In-hospital Postoperative Outcomes Research Articles

Frailty Among Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty Recipients: Epidemiology and Propensity Score-weighted Analysis of Effect on In-hospital Postoperative Outcomes.

Frailty has been shown to correlate with worse outcomes after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), although less is known regarding its effect on revision TKA (rTKA). This study examines the epidemiologic characteristics and inpatient outcomes of patients with frailty undergoing rTKA. Discharge data from National Inpatient Sample registry were used to identify all patients aged 50 years or older who underwent rTKA between 2006 and 2015. Patients were stratified into frail and nonfrail groupings, based on the presence of specific International Classification of Diseases-9 diagnostic coding. An analysis comparing the epidemiology, medical comorbidities, and propensity score-weighted postoperative clinical and economic outcomes of the two groups was done. From 2006 to the third quarter of 2015, a total of 576,920 patients (17,727 frail) who underwent rTKA were included. The average age in the study's population was 67.2 years, with a female distribution of 57.4%. Frail patients were more likely to exhibit markedly higher rates of almost all modified Elixhauser Comorbities than their nonfrail counterparts. Frail patients were also more likely to undergo different types of revisions, including an increased rate of removal of the prosthesis without replacement. In addition, frail patients displayed increased likelihood of experiencing any postoperative complication, deep vein thrombosis, postoperative anemia, respiratory complications, and wound dehiscence. Frail patients experienced lower rates of discharge home and increased length of stay than the nonfrail cohort. Patients with frailty undergoing rTKA are at markedly higher risk for inpatient postoperative complications and increased length of stay. Understanding the implications of frailty within rTKA is essential for risk assessment and preoperative optimization for this expanding population.

Frailty Among Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Recipients: Epidemiology and Propensity Score-Weighted Analysis of Effect on In-Hospital Postoperative Outcomes.

From the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI (Zalikha), and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY (El-Othmani). Correspondence to Abdul K Zalikha, MD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI; email: [email protected].

Prosthesis-Patient Mismatch after Aortic Valve Replacement with the Mosaic Ultra Bioprosthesis.

Several studies have reported high rates of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) after aortic valve replacement (AVR) with the Mosaic prosthesis. This work assesses the incidence of PPM after AVR with a modified version of the Mosaic prosthesis, the Mosaic Ultra. We performed a retrospective analysis of the data of 532 patients who underwent AVR with implantation of the Mosaic Ultra prosthesis in the period 2007-2016 in our institution. Patients were classified according to their indexed effective orifice area (EOAi) to severe (EOAi < 0.65 cm2/m2), moderate (EOAi 0.65-0.85 cm2/m2), and absent/mild PPM (EOAi > 0.85 cm2/m2). In-hospital postoperative outcomes and the impact of PPM on mean transvalvular pressure gradient after stratification by prosthesis size were assessed. Overall, 3 (0.6%) patients had severe, 92 (17.3%) moderate, and 437 (82.1%) absent/mild PPM. There was a significant difference in PPM proportions (moderate/severe vs absent/mild PPM) across different prosthesis sizes overall (p < 0.0001), observing gradually increasing rates of PPM with decreasing prosthesis sizes. Patients with moderate/severe PPM had higher mean transvalvular pressure gradients (19 [13-25] vs 13 [10-17] mm Hg, p < 0.0001) than patients with absent/mild PPM. There was a significant difference in mean transvalvular pressure gradient between the different aortic valve prosthesis sizes overall (p < 0.0001), observing gradually increasing gradients with decreasing prosthesis sizes. Patients undergoing AVR with the smaller sized (19, 21, and 23 mm) Mosaic Ultra aortic valve prostheses exhibit a higher risk for moderate/severe PPM and higher mean aortic transvalvular pressure gradients than patients receiving the larger sized (25, 27, and 29 mm) prostheses.

Frailty Among Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Recipients: Epidemiology and Propensity Score-weighted Analysis of Effect on In-hospital Postoperative Outcomes.

