The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · Oct 2008
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyOutcomes of esophagectomy at academic centers: an association between volume and outcome.
Studies have shown that esophagectomies performed at high-volume centers have lower in-hospital mortality. However, the volume-outcome relationship for esophagectomy performed at academic centers is unknown. Using the University HealthSystem Consortium national database, we examined the influence of the hospital's volume of esophagectomy on outcome at academic centers between January 2003 and October 2007. ⋯ Compared with low-volume counterparts, high-volume hospitals had shorter lengths of stay (14.1 vs 17.2 days, P < 0.01), fewer overall complications (51.1% vs 56.5%, P = 0.03), fewer cardiac complications (1.1% vs 2.5%, P = 0.01), fewer pulmonary complications (18.5% vs 29.8%, P < 0.01), fewer hemorrhagic complications (3.2% vs 6.7%, P < 0.01), fewer patients requiring skilled nursing facility care (9.5% vs 19.7% P < 0.01), and lower in-hospital mortality (2.5% vs 5.6%, P < 0.01). The observed-to-expected mortality ratio was 0.6 for high-volume and 1.0 for low-volume centers. Within the context of academic centers, there is a threshold of > 12 esophagectomies annually whereby there is a lower mortality and improved outcome.
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The American surgeon · Oct 2008
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyManagement of high-grade splenic injury in children.
Using the National Trauma Databank, we identified 413 children (age < or = 14 years) who sustained high-grade blunt splenic injury (Abbreviated Injury Scale scores > or = 4) from 2001 to 2005. Overall mortality was 13.5 per cent. Early operation within 6 hours of injury (EOM) was performed in 128 patients (31%). ⋯ Failure of NOM was associated with increased mortality compared with successful NOM, but had similar mortality and length of hospital or intensive care unit stay compared with EOM. We conclude that operative treatment is necessary in nearly half of pediatric patients with high-grade splenic injury. With careful selection, nonoperative management is usually successful but must include close monitoring, because 16 per cent required delayed operation.
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The American surgeon · Oct 2008
Comparative StudyRemission of diabetes after laparoscopic gastric bypass.
Diabetes is a well-recognized and treatable risk factor for cardiac disease, and one of many comorbidities associated with obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of a cohort of morbidly obese patients with documented diabetes who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Fifty-nine patients with sufficient follow-up were included in the study. ⋯ Patients with remission of diabetes had a shorter length of condition compared with patients with only improvement (43 vs 103 months, P < 0.01). Weight loss associated with laparoscopic gastric bypass significantly improves diabetes control and results in discontinuation or marked reduction of antidiabetic medications in the majority of patients. Improvement in glucose control occurs as early as 1 month postoperatively.
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The American surgeon · Oct 2008
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyChanging paradigms in breast cancer management: introducing molecular genetics into the treatment algorithm.
Advances in molecular genetics aimed at individualizing breast cancer treatment have been validated. We examined the use of gene assays predictive of distant recurrence in breast cancer and their impact on adjuvant treatment. A retrospective chart review of 58 T1/T2, node-negative, estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer patients that underwent Oncotype DX gene assay testing between January and December 2006 was performed. ⋯ The recurrence score increased the number of patients classified as low risk of recurrence by 12 per cent and downstaged 63 per cent of high-risk patients (P < 0.003). Gene assay results changed management in 15 of 58 (26%) patients (P < 0.05). The use of gene assays allowed us to better tailor treatment in a significant number of our patients.
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The American surgeon · Oct 2008
Comparative StudyBleeding complications with Drotrecogin alfa activated (Xigris): a retrospective review of 31 operative and 68 non-operative patients with severe sepsis.
We reviewed 100 consecutive patients who received Drotrecogin alfa (activated) (DAA) (Xigris, Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, IN) for the treatment of severe sepsis and compared the incidence of bleeding complications in surgical (n = 30) and nonsurgical cohorts (n = 70). Thirty patients who received DAA therapy for severe sepsis underwent one or more contemporaneous surgical procedures. These were compared with 70 DAA patients who did not undergo surgery. ⋯ All bleeding complications were due to a drop in hemoglobin or platelets only, and were treated with transfusion. Our experience demonstrates that there is an equivalent risk of bleeding for surgical patients treated with DAA compared with nonsurgical patients. Additionally, all bleeding complications were amenable to simple transfusion.