Annual Complication Rate Research Articles

Japanese survey of perioperative complications and ureteral stricture after ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy for upper urinary tract stones in multicenter collaborative study.

This study aimed to investigate perioperative complications and the details of postoperative ureteral stricture after ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy (URS-L) for upper urinary tract stones in Japan. Patient data on intra- and postoperative complications after ureteroscopy using URS-L were retrospectively collected from multiple centers in Japan between April 2017 and March 2020 with the cooperation of the Japanese Society of Endourology and Robotics. Data included the number of patients undergoing URS-L, number and type of intra- and postoperative complications, and detailed characteristics of postoperative ureteral stricture. In total, 14 125 patients underwent URS-L over 3 years at 82 institutions. Annual URS-L numbers gradually increased from 4419 in 2017, to 4760 in 2018, and 4946 in 2019. The total complication rate was 10.5%, which was divided into intra-operative complications in 1.40% and postoperative complications in 9.18%. The annual incidences of intra- and postoperative complications were not significantly different from year to year (p = 0.314 and p = 0.112). Ureteral perforation, ureteral avulsion, and the intra-operative conversion rate were 1.35%, 0.03%, and 0.02%, respectively. Fever >38°C, septic shock, blood transfusion, and postoperative mortality were 7.44%, 0.81%, 0.07%, and 0.04%, respectively. Ureteral stricture occurred in 0.8% of cases. The median length of stricture site was 10.0 mm and the success rate of stricture treatment was 54.6%. Although URS-L utilization has increased in Japan, the annual complication rate has remained steady. Although URS-L is a useful and less invasive procedure, devastating complications can still occur.

DS17 Postoperative wound complications following dermatological surgery: an audit leading to improved clinical practice, patient outcomes and informed consent

Abstract In 2021, an apparent spike in wound complications presenting to our dressings clinic prompted a prospective audit of complications following dermatological surgery. The aim was to quantify the rate of and identify risk factors leading to postdermatological surgery complications for clinical governance and to improve clinical practice and patient outcomes. Secondary outcomes were to provide operators with individual annual complication rates. A further outcome pertinent to the Montgomery ruling was to use the data to refine preoperative patient information with precise detail on risk prior to surgery. Patients undergoing a dermatological surgery procedure between 1 April 2021 and 31 December 2022 across three hospital sites were included in this audit. Prospective data were collected via a departmental surgical complications proforma, supplemented by collating retrospective data from nurse-led wound review clinics via our electronic patient record system. Data were gathered on patient age and sex; operator grade; presenting problem (pain/dehiscence/infection/bleeding/other); surgical site; route of referral; microbacterial swab, cultured organism, antibiotic prescribing; anticoagulation; type of procedure; suture type; days to suture removal; and provision of pre- and postoperative patient information on skin surgery. Over a 21-month period > 11 000 procedures were performed, with a median of 574 procedures per month. In total, 256 patients reported 331 complications: 124 were suspected infections (37.5%); 63 were reports of pain (19.0%), 62 of bleeding (18.7%) and 52 of dehiscence (15.7%); and 30 (9.1%) were other complications such as graft failure. Surprisingly, the majority of complications (41%) occurred on the head and neck. Of patients presenting with bleeding, most were not taking prescribed anticoagulants. Seventy-two per cent of positive swabs grew Staphylococcus aureus. In 2019, the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) performed a national audit of process, based on measures of quality in a dermatology skin surgery service. Sixty-four per cent of 201 respondents from the BAD and British Association of Dermatological Surgery reported no formal mechanism for determining wound complications following skin surgery (https://cdn.bad.org.uk/uploads/2022/02/29200022/Skin-Surgery-National-Audit-Report-2019.pdf). In our experience, using a departmental proforma has enabled quantification of departmental postoperative complication rates against anatomical site, procedure, patient factors and level of operator, improving clinical practice, governance, informed consent and patient outcomes. It is hoped that our work might usefully contribute to the development of a national proforma for collating data on wound complications, which has wider implications for maintaining high standards of dermatological surgery practice across the UK.

Burden of surgeries and surgical complications in patients with Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) disease before and after treatment with belzutifan.