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is one of the most successful and frequently performed procedures in the United States. The number of these procedures is projected to continue growing rapidly in the coming years, and with it comes the demand for more sophisticated perioperative risk and complication assessment. This study examines the effect of frailty on postoperative inpatient complications and hospital resource utilization after TJA. Discharge data from the National Inpatient Sample were used to identify all patients aged 50 years or older who underwent TJA between 2006 and 2015. Nonelective admissions and hip fractures were excluded. Patients were stratified into two groups with and without concomitant ICD-9 diagnostic criteria that qualified them has having frailty. An analysis comparing the 2 groups' epidemiology, medical comorbidities, and propensity score-weighted postoperative clinical and economic outcomes was done. A total of 7,854,890 TJAs were included in this analysis, with 136,516 meeting the criteria for frailty and 7,718,374 being nonfrail. Among these patients, the average age was 67.3 years and the female distribution was 61.1%. Frail patients were found to have markedly higher rates of all but two individual comorbidities constituting the Modified Elixhauser Profile compared with nonfrail patients. Compared with the control group, frail patients were found to have increased risk of any postoperative complication, central nervous system complications, hematoma/seroma, wound dehiscence, infection, and postoperative anemia. Frail patients also had longer length of stay, higher discharge to rehabilitation facilities, and higher hospital charges. Patients with frailty undergoing TJA procedures are at a markedly higher risk for developing postoperative complications and worse hospital economic outcomes. As this patient population continues to increase, it is imperative for clinicians to use their risk factors in optimizing their perioperative care and support.

BMI disparities in coronary artery bypass grafting outcomes: A single center Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) database analysis

Disparities in Body Mass Index (BMI) has been a potential risk factor for intraoperative outcomes, postoperative morbidity and mortality after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). This study aims to quantify the effect of BMI on early clinical outcomes following CABG. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database was queried for adult patients who underwent first-time Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) patients in our center from 2014 to 2020. BMI and gender were investigated as primary risk factors for intraoperative outcomes, in-hospital postoperative outcomes, and hospital readmission using multiple logistic regression models. Propensity score weighting was used due to imbalances in the observational groups. Locally weighted smoothing (LOESS) plots of BMI were inspected for each outcome with a predicted probability plot of the interaction between BMI and gender. Among 591 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 79% were male (n=468) and 21% were female (n=124). Healthy(H), overweight/obese (O), and morbidly obese (MO) BMI was defined as <25, 25–35 and >35 respectively. There were significantly higher proportions of females in the healthy and obese categories, and males in the overweight BMI category (F vs M: H:33.9 vs 66.1% O: 15 vs 85%, MO:35 vs 65%, p < 0.001). Patient demographics and comorbidities are all well-balanced with no significant differences after propensity weighting. There was no significant difference in intraoperative outcomes including operating room time, cross clamp time, by-pass time and intraoperative blood loss requiring blood transfusion (p >0.05). Approximately half (49.16%) of patients had one or more in-hospital postoperative events, and 62 (10.56%) had hospital readmission follow discharge. After propensity weighting, the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) was significantly higher in the morbidly obese group (H: 1.5%, O: 0.6%, MO: 4.5%, p = 0.016) and pneumothorax requiring intervention appears to be significantly higher also for those in the morbidly obese group (H: 0.3%, O: 1%, MO: 2%, p = 0.028). Death at discharge was found to be significantly higher in the healthy group (H: 2.5%, O: 0.3%, MO: 0.3%, p = 0.028, p = 0.008). Loess plots for in-hospital postoperative events and hospital readmission by BMI and gender showed a slight downward trend in postoperative events as BMI increases. Healthy and morbidly obese patient appear to have slightly higher values of hospital readmission for both genders. There was no difference in perioperative outcomes among the cohort. Morbidly obese patients undergoing CABG have a higher risk of SSI. Mortality was higher in the underweight patients. In general, BMI disparities did not affect the risk of perioperative death and other adverse outcomes.

Comparative Analysis of the Ability of Machine Learning Models in Predicting In-hospital Postoperative Outcomes After Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Machine learning (ML) methods have shown promise in a wide range of applications including the development of patient-specific predictive models before surgical interventions. The purpose of this study was to develop, test, and compare four distinct ML models to predict postoperative parameters after primary total hip arthroplasty. Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample were used to identify patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty from 2016 to 2017. Linear support vector machine (LSVM), random forest (RF), neural network (NN), and extreme gradient boost trees (XGBoost) predictive of mortality, length of stay, and discharge disposition were developed and validated using 15 predictive patient-specific and hospital-specific factors. Area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic (AUCROC) curve and accuracy were used as validity metrics, and the strongest predictive variables under each model were assessed. A total of 177,442 patients were included in this analysis. For mortality, the XGBoost, NN, and LSVM models all had excellent responsiveness during validation while RF had fair responsiveness. LSVM had the highest responsiveness with an AUCROC of 0.973 during validation. For the length of stay, the LSVM and NN models had fair responsiveness while the XGBoost and random forest models had poor responsiveness. LSVM had the highest responsiveness with an AUCROC of 0.744 during validation. For the discharge disposition outcome, LSVM had good responsiveness while the XGBoost, NN, and RF models all had fair responsiveness. LSVM had the highest responsiveness with an AUCROC of 0.801. The ML methods tested demonstrated a range of poor-to-excellent responsiveness and accuracy in the prediction of the assessed metrics, with LSVM being the best performer. Such models should be further developed, with eventual integration into clinical practice to inform patient discussions and management decision making, with the potential for integration into tiered bundled payment models.

