic surgery is not easily performed by junior surgeons who have limited experience.

Aim

To investigate the safety and feasibility of the first experience of junior surgeons with laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) who were trained in super high-volume centers.

Material and methods

Clinicopathological data from the first 85 LDG cases performed by three gastric cancer surgeons were collected. All three surgeons were trained for > 1 year in super high-volume centers. The surgical and postoperative outcomes of the first experiences of junior surgeons were compared with the short-term outcomes reported in a multicenter randomized controlled trial (Korean Laparoendoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery Study, KLASS-01 trial), conducted by the KLASS group, which is composed of experienced surgeons who practice in a high-volume center.

Results

A significantly greater number of older patients with longer operation times and lower estimated blood loss was observed for the junior surgeons than in the KLASS data. Although junior surgeons performed significantly more Billroth II anastomoses with D1+ lymph node dissection, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of hospital stay, number of retrieved lymph nodes, or postoperative morbidity.

Conclusions

The surgical outcomes of early gastric cancer managed by laparoscopic surgery performed by well-trained beginners were similar to the outcomes reported in the large-scale trial. Therefore, with regard to the surgical training system, training at super high-volume centers may be considered to provide some assurance in terms of surgical technique-related safety.

Laparoscopic versus open resection for elderly patients with gastric cancer: a double-center study with propensity score matching method

PURPOSE

The applicability of laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy for elderly patients with gastric cancer is still not well clarified. The aim of this double-center study was to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy on elderly patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS

We prospectively collected data of patients who underwent gastrectomy for cancer in two centers from June 2016 to December 2019. Propensity score matching was performed at a ratio of 1:1 to compare the laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy group and open radical gastrectomy group. Univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyses evaluating the risk factors for total, surgical, and medical complications were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 481 patients with gastric cancer met the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. After propensity score analysis, 258 patients were matched each other (laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy (LAG) group, n = 129; open radical gastrectomy (OG) group, n = 129). LAG group had lower rate of surgical complications (P = 0.009), lower rate of severe complications (P = 0.046), shorter postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.001), and lower readmission rate (P = 0.039). Multivariate analyses revealed that anemia, Charlson comorbidity index, and combined resection were independent risk factors in the LAG group, whereas body mass index and American Society of Anesthesiology grade in the OG group.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy was relative safe even effective in elderly gastric cancer patients. We should pay attention to the different risk factors when performing different surgical procedures for gastric cancer in elderly patients.

Clinical Outcomes of Laparoscopic Versus Laparotomic Distal Gastrectomy in Gastric Cancer Patients: A Multilevel Analysis Based on a Nationwide Administrative Database in Japan

BACKGROUND

The present study compared the short-term outcomes and costs of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) with those of open distal gastrectomy (ODG) for gastric cancer using a nationwide administrative database in Japan.

METHOD

Overall, 37,752 patients with gastric cancer who underwent distal gastrectomy at 1074 hospitals in the fiscal year 2012-2013 were evaluated using a diagnosis procedure combination database in Japan. We performed a retrospective analysis via a multilevel analysis (MLA) of the short-term surgical results and costs of the LDG and ODG groups. The models included the age, sex, comorbid complications, smoking, body mass index (BMI), activity of daily living (ADL), stage, and the number of cases of gastrectomy per facility for adjustment. The in-hospital mortality relative to the hospital volume was also compared.

RESULTS

The LDG group required postoperative blood transfusion less frequently and had fewer postoperative complications, shorter hospitalization, and lower operative mortality than the ODG group. While this stage did not correlate with the in-hospital mortality, the surgical method, age, sex, ADL, BMI, comorbidity, and yearly volume showed a correlation. A significant association in the in-hospital mortality was observed between low- and very-high-volume hospitals.

CONCLUSION

In this large nationwide cohort of patients with gastric cancer using an MLA, LDG was shown to be safer with lower mortality and postoperative complication rates than ODG.

Extending the Indication for Laparoscopic Surgery in Patients With Pan-Peritonitis

BACKGROUND

There have been reports of favorable results in patients with peritonitis who underwent laparoscopic surgery. The present study evaluated the outcomes of laparoscopic surgery in patients with pan-peritonitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We enrolled 148 patients who underwent open and laparoscopic surgery for pan-peritonitis between January 2015 and December 2017 at Hanyang University Guri Hospital. Patients with appendicitis or cholecystitis were excluded from this study because of the simplicity of the technique and the favorable postoperative prognosis. Surgical outcomes including open conversion, morbidity, mortality, risk, and prognostic factors were evaluated.