733 Background: VHL disease is a rare hereditary condition that causes abnormal tumor growth in multiple organs, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC), central nervous system (CNS) hemangioblastomas (Hb), pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET), and other tumors. Repeated surgeries are often required due to ongoing tumor recurrences and can lead to complications such as chronic kidney disease, pancreatic insufficiency, and neurological deficit. Belzutifan is a hypoxia-inducible factor inhibitor approved in the US for the treatment of VHL-associated RCC, CNS Hb, or pNET not requiring immediate surgery. This study aimed to quantify the annual rate and costs of VHL-related surgeries and surgical complications before and after belzutifan initiation. Methods: Surgeries were observed during the periods before and after belzutifan initiation in the single-arm phase 2 LITESPARK-004 trial (NCT03401788) among adults with VHL-RCC. Rates of RCC surgeries were obtained by fitting exponential survival models to: time from treatment initiation to the next renal surgery; and time (looking backward) from treatment initiation to the most recent renal surgery before treatment. Rates of surgeries related to other VHL manifestations were calculated as number of surgeries divided by person-years at risk, using all available post-treatment follow up (151 person-years; median [range] per patient: 29.2 [4.2-37.5] months) and equivalent person-years in the pre-treatment period. Complication risks per surgery and unit costs of surgeries and complications were obtained from a retrospective study on VHL within the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart (2000-2020). Annual per-patient costs of surgeries and complications were estimated in 2020 US dollars over the pre- and post-treatment periods from a US third-party payer perspective. Results: Among trial participants (N=61), the rate of RCC surgeries (surgeries/person-year) decreased 87% (0.108 to 0.014) after belzutifan initiation. The rate of other surgeries decreased 98% (0.265 to 0.007), with CNS Hb surgeries decreasing from 0.185 to 0.007, pNET surgeries from 0.013 to 0, adrenal lesion surgeries from 0.007 to 0, and retinal Hb surgeries from 0.060 to 0. Belzutifan was accordingly estimated to reduce per-patient average annual costs of surgeries and complications from $57,259 to $2,536. Conclusions: Healthcare costs of surgeries and surgical complications are substantial among patients with VHL-RCC. In a trial-based cost-consequence analysis, belzutifan was estimated to decrease annual surgery and complication costs by 96%, based on observed reductions in VHL-related surgeries. [Table: see text]

Trends, predictors, and outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with bicuspid aortic valve related disease: Insights from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample and Nationwide Readmission Database.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has increasingly been utilized in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) related aortic stenosis (AS) with insufficient large-scale data on its safety. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample and Nationwide Readmission Database (2011-2018) were queried to identify patients undergoing TAVI for BAV versus trileaflet aortic valve (TAV) associated AS. The in-hospital, 30- and 180-day odds of outcomes were assessed using a propensity-matched analysis (PSM) to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 216,723 TAVI (TAV: 214,050 and BAV: 2,673) crude and 5,347 matched population (TAV: 2,674 and BAV: 2,673) was included in the final analysis. At index admission, the adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality (aOR: 1.57, 95% CI: 0.67-3.66), stroke (aOR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.38-1.57), cardiac tamponade (aOR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.17-3.36), vascular complications (aOR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.09-1.22), cardiogenic shock (aOR: 1.77, 95% CI: 0.93-3.38), paravalvular leak (aOR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.26-1.14), need for mechanical circulatory support device, and permanent pacemaker implantation (PPM) (aOR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.69-1.52) were not significantly different between TAVI for BAV versus TAV. At 30- and 180-day follow-up duration, the risk of stroke and major postprocedural complications remained similar, except that TAVI in BAV had a higher incidence of PPM implantation compared with TAV. The yearly trend showed an increase in the utilization of TAVI for both TAV and BAV and a steady decline in the overall annual rate of in-hospital complications. TAVI utilization in patients with BAV has increased over the recent years. The relative odds of in-hospital mortality, and all other major complications, were similar between patients undergoing TAVI for BAV- and TAV-related AS.

Methods of the 7th National Audit Project (NAP7) of the Royal College of Anaesthetists: peri-operative cardiac arrest.

Cardiac arrest in the peri-operative period is rare but associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Current reporting systems do not capture many such events, so there is an incomplete understanding of incidence and outcomes. As peri-operative cardiac arrest is rare, many hospitals may only see a small number of cases over long periods, and anaesthetists may not be involved in such cases for years. Therefore, a large-scale prospective cohort is needed to gain a deep understanding of events leading up to cardiac arrest, management of the arrest itself and patient outcomes. Consequently, the Royal College of Anaesthetists chose peri-operative cardiac arrest as the 7th National Audit Project topic. The study was open to all UK hospitals offering anaesthetic services and had a three-part design. First, baseline surveys of all anaesthetic departments and anaesthetists in the UK, examining respondents' prior peri-operative cardiac arrest experience, resuscitation training and local departmental preparedness. Second, an activity survey to record anonymised details of all anaesthetic activity in each site over 4 days, enabling national estimates of annual anaesthetic activity, complexity and complication rates. Third, a case registry of all instances of peri-operative cardiac arrest in the UK, reported confidentially and anonymously, over 1 year starting 16 June 2021, followed by expert review using a structured process to minimise bias. The definition of peri-operative cardiac arrest was the delivery of five or more chest compressions and/or defibrillation in a patient having a procedure under the care of an anaesthetist. The peri-operative period began with the World Health Organization 'sign-in' checklist or first hands-on contact with the patient and ended either 24 h after the patient handover (e.g. to the recovery room or intensive care unit) or at discharge if this occured earlier than 24 h. These components described the epidemiology of peri-operative cardiac arrest in the UK and provide a basis for developing guidelines and interventional studies.