Underweight Body Mass Index Is Associated With Increased In-Hospital Complications and Length of Stay After Revision Total Joint Arthroplasty.

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of underweight status on in-hospital postoperative outcomes and complications after revision total joint arthroplasty (rTJA) of the hip and knee. Data from the National Inpatient Sample were used to identify all patients undergoing rTJA in the United States between 2006 and 2015. Patients were divided into two groups based on a concomitant diagnosis of underweight body mass index and a control normal weight group. Propensity score analysis was performed to determine whether underweight body mass index was a risk factor for in-hospital postoperative complications and resource utilization. A total of 865,993 rTJAs were analyzed. Within the study cohort, 2,272 patients were classified as underweight, whereas 863,721 were classified as a normal weight control group. Underweight patients had significantly higher rates of several comorbidities compared with the control cohort. Underweight patients had significantly higher rates of any complication (49.98% versus 33.68%, P = 0.0004) than normal weight patients. Underweight patients also had significantly greater length of stay compared with normal weight patients (6.50 versus 4.87 days, P < 0.0001). Underweight patients have notably higher rates of any complication and longer length of stay after rTJA than those who are not underweight. These results have important implications in preoperative patient discussions and perioperative management. Standardized preoperative protocols should be developed and instituted to improve outcomes in this patient cohort.

Predictive capacity of four machine learning models for in-hospital postoperative outcomes following total knee arthroplasty

BackgroundMachine learning (ML) methods have shown promise in the development of patient-specific predictive models prior to surgical interventions. The purpose of this study was to develop, test, and compare four distinct ML models to predict postoperative parameters following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). MethodsData from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to identify patients undergoing TKA during 2016–2017. Four distinct ML models predictive of mortality, length of stay (LOS), and discharge disposition were developed and validated using 15 predictive patient and hospital-specific factors. Area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCROC) and accuracy were used as validity metrics, and the strongest predictive variables under each model were assessed. ResultsA total of 305,577 patients were included. For mortality, the XGBoost, neural network (NN), and LSVM models all had excellent responsiveness during validation, while random forest (RF) had fair responsiveness. For predicting LOS, all four models had poor responsiveness. For the discharge disposition outcome, the LSVM, NN, and XGBoost models had good responsiveness, while the RF model had poor responsiveness. LSVM and XGBoost had the highest responsiveness for predicting discharge disposition with an AUCROC of 0.747. DiscussionThe ML models tested demonstrated a range of poor to excellent responsiveness and accuracy in the prediction of the assessed metrics, with considerable variability noted in the predictive precision between the models. The continued development of ML models should be encouraged, with eventual integration into clinical practice in order to inform patient discussions, management decision making, and health policy.

Nutrition and Frailty Status of Patients Undergoing Cardiovascular Surgery and Its Association With Postoperative Outcomes

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is a component of frailty syndrome characterized by weakness, poor nutritional status, and reduced cognitive function. Frailty has been recognized to adversely affect post–cardiovascular surgery outcomes, with studies primarily in the elderly. To date, there are no published Philippine data on malnutrition and frailty in cardiac surgery patients. METHODS: Malnutrition and frailty were assessed preoperatively in 111 adult patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery from October 2020 to February 2021. Nutrition Risk Screening (NRS) tool and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) were used for assessment, respectively. Their in-hospital postoperative outcomes were then observed. RESULTS: There were 57 patients (51%) diagnosed with malnutrition, 26 (23%) of whom were also frail. Advanced age, rheumatic heart disease, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease were significantly higher in the malnutrition and frail group. After multivariate analysis, mortality rate (odds ratio [OR], 7.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45–41.91; P = 0.017), prolonged hospitalization (OR, 5.96; 95% CI, 2.14–16.53; P = 0.001), mechanical ventilation (OR, 7.56; 95% CI, 1.81–31.62; P = 0.006), and nosocomial infections (OR, 13.57; 95% CI, 4.41–41.76; P &lt; 0.001) were found higher in patients with malnutrition and frailty. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of nutrition and frailty status using NRS and CFS was helpful in predicting postoperative outcomes. With a significant number of this population having malnutrition and frailty, there is a need to strengthen clinical pathways on perioperative nutrition and rehabilitation with the possibility of improving cardiovascular surgery outcomes. KEYWORDS: malnutrition, frailty, cardiovascular surgery, postoperative outcomes

