Annals of surgery
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Pasireotide was recently shown to decrease leak rates after pancreatic resection, though the significant cost of the drug may be prohibitive. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis to determine whether prophylactic pasireotide possesses a reasonable cost profile by improving outcomes. ⋯ Our analyses demonstrate that when prophylactic pasireotide is administered, the cost per PF/PL/A avoided is approximately $300,000. Aggressive pricing negotiation, payer reimbursement for the drug, high-volume use, and consensus among the public, payers, and surgical community regarding the value of reducing morbidity will ultimately determine the utility of widespread pasireotide application in pancreatic resection.
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Comparative Study
On-demand Reporting of Risk-adjusted and Smoothed Rates for Quality Profiling in ACS NSQIP.
Surgical quality improvement depends on hospitals having accurate and timely information about comparative performance. Profiling accuracy is improved by risk adjustment and shrinkage adjustment to stabilize estimates. These adjustments are included in ACS NSQIP reports, where hospital odds ratios (OR) are estimated using hierarchical models built on contemporaneous data. However, the timeliness of feedback remains an issue. ⋯ The on-demand, nonhierarchical approach provides results similar to the traditional hierarchical method and offers immediacy, an "over-time" perspective, application to a broader range of models and data subsets, and reporting of more easily understood rates. Although the nonhierarchical method results are now available "on-demand" in a web-based application, the hierarchical approach has advantages, which support its continued periodic publication as the gold standard for hospital profiling in the program.
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To compare sarcopenia and frailty for outcome prediction in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients. ⋯ Bedside diagnosis of sarcopenia by ultrasound predicts adverse discharge disposition in SICU patients equally well as frailty. Sarcopenia assessed by ultrasound may be utilized as rapid beside modality for risk stratification of critically ill patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Ligation of Intersphincteric Fistula Tract vs Ligation of the Intersphincteric Fistula Tract Plus a Bioprosthetic Anal Fistula Plug Procedure in Patients With Transsphincteric Anal Fistula: Early Results of a Multicenter Prospective Randomized Trial.
The purpose of this study was to compare the ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) with an additional plug (LIFT-plug) in the treatment of transsphincteric anal fistula. ⋯ In patients with transsphincteric anal fistulas, both LIFT-plug and LIFT are simple, safe, and effective procedures. LIFT-plug has the advantage of a higher healing rate, less healing time, and a lower early postoperative pain score.