Volume and Outcomes of Joint Arthroplasty

BackgroundJoint arthroplasties are among the most commonly performed elective surgeries in the United States. Surgical outcomes are known to improve with volume but it is unclear whether this has led to consolidation among elective surgeries. We examined trends in volumes per surgeon and hospital to assess whether the known volume-outcome relationship has led to consolidation in elective joint arthroplasty and to determine if there exist volume thresholds above which outcomes do not change. MethodsAmong Medicare beneficiaries who underwent either total knee or total hip arthroplasty from 2009 through 2015, we described volume trends and used mixed-effect models to relate annual surgeon and hospital volumes with 30-day complications or mortality. We tested for optimal volume cut points at both the hospital and surgeon level. ResultsAdjusted annual complication rates were inversely associated with volume for both procedures at both the surgeon level and hospital level, but there was minimal consolidation between 2009 and 2015. Complications no longer declined after volumes of each case exceeded 260 per year. The vast majority of cases (around 93% of hip and 88% of knee arthroplasties) were performed by surgeons operating at suboptimal volumes. ConclusionMore than 2 decades after the volume-outcome relationship was established for joint arthroplasty, many cases continue to be performed by low-volume surgeons, with far more cases performed by surgeons operating at suboptimal volumes. Further improvement could be expected through consolidation at both the hospital and surgeon level, with a target of at least 260 cases per surgeon annually for each operation. Payers seem best-equipped to drive consolidation.

Effect of WeChat-Based Health Preaching Combined with an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Model on Perioperative Limb Motor Function and Complications in Orthopaedic Patients

Objective To evaluate the effect of WeChat-based health preaching combined with an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) model on perioperative limb motor function and complications in orthopaedic patients.Methods By means of retrospective analysis, the medical data of 68 orthopaedic patients who received surgical treatment in our hospital (from 01, 2020–12, 2021) were collected, and the patients were equally divided into the study group (SG) and control group (CG) according to their admission order, with 34 cases each. From 7 d before surgery to the time of hospital discharge, WeChat-based health preaching combined with ERAS perioperative nursing was performed to patients in the SG, and routine orthopaedic perioperative nursing was performed to those in the CG. Before and after nursing, patients' Visual Analog Scale for Fatigue (VAS-F) scores, Houston Pain Outcome Instrument (HPOI) scores, and brief Fu-gI-Meyer (FMA) motor scores were investigated and the incidence rates of postoperative complications and nursing satisfaction of patients in the two groups were recorded. Results After nursing, SG obtained a significantly better VAS-F score and HPOI score (P < 0.001), significantly higher postoperative 7 d and predischarge lower limb FMA scores (20.06 ± 2.13 vs 18.38 ± 2.36, 27.50 ± 1.90 vs 24.09 ± 2.25, P < 0.05), and significantly lower annual incidence rate of complications compared with those of the CG (P < 0.05); and the nursing satisfaction scores of the SG and CG were 9.18 ± 0.82 points and 6.76 ± 0.91 points, respectively, indicating significantly higher nursing satisfaction in the SG than in the CG (P < 0.001). Conclusion The nursing model of WeChat-based health preaching combined with ERAS can effectively improve the knowledge level of orthopaedic patients, thereby improving their abilities of pain management and self-management, accelerating the recovery of their limb function, and reducing the incidence rate of postoperative complications. The patients are more satisfied with such nursing model, indicating its better promotion value.

Ophthalmic complications in retinopathy of prematurity in the first decade of life in Korea using the national health insurance database

The aim of this study is to investigate the epidemiology of ophthalmic complications of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) after preterm birth using population-based database in South Korea. Using the National Health Insurance database, ophthalmic complications among premature infants born in 2007–2008 during their 10-year follow-up period were identified. Annual cumulative incidence rate and period prevalence of complications at each age were analyzed among those with ROP and those who underwent treatment for ROP (tROP). The hazard ratios (HRs) according to the presence of ROP and treatment for ROP were also analyzed. We identified 18,256 premature infants, 6995 of whom had ROP. The prevalence at 10th year for overall ophthalmic complications was 11.1% and 35.9% among ROP and tROP, respectively. Strabismus, amblyopia, and glaucoma were the three most common complications. The presence of ROP was associated with higher risk of complications (HR 1.53, 95%CI 1.44–1.61) among premature infants, and the presence of treatment for ROP was associated with higher risk of complications (HR 4.31, 95%CI 3.74–4.98) among ROP cases. This study reports the nationwide epidemiologic data on ophthalmic complications of ROP during the first decade of life, which will help advance our understandings and establish national strategies in managing ROP.