Nutrition and frailty status of patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery and its association with postoperative outcomes

Abstract Background Malnutrition is a component of Frailty Syndrome characterized by weakness, poor nutritional status and reduced cognitive function. Frailty has been recognized to adversely affect post Cardiovascular Surgery outcomes in the elderly. In developing countries, Frailty can occur in younger patients from Rheumatic Heart Disease and earlier onset of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. There is limited data on frailty in the young. Methods Malnutrition and Frailty were assessed preoperatively in 111 adult patients undergoing Cardiovascular Surgery from October 2020 to February 2021. Nutrition Risk Screening Tool (NRS) and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) were used for assessment respectively. Their in-hospital postoperative outcomes was then observed. Results There were 57 patients (51%) diagnosed with malnutrition, 26 (23%) of which were also Frail. Advanced age, Rheumatic Heart Disease, Heart Failure and Chronic Kidney Disease was significantly higher in malnutrition and frail group. After multivariate analysis, mortality rate (odds ratio [OR] 7.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.45 - 41.91; P=.017), prolonged hospitalization (OR: 5.96; 95% CI: 2.14–16.53; P=.001), mechanical ventilation (OR: 7.56; 95% CI: 1.81–31.62; P=.006) and nosocomial infections (OR: 13.57; 95% CI: 4.41–41.76; P≤.001) were found higher in patients with malnutrition and frailty. Conclusion Evaluation of nutrition and frailty status using NRS and CFS was helpful in predicting postoperative outcomes. With a significant number of this population having Malnutrition and Frailty, there is a need to strengthen clinical pathways on perioperative nutrition and rehabilitation with the possibility of improving Cardiovascular Surgery outcomes. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Intraoperative Goal-Directed Therapies in Femoral and Pelvic Osteotomies in Children and In-Hospital Postoperative Outcomes

Background: Femoral and pelvic osteotomies are potential hemorrhagic interventions where transfusion requirements can be necessary. Objective: We undertook a secondary analysis of patients who underwent femoral and pelvic osteotomy in the initial cohort. The objective of this secondary analysis was to describe intraoperative and postoperative outcomes and to describe intraoperative management in these patients in terms of blood product management and fluid and hemodynamic therapy with the aim of implementing optimization management protocols for postoperative outcome improvement. Methods: A secondary analysis of patients who underwent femoral and pelvic osteotomy surgery was included in the initial retrospective study. Results: There were eighteen patients with a mean age of 104 ± 47.1 months. Four (22.2%) patients had intraoperative and/or postoperative complications. One patient (5.6%) had an intraoperative hemorrhagic shock, two patients (11.1%) had postoperative neurologic failure, and one patient (5.6%) had postoperative wound sepsis. The transfusion rate was 50% in nine patients. Conclusion: Femoral and pelvic osteotomies are interventions where blood, transfusion and fluid requirements can be increased; thus, this implies the necessity of a global patient blood management protocol with point-of-care tests and fluid- and hemodynamic-guided protocols with validated tools in children for intraoperative and postoperative outcome optimization.

Left Ventricular Remodeling Shortly after Open Mitral Valve Replacement for Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis.