RESULTS

During the study period, 125 patients (84.5%) underwent laparoscopic surgery. The conversion to open surgery occurred in 7 (5.3%) patients. In the laparoscopic surgery group, 27 patients (21.6%) experienced postoperative complications, and 6 died (4.8%). Multivariate analysis showed that age of older than 75 years was a risk factor for postoperative complications. Especially, preoperative shock (<90 mm Hg) and a longer time from symptom onset (over 2 d) to surgery were prognostic factors for postoperative mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of our results and experiences, we believe that laparoscopic surgery is applicable to surgery of pan-peritonitis. And, preoperative shock and longer time from onset are prognostic factors of mortality in laparoscopic group. Therefore, we are confident that careful patient selection and specialized laparoscopic team should be considered in order to have best results.

Effect of hospital and surgeon volume on postoperative outcomes after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer based on data from 145,523 Japanese patients collected from a nationwide web-based data entry system

BACKGROUND

Despite interest in surgeon and hospital volume effects on distal gastrectomy, clinical significance has not been confirmed in a large-scale population. We studied to clarify the effects of surgeon and hospital volume on postoperative mortality after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer among Japanese patients in a nationwide web-based data entry system.

METHODS

We extracted data on distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer from the National Clinical Database between 2011 and 2015. The primary outcome was operative mortality. Hospital volume was divided into 3 tertiles: low (1-22 cases per year), medium (23-51) and high (52-404). Surgeon volume was divided into the 5 groups: 0-3, 4-10, 11-20, 21-50, 51 + cases per year. We calculated the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the mortality rate based on odds ratios (ORs) estimated from a hierarchical logistic regression model.

RESULTS

We analyzed 145,523 patients at 2182 institutions. Operative mortality was 1.9% in low-, 1.0% in medium- and 0.5% in high-volume hospitals. The operative mortality rate decreased definitively with surgeon volume, 1.6% in the 0-3 group and 0.3% in the 51 + group. After risk adjustment for surgeon and hospital volume and patient characteristics, hospital volume was significantly associated with operative morality (medium: OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.56-0.73, P < 0.001; high: OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.35-0.51, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate that hospital volume can have a crucial impact on postoperative mortality after distal gastrectomy compared with surgeon volume in a nationwide population study. These findings suggest that centralization may improve outcomes after distal gastrectomy.

Disparities in major surgery for esophagogastric cancer among hospitals by case volume

Background

The purpose of this study was to characterize disparities among centers performing major surgery for esophageal or gastric cancer stratified by case volume.

Methods

The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) was queried for cases of esophagectomy or total gastrectomy. Centers were compared based on number of cases during 2004-2013: low volume [1-99], middle [100-200], and high [>200].

Results

For esophagectomy, 17,547 patients were included; 73.5% were treated in low volume centers, 14.6% in middle, and 11.9% in high. For gastrectomy, 20,059 patients were included, with 87.5%, 8.3%, and 4.3%, respectively. Patients treated at low volume centers were more likely to be of racial/ethnic minorities, uninsured, and have lower socioeconomic status. Overall survival (OS) was superior for patients treated at high volume centers. On multivariable analysis for either procedure, a higher number of disparate factors was identified in the low and middle volume centers compared to the high volume centers, which were associated with poorer OS.

Conclusions

This study identified higher numbers of disparate patient factors associated with low/middle volume centers compared to high volume centers, which were associated with worse OS, and further makes the case for performance of esophagectomy and total gastrectomy at high volume centers.

The Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation on Anastomotic Leak and Additional 30-Day Morbidity and Mortality in Patients Undergoing Total Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

INTRODUCTION

In addition to increased perioperative morbidity, anastomotic leak following gastric resection for gastric cancer can have detrimental effects on overall and disease-free survival. The risk of anastomotic leak following neoadjuvant therapy remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy with postoperative anastomotic leak and additional 30-day morbidity and mortality outcomes following total gastrectomy with reconstruction for gastric cancer using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP).

METHODS

Patients who underwent total gastrectomy with reconstruction for gastric cancer from 2005 to 2012 were identified. Within the NSQIP database, anastomotic leak is captured as an organ space infection. The association of preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy with anastomotic leak and additional 30-day morbidity and mortality outcomes was investigated using chi-squared analysis, Fisher's exact test, and Student's t test.

RESULTS

A total of 1135 patients met inclusion criteria; 121 (10.7%) patients underwent preoperative chemotherapy within 30 days of surgery, and 53 (4.7%) patients underwent preoperative radiation therapy within 90 days of surgery. Neither preoperative chemotherapy nor radiation therapy was associated with an increased risk of anastomotic leak (p = 0.12 and p = 0.58, respectively). When compared to patients who did not undergo neoadjuvant therapy, patients who underwent either preoperative chemotherapy or radiation therapy did not experience a higher frequency of 30-day mortality (p = 0.41), cardiac (p = 0.49), wound (p = 0.76), renal (p = 0.13), septic (p = 0.55), or venous thromboembolism (p = 0.19) events and were significantly less likely to experience a pulmonary event (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Neoadjuvant therapy prior to gastric resection for gastric cancer is not associated with an increased risk of anastomotic leak or other additional short-term morbidity or mortality.