7-Year Analysis of Outcomes Following Invasive Cardiac Procedures – Improved Complication Rates Reflect a Reduction in Outliers

Reported outcomes following cardiac invasive procedures show high variability in outcomes between different operators. We analysed the GenesisCare Outcomes Registry (GCOR) from 2015 to 2021 looking at annual procedural outcomes and inter-operator variability across 32 cardiologists’ 11,017 procedures (CIED 38%, PCI 62%). Procedural outliers were defined as having an annual complication rate exceeding 3%. The overall major complication rates reduced from 2.04±2.63% (range 0–9.1%) in 2015 to 1.25±0.77% (range 0–2.1%) in 2021. In 2015, 23% of proceduralists had a major complication rate of >3%; this was reduced to 9% in 2020 and 0% in 2021. Cardiologists who were not outliers in any year had a complication rate of 0.8% in 2015 and 0.7% in 2021. Cardiologists who were outliers in any year had a complication rate of 6.2% in 2015 and 1.5% in 2021. In our 7-year series, the improvement in overall major complication rates following cardiac interventional procedures relates to a reduction in outlier complication rates.

Abstract 11088: Trend, Predictors and Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients with Bicuspid Aortic Valve; A National Inpatient Sample Database Analysis

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has increasingly been utilized in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) related to aortic stenosis (AS) with insufficient data on its safety and efficacy. Hypothesis: TAVI in BAV has worst outcomes. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was queried to identify patients undergoing TAVI for BAV-AS. The major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), its components [in-hospital mortality, stroke, subsequent myocardial infarction (MI)] and procedure related complications were assessed using a propensity-matched analysis (PSM) to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR). Results: A total of 435,841 TAVI crude and 10,743 matched population [trileaflet aortic valve (TAV) 5347, BAV 5396] was included in the final analysis. On PSM, the adjusted odds of cardiac tamponade (aOR 0.61, 95% CI 0.41-0.90), vascular complications (aOR 0.37, 95% CI 0.24-0.56) and stroke (aOR 0.81, 95% 0.65-1.02) were significantly lower in the BAV group, while there was no difference in the risk of in-hospital mortality, post-procedural myocardial infarction, major bleeding, acute kidney injury (AKI) and need for hemodialysis between the two groups. The yearly trend of in-hospital endpoints showed a steady decline in the overall annual rate of complications among those with BAV undergoing TAVI. Compared to early years, the odds of mortality, MI, need for PPM and IABP were identical between the two groups in 2016-2018. A stratified analysis based on age (&lt;65 vs. &gt;66 years), sex (male vs. female), history of coronary artery disease (CAD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) followed the net results. Conclusion: TAVI utilization in patients with BAV has increased remarkably over the recent years. The resultant risk of procedural complications such as in-hospital mortality, major bleeding and the overall rate of complications are comparable to those having TAV-AS.

Diabetes prevalence and complication rates: In individual First Nations communities in the Sioux Lookout region of Ontario.

To test the feasibility of reporting diabetes indicators at a regional and community level in order to provide feedback to local leaders on health system performance. Analysis of administrative data from hospital discharges and physician billings. Sioux Lookout region of Ontario. Residents from 30 remote communities served by the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority. Incidence and prevalence of diabetes and incidence of diabetes complications, including heart attack, stroke, retinopathy, amputations, end-stage kidney disease, diabetes-related hospitalizations, and death. Data were available for 18 542 residents from the 30 remote communities. Residents were almost entirely of First Nations descent. The prevalence of diabetes was 12.9%, the annual incidence was 1.0%, and the annual rate of complications was 5.4% in 2015-2016. Prevalence increased slightly over time. We had sufficient data to report prevalence in 25 of 30 communities (average population 738; range 234 to 2626). We reported statistically significant differences in prevalence by community; 8 were above average and 2 were below average. For diabetes complications, data were pooled over 5 years, and while community-level results could be reported, the variance was too high to allow detection of significant differences. Using 2-tailed t tests for difference of proportions, we determined that grouping communities into subregions of approximately 2000 persons would permit the detection of differences of 30% from the average 5-year complication rate. This study demonstrates the possibility of reporting diabetes prevalence by individual First Nations reserve communities. Complication rates can be reported by individual community, but estimates are more useful for comparison if the smallest communities are grouped together. Such studies could be replicated across Canada to promote local use of these data for resource planning and monitoring long-term progress of diabetes programs and services.

#49: Results of 10 Years of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Use and the Association with Infections in Pediatric Patients at a Tertiary Care Oncology Hospital