Introduction Left ventricular dysfunction after surgical treatment of mitral stenosis is uncommon. We intend to determine the pattern of left ventricular remodeling, shortly after open mitral valve replacement for rheumatic mitral stenosis, with in-hospital postoperative outcomes and the determinants of postoperative worsening of left ventricular ejection fraction.Methods From January 2008 to January 2015, 107 adult patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis were submitted to open mitral valve replacement. Their mean age was 45±11 years and 93 (86.9%) were women. Left ventricular morphology and function were studied longitudinally with echocardiography. The end point was postoperative worsening of left ventricular ejection fraction, defined by a decrease of 10% compared to preoperative basal assessment. Determinants of worsening left ventricular ejection fraction were determined by multivariable logistic regression analysis.Results The end point occurred in 18 patients (16.8%). We tested clinical and echocardiographic parameters to verify independent variables related to the decrease in postoperative ejection fraction. Lower body weight (P=0.005; odds ratio [OR]=0.89) and smaller preoperative mitral valve area (P=0.02; OR=0.02) were independent predictors of left ventricular dysfunction. These patients presented higher mortality and morbidity rates.Conclusion Left ventricular remodeling patterns differed among patients with predominant rheumatic mitral stenosis undergoing open mitral valve replacement. Lower preoperative body weight and mitral valve area were independent determinants of deteriorating ejection fraction with increased end-systolic volumes, indicating that this specific problem may occur in anthropometric smaller patients with more extensive rheumatic disease.

What Does a Diagnosis of Depression Mean for Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery?

BackgroundDepression has been linked to increased morbidity and mortality in patients after surgery. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of documented depression diagnosis on in-hospital postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Materials and methodsPatients from the National Inpatient Sample (2002-2017) who underwent proctectomies and colectomies were included. The outcomes measured included total hospital charge, length of stay, delirium, wound infection, urinary tract infection (UTI), pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, mortality, paralytic ileus, leak, and discharge trends. Multivariable logistic and Poisson regression analyses were performed. ResultsOf the 4,212,125 patients, depression diagnosis was present in 6.72% of patients who underwent colectomy and 6.54% of patients who underwent proctectomy. Regardless of procedure type, patients with depression had higher total hospital charges and greater rates of delirium, wound infection, UTI, leak, and nonroutine discharge, with no difference in length of stay. On adjusted analysis, patients with a depression diagnosis who underwent colectomies had increased risk of delirium (odds ratio (OR) 2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.93-2.32), wound infection (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.03-1.12), UTI (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.10-1.20), paralytic ileus (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.09), and leak (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.30-1.43). Patients who underwent proctectomy showed similar results, with the addition of significantly increased total hospital charges among the depression group. Depression diagnosis was independently associated with lower risk of in-hospital mortality (colectomy OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.53-0.62; proctectomy OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.55-0.94). ConclusionsPatients with a diagnosis of depression suffer worse in-hospital outcomes but experience lower risk of in-hospital mortality after undergoing colorectal surgery. Further studies are needed to validate and fully understand the driving factors behind this.

Chronic kidney disease impact on total joint arthroplasty outcomes: A National Inpatient Sample-based study.

In the United States, chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects roughly 11% of the population or 19.2 million people. As the prevalence of CKD and demand for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) continue to rise, it is critical to assess the impact of CKD on postoperative clinical and economic outcomes. Discharge data from 2006 to 2011 National Inpatient Sample were used for this study. A total of 851,150 TJA patients were divided into three cohorts: group 1 included no CKD, CKD stage I, and CKD stage II; group 2 included CKD stage III and stage IV; group 3 included CKD stage V. Inverse probability of treatment weighting/propensity score weighting was used to predict outcome variables as a function of age, sex, and Elixhauser comorbidities. Patients were compared against group I for in-hospital postoperative outcomes. Stage III/IV CKD patients undergoing primary TJA had higher odds of any complication (odds ratio (OR), 2.63; p < 0.0001), longer length of stay (LOS), and higher total charge (LOS, 4.34 vs. 3.48 days; total charge, US$56,003 vs. US$46,115; p < 0.0001) when compared to patients with no CKD/stage I or II. Similarly, stage V CKD patients undergoing primary TJA had higher odds of any complication (OR, 1.64; p < 0.0001), longer LOS, and higher total charges (LOS, 5.81 vs. 3.48 days; total charge, US$59,869 vs. US$46,115) than their counterparts with no CKD/stage I or II CKD. Our results indicate that stage III, IV, or V CKD, compared with those with no CKD, stage I or II patients are at a greater risk for postoperative complications and consume more resources following TJA.