Abstract Introduction Pediatric cancer patients merit the placement of central lines for the treatments they receive. Subcutaneous central ports (SCs) and peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are the most frequently used lines. PICCs have gained popularity due to the ease of insertion, which can be invaluable in the pediatric oncology setting for administration of intravenous therapy, parenteral nutrition, and/or blood products. Since central-line-associated bloodstream infections increase the morbidity and mortality of cancer patients, as well as increase the cost generated by their treatment, active surveillance of these healthcare-associated infections is warranted. Methods This is a retrospective descriptive study of pediatric patients treated via PICCs at the Hospital SOLCA Núcleo Quito between 2009 and 2019. Results During the study period, 70 PICC lines were placed in 66 patients, totaling 1862 catheter-days. The majority of patients (75.7%) were diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma. As of 2011, all PICCs were placed in the operating room by a surgeon. Ultrasound was used 39 times for the insertion of PICCs. Inadequate peripheral venous access was the most common indication (64.2%) for placement. Twenty-nine PICCs had complications, of which 13 were infectious complications and 16 were noninfectious. The most common infectious complication was PICC-related bloodstream infection (13), and the most frequent noninfectious complication was occlusion (10). The overall complication rate was 15.5 complications per 1000 catheter-days, and the overall infectious complication rate was 6.9 complications per 1000 catheter days. Annual complication rates fluctuated over the study period. The PICC line-associated infection rate per 1000 catheter-days was 13.1‰ in 2009, 12.4‰ in 2010, 5.0‰ in 2011, 7.9‰ in 2012, 0 in 2013, 13.4‰ in 2014, 4.8‰ in 2015, 16.2‰ in 2016, 8.2‰ in 2017, and 4.3‰ in 2018. Conclusion In general, complications related to PICC in pediatric patients at a tertiary care oncology hospital have fluctuated over the years. Our findings indicate the need for further efforts in staff education and training in the insertion, care, and maintenance of PICC lines. Best practice guidelines are also critical to reducing complications, especially occlusion and infection rates, to thereby improve patient outcomes.

Increase in foreign body and harmful substance ingestion and associated complications in children: a retrospective study of 1199 cases from 2005 to 2017

BackgroundChildren with a history of caustic or foreign body ingestion (FBI) seem to be presenting more frequently to emergency departments. This study aims to elucidate the clinical presentation, diagnostic procedures, and complications associated with the ingestion of different object categories over a 13-year time period.MethodsA structured retrospective data analysis of patients who presented between January 2005 and December 2017 to the University Medical Centre Ulm was performed. Patients up to 17 years of age with food impaction or foreign body or harmful substance ingestion were included by selection of the corresponding International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD10-GM) codes. Descriptive statistics, parametric or non-parametric tests, and linear regression analysis were performed.ResultIn total, 1199 patients were analysed; the mean age was 3.3 years (SD 3.12; range 7 days to 16 years), the male to female ratio was 1.15:1, and 194 (16.2%) were hospitalized. The number of patients seen annually increased from 66 in 2005 to 119 in 2017, with a rise in percentage of all emergency patients from 0.82% in 2010 to 1.34% in 2017. The majority of patients (n = 619) had no symptoms, and 244 out of 580 symptomatic patients complained of retching or vomiting. Most frequently, ingested objects were coins (18.8%). Radiopaque objects accounted for 47.6%, and sharp objects accounted for 10.5% of the ingested foreign bodies, both of which were significantly more often ingested by girls (p < 0.001 for both). Button battery ingestion was recorded for 63 patients with a significant annual increase (R2 = 0.57; β = 0.753; p = 0.003). The annual rate of complications also increased significantly (R2 = 0.42; β = 0.647; p = 0.017).ConclusionWe found an alarming increase in the number of children who presented to our emergency department with FBI and associated complications. A standardized diagnostic and therapeutic approach may reduce and prevent serious complications. Further preventive measures within the home environment are needed to stop this trend.

Burden of Illness Among Medicare and Non-Medicare Populations with Acquired Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, 2010-2018

Background and Objective Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) is a rare hematologic disorder that causes microvascular thromboses and can lead to serious and life-threatening medical complications. The aim of this study was to describe aTTP-related resource utilization, cost, complications, and overall survival (OS) among US Medicare and non-Medicare populations following aTTP episodes. Methods This retrospective study utilized administrative claims data for Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries (100% sample) and a sample of commercial, managed Medicaid [MM], Medicare Advantage [MA] plan members from the Inovalon MORE2 Registry. Patients aged 18+ with aTTP were identified using a validated algorithm (Wahl et al, 2010): ≥1 hospitalization for thrombotic microangiopathy + therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) between 2010 and 2018. Patients with hemolytic-uremic syndrome or other conditions mimicking aTTP during same hospitalization were excluded. Outcomes included characterization of index hospitalization (including length of stay), diagnosis-related group (DRG) payment amount (2019 US$ [Medicare payments also included outlier payments]), and risk of mortality. OS was compared for Medicare FFS patients with aTTP to a 1:1 matched cohort of Medicare FFS beneficiaries without aTTP (matched on age, gender, region, index year, socioeconomic status, disability insurance benefits, and Charlson comorbidity index score). Median survival time and 1-year/2-year survival rates were estimated using Kaplan Meier methodology and hazard ratio was obtained using Cox proportional hazard model. In a subgroup analysis of aTTP patients across payer channels with at least 6 months of baseline and 1 month of follow-up data, percentage of patients with readmission for TPE (exacerbation if &amp;lt;30 days post-discharge; relapse if &amp;gt;30 days post-discharge) and rate of post-discharge clinical complications per 100 person-years was calculated. Results During the 9-year period, 2,279 patients met the study criteria for aTTP; 65.2% (N=1,486) were enrolled in Medicare FFS: 13.6% (N=312) in commercial, 15.7% (N=358) in MM, and 5.4% (N=123) in MA. Mean (SD) age (in years) varied by payers as expected: Medicare FFS: 65.9 (13.9); MA: 63.8 (13.6); commercial: 45.0 (14.3); MM: 37.5 (14.0). Mean (SD) hospitalization for index event ranged from 12.4 (9.4) to 15.8 (11.8) days; majority of patients required intensive care (Medicare FFS: 61.4% [mean (SD) ICU days: 8.3 (8.2)]; MA: 61.8%; commercial: 62.2%; MM: 60.1%). Among Medicare FFS patients, 15.7% died during initial hospitalization and 21.0% died within first 30 days of the event (mean (SD) time to death: 11.7 (7.2) days). Among matched cohorts of Medicare patients with and without aTTP (N=833 in each cohort), OS was lower for patients with aTTP (Figure 1). Specifically, 1-year survival rates among aTTP patients was 71.8% (95% CI: 68.6%-74.8%) vs. 95.6% (94.0%-96.8%) for those without aTTP. Two-year survival rates among aTTP patients was 66.6% (63.2%-69.8%) vs. 91.1% (88.8%-92.9%) for those without aTTP. Risk of mortality was 2.9 times higher for patients with aTTP vs. without aTTP (95% CI: 2.4-3.4). Mean (SD) DRG payment for index hospitalization varied by payers: Medicare FFS: $29,024 ($32,565); MA: $12,860 ($6,981); commercial: $9,996 ($5,995); MM: $10,470 ($7,370). During follow-up, 18.4%-22.4% of patients experienced aTTP-related exacerbation [Medicare FFS: 18.4%; MA: 21.9%; commercial: 22.4% and MM: 22.2%]. Annual incidence rate of relapse per 100 person-years was 5.6 [Medicare FFS: 3.6; MA: 8.7; commercial: 10.4 and MM: 14.7] and annual incidence rate of complications per 100 person-years was 16.7 [Medicare FFS: 15.5; MA: 20.5; commercial: 21.7 and MM: 19.1]. Conclusions This is the first real-world study evaluating burden of illness among aTTP patients in the US across payer types. Despite being treated with TPE, patients with aTTP have high acute mortality and are nearly three times as likely to die compared with the general Medicare population without aTTP. During the initial hospitalization, many required intensive care. Following discharge, approximately 1 in 5 was readmitted within 30 days and had higher incidence for clinical complications associated with aTTP. The study findings highlight the need for more effective therapies to reduce disease burden for this population. Disclosures Pollissard: Sanofi: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Shah:Avalere Health: Current Employment. Punekar:Sanofi: Other: Employee of Sanofi at the time of study and may hold stock/stock options in Sanofi. Petrilla:Avalere Health: Current Employment. Pham:Sanofi: Consultancy; Alexion: Other: Speaker.

A 5-Year Retrospective Assay of Implant Treatments in Private Practice: The Restorative Complications of Long-Span Implant-Supported Fixed and Removable Dental Prostheses.

To describe and analyze the restorative complications of long-span (> three units) implant-supported dental prostheses (LIDPs) in 27 private practices in the state of Victoria, Australia, during the period from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2009. Private dental practitioners providing implant treatment were invited to enroll in this study, which was conducted through a dental practice-based research network. Clinical records of the implant treatments, which were provided during the specified period, were accessed for data collection. LIDPs included implant-supported prostheses of fixed or removable design; namely, fixed partial dentures (IFPDs), fixed complete dentures (IFCDs), removable partial dentures (IRPDs), and complete overdentures (IODs). Descriptive statistics and generalized linear mixed modeling were used for data analysis. The range of observation time for 627 LIDPs was 3 to 72 months (mean ± SD: 3.22 ± 1.49 years). For fixed prostheses, the complication with the highest annual rate was veneer fracture (acrylic: 21%; ceramic: 2.9%), followed by loss of retention for cement-retained IFPDs (14.7%). For mandibular IODs, the highest annual complication rate was for retention complications, whereas for maxillary IODs, it was for acrylic veneer fracture (11.5% and 6.4%, respectively). The peak incidence of complications was during the first year of function in fixed protheses and in IODs. Acrylic veneer fracture in IFCDs and IOD base fracture were more common in patients with preoperative clinician-reported attrition (estimated odds ratios [ORs] = 4.5 and 11.3, respectively; P < .05). Ceramic veneer fracture in fixed protheses and acrylic veneer fracture in IODs were reported more commonly for maxillary compared to mandibular prostheses (ORs = 5 and 22, respectively; P < .05). Mandibular IODs had more frequent retention complications when supported by two compared to four implants (OR = 5.9, P < .05). Restorative complications were observed in all categories of LIDPs at various annual rates. Clusters of these complications occurred during the first year of prosthesis function. Patient- and prosthesis-related variables influenced the incidence rate of some of these complications.

Cost-Minimization Analysis and Treatment Trends of Surgical and Nonsurgical Treatment of Proximal Humerus Fractures

Recent evidence demonstrated similar outcomes between nonsurgical and surgical management of displaced proximal humerus fractures. We analyzed treatment trends and performed a cost-minimization analysis comparing nonsurgical treatment, open reduction and internal fixation, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, and hemiarthroplasty. We hypothesized that rates of surgical treatment have increased and that the costs associated with surgery are greater compared with nonsurgical management of proximal humerus fractures. We used a US private-payer claims database of 22 million patient records from 2007 to 2016 to compare (1) cost for the episode of care from the payer perspective between each surgical group and nonsurgical treatment of proximal humerus fractures, and (2) annual trends and complication rates of each group. Cost data, including facility fees, physician fees, physical therapy, and clinic visits, were used to complete a cost-minimization analysis. Nonsurgical treatment was associated with lower average total costs compared with surgical intervention. Facility and physician fees accounted for most of this difference. Physical therapy costs and number of physical therapy visits were higher in each surgical group compared with nonsurgical treatment. Surgical treatment was associated with higher complications, revision rates, and length of stay. There was a small but statistically significant decrease in nonsurgical management of proximal humerus fractures between 2007 and 2016. No change was observed in rates of open reduction and internal fixation, whereas rates of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty increased and rates of hemiarthroplasty decreased. Nonsurgical management of proximal humerus fractures decreased during the study period. In the setting of treatment equipoise, cost-minimization analysis favors nonsurgical management of proximal humerus fractures. Surgical management is associated with higher complication rates, revision rates, and length of stay. Economic Decision Analysis IV.

Pulmonary Complications After Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in the United States, 2004-2014.

Pulmonary complications after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) are uncommon but have significant cost impact. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are 2 of the 5 top procedures requiring inpatient stay within the United States. Subsequent pulmonary complications therefore may impose substantial cost burden for US health care. The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence, risk factors, and clinical implications of pulmonary complications (ie, pneumonia, respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism [PE], and aspiration) after TJA in the United States. The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was queried for all patients undergoing primary, elective THA and TKA between years 2004 and 2014. Pulmonary complications were defined as the occurrence of pneumonia, respiratory failure, PE, or aspiration after TJA. Demographic and clinical characteristics, inpatient cost, length of stay (LOS), and mortality were compared between patients with and without documented perioperative pulmonary complications. Given the stratified nature of the NIS database, estimates of incidence throughout the United States were made with application of trend weights to observed database frequencies. Analyses of estimated annual complication rates were made using χ tests. Between 2004 and 2014, an estimated 2,679,351 patients underwent elective primary THA. A total of 5,527,205 patients were estimated to have undergone elective primary TKA. THA 1.42% (95% CI, 1.37%-1.47%) and 1.71% (95% CI, 1.66%-1.76%) of TKA procedures were complicated by pneumonia, respiratory failure, PE, or aspiration. During this time, the incidence of perioperative pulmonary complications decreased from 1.57% (95% CI, 1.41%-1.73%) to 1.01% (95% CI, 0.92%-1.10%) after THA (P < .0001) and from 2.03% (95% CI, 1.88%-2.18%) to 1.33% (95% CI, 1.25%-1.42%) after TKA (P < .0001). The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of experiencing a pulmonary complication was highest among patients with history of significant weight loss (aOR = 4.77; 99.9% CI, 3.97-5.73), fluid/electrolyte disorders (aOR = 3.33; 99.9% CI, 3.11-3.56), congestive heart failure (CHF; aOR = 3.32; 99.9% CI, 3.07-3.58), preexisting paralytic condition (aOR = 2.03; 99.9% CI, 1.57-2.61), and human immunodeficiency virus infection (aOR = 2.00; 99.9% CI, 1.06-3.78). Perioperative pulmonary complications were associated with increased LOS (THA = 3.03 days; 99.9% CI, 2.76-3.31; TKA = +2.72 days; 99.9% CI, 2.58-2.86), increased hospital costs (THA = +9163 US dollars; 99.9% CI, 8054-10,272; TKA = +7257 US dollars; 99.9% CI, 6650-7865), and increased mortality (THA: aOR = 121; 99.9% CI, 78-187; TKA: aOR = 150; 95% CI, 97-233). Despite a decline in overall incidence, perioperative pulmonary complications represent a significant potential source of perioperative morbidity and mortality. The current study highlights potential risk factors for pulmonary complications. Recognition of these factors may help to better stratify patients and mitigate risk of potential complications. This is particularly true of respiratory failure as it is associated with the high increases in resource utilization and mortality in this group.

Arthroscopic and Open or Mini-Open Rotator Cuff Repair Trends and Complication Rates Among American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons Part II Examinees (2007-2017)

To ascertain trends and reported complication rates of arthroscopic and open or mini-open rotator cuff repairs (RCRs) reported by American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) Part II examinees between 2007-2017. The ABOS database was queried for both arthroscopic RCR (International Classification of Diseases code 29827) and open or mini-open RCR (International Classification of Diseases codes 23410 and 23412) performed by Part II examinees from 2007-2017. A comparison between overall procedure rates, as well as reported complications (anesthetic, medical, surgical, reoperations, and readmissions) associated with the respective repair technique, was performed. From 2007-2017, a total of 31,907 RCRs were reported by Part II examinees. Of those, 85.2% (n= 27,189) were arthroscopic whereas 14.8% (n= 4,718) were open or mini-open. The rate of arthroscopic RCR increased from 73% (n= 2,138) in 2007 to 90% (n= 2,031) in 2017, whereas the rate of open or mini-open RCR decreased from 27% (n= 771) to 10% (n= 234) during the same period. Rates of reported annual complications were significantly lower for arthroscopic RCR (7.4%-16.2%) than for open or mini-open RCR (12.9%-30.3%) for each of the past 6years (2012-2017) (P < .001). Arthroscopic RCR had an overall lower cumulative occurrence of complications than open or mini-open RCR over the past decade (2007-2017) (P < .001). The relative risk of complications for arthroscopic RCR compared with open RCR was 0.71 (95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.77). ABOS Part II examinees reported an increased practice of arthroscopic RCR in comparison with open or mini-open RCR over the past 10years. Reported annual complication rates have been significantly lower for arthroscopic RCR over the past 6years, with an overall lower cumulative rate from 2007-2017. Level III, retrospective cohort study.

The Efficacy of Carotid Surgery by Subgroups: The Concept of Stroke Prevention Potential

Considering carotid endarterectomy (CEA), reporting treatment delay, symptom status, and surgical complication rates separately gives an incomplete picture of efficacy; therefore, the aim was to combine these factors and develop a reporting standard that better describes the number of potentially prevented strokes. With a real life cohort and theoretical inclusion scenarios, the aim was to explore the stroke prevention potential of different carotid practices. Landmark studies for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were revisited. By using published estimates of treatment effect, a simplified calculator was designed to assess the five year stroke prevention rate per 1000 CEAs (stroke prevention potential [SPP], range 0-478), including the presence and recentness of symptoms, sex, increasing stenosis severity, and complication rates. Patients operated on for carotid stenosis at Helsinki University Hospital (HUH) between 2008 and 2016 were collected from a vascular registry (HUSVASC) and categorised according to the model. The local annual complication rate was re-evaluated and added to the model. The HUH patient cohort was incorporated into the SPP model, and changes over time analysed. Finally, theoretical changes in patient selection were compared in order to explore the theoretical impact of patient selection and shortening of the delay. Fifteen hundred and five symptomatic and 356 asymptomatic carotid stenoses were operated on with stroke plus death rates of 3.6% and 0.3%, respectively. The proportion of CEAs performed within two weeks of the index event increased over the follow up period, being 77% in 2016. The SPP increased from 123 in 2008 to 229 in 2016. Theoretically, 350 ischaemic strokes were prevented in the period 2008-16, with 1861 CEAs. National and international comparison of different CEA series is irrelevant if the inclusion criteria are not considered. A calculator that is easy to apply to large scale high quality registered data was developed and tested. SPP was found to increase over time, which is a probable sign of improved patient selection and an increased number of strokes prevented by the CEAs performed.

Visual Acuity Outcomes after Cataract Surgery: High-Volume versus Low-Volume Surgeons

The primary objective was to assess associations between annual surgeon case volume and visual acuity outcomes after cataract surgery. Secondary objectives included (1) assessing associations between other case and patient characteristics and visual acuity outcomes and (2) assessing associations between annual surgeon case volume and complication rates. Database study. All adult eyes that underwent small-incision cataract surgery (SICS) or phacoemulsification cataract extraction (PECE) with intraocular lens placement at the Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India, during2015. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study population. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) at follow-up was assessed relative to annual surgeon case volume and other case and demographic factors using bivariate linear regression with random effects modeling. Factors with P values of less than 0.20 on bivariate regression were included in multivariate linear regression with random effects modeling. Postoperative UCVA after cataract surgery. Of 91 084 surgeries, 35 880 eyes were included in this study. Cases were performed by 69 surgeons, who varied in annual case volume from 76 to 2900 cases during the study period. Increasing annual surgeon case volume was independently associated with a statistically significant but clinically modest improvement in UCVA in PECE but not in SICS. This association was most pronounced when comparing surgeons with case volumes of 350 PECE/year or fewer; surgeons with more than 350 PECE/year had similar results to one another. Similarly, increased annual case volume was associated with significantly lower complication rates, both in PECE and SICS. Younger patient age was independently associated with improved visual acuity outcomes and lower complication rates in both PECE and SICS. Greater surgeon experience was associated with lower complication rates in PECE, but not SICS, and there was no significant association with visual acuity outcomes. High-volume cataract surgeons showed improved visual acuity outcomes in PECE and lower complication rates in PECE and SICS. These findings further support the benefit of high-output ophthalmology clinics wherein individual surgeons perform a high number of cataract extractions annually, particularly in developing nations where there is a large backlog of untreated cataracts and the cataract patient-to-surgeon ratio is high.