Chronic Kidney Disease Impact on Total Joint Arthroplasty Outcomes: A National Inpatient Sample Based Study

INTRODUCTIONIn the United States, chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects roughly 11% of the population or 19.2 million people. As the prevalence of CKD and demand for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) continue to rise, it is critical to assess the impact of CKD on post‐operative clinical and economic outcomes.METHODSDischarge data from 2006–2011 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used for this study. A total of 851,150 TJA patients were divided into 3 cohorts: Group 1 included no CKD, CKD Stage I, and CKD Stage II; Group 2 included CKD Stage III and Stage IV; Group 3 included CKD Stage V. Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (IPTW)/Propensity Score Weighting was used to predict outcome variables as a function of age, sex, and Elixhauser comorbidities. Patients were compared against group I for in‐hospital postoperative outcomes.RESULTSStage III/IV CKD patients undergoing primary TJA had higher odds of any complication (odds ratio [OR], 2.63; P&lt;0.0001), longer length of stay, and higher total charge (length of stay [LOS], 4.34 vs 3.48 days; total charge, $56,003 vs $46,115; P&lt;0.0001) when compared to patients with no CKD/Stage I or II. Similarly, Stage V CKD patients undergoing primary TJA had higher odds of any complication (OR, 1.64, P&lt;0.0001), longer LOS, and higher total charges (LOS, 5.81 vs 3.48 days; total charge, $59,869 vs $46,115) than their counterparts with no CKD/Stage I or II CKD.DISCUSSIONOur results indicate that Stage III, IV, or V CKD, compared with those with no CKD, Stage I or II patients are at a greater risk for postoperative complications and consume more resources following TJA.

THE IMPACT OF ROTATIONAL THROMBOELASTOMETRY (ROTEM) ON IN-HOSPITAL OUTCOMES AND BLOOD PRODUCT UTILIZATION FOLLOWING CARDIAC SURGERY

Point-of-care viscoelastic coagulation testing, including rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) and thromboelastography (TEG), was introduced in cardiac surgery to allow for the quick diagnosis of coagulopathies and for the targeted treatment of bleeding patients. Despite the purported benefits of these tests, studies evaluating their value have proven conflicting in their results. The purpose of this study was to determine the contemporary effect of ROTEM on in-hospital outcomes and blood product utilization in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Patients undergoing first-time, non-emergent cardiac surgery at the New Brunswick Heart Centre were considered. ROTEM was implemented at the New Brunswick Heart Centre over the course of 2016. As such, pre-ROTEM patients included those operated on in 2015, while post-ROTEM patients included those operated on in 2017. Comparisons were made on the basis of baseline characteristics, intra-operative characteristics, in-hospital post-operative outcomes and rates of blood product utilization intra-operatively and/or within the first 24 hours following surgery. A total of 1,438 patients were included (pre-ROTEM: n=691; post-ROTEM: n=747). ROTEM was used in 0% of pre-ROTEM and 15.5% of post-ROTEM patients. No differences in baseline characteristics were noted, including age≥70 years (39.1% vs. 38.2%, p=0.76), female sex (22.6% vs. 21.7%, p=0.73), BMI≥30kg/m2 (40.4% vs. 39.2%, p=0.71), renal failure (3.9% vs. 3.6%, p=0.88), urgent status (55.3% vs. 57.3%, p=0.47) and mean baseline hematocrit (36.3% vs. 36.5%, p=0.56). Intra-operatively, pre-ROTEM patients were less likely to undergo isolated CABG and isolated valve procedures and more likely to undergo combined CABG/valve and other procedures (p < 0.0001). In-hospital mortality (2.5% vs. 1.5%, p=0.25), re-operation for bleeding (0.7% vs. 1.9%, p=0.09) and stroke (1.0% vs. 1.9%, p=0.25) did not differ between the two groups. While rates of coagulation product use, defined as ≥1 dose of FFP, platelets, cryoprecipitate, FEIBA and/or fibrinogen concentrate, were comparable between the pre- and post-ROTEM patients, rates of pRBC use were lower in the post-ROTEM population (Table 1). Following risk adjustment, ROTEM was significantly associated with reduced pRBC use (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.39-0.73,p < 0.0001) but was not associated with coagulation product use (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.64-1.21,p=0.43). The institution of ROTEM at our centre did not have an effect on in-hospital outcomes or coagulation product utilization. It was, however, associated with reduced pRBC use, although it is not clear as to whether or not this phenomenon was the result of ROTEM use or the result of overall changes in clinical practice patterns.

National patient experience data and correlation with in-hospital adverse gynecologic cancer surgical outcomes.

21 Background: The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is a patient experience and quality of care measure that impacts hospital reimbursement. HCAHPS data is made available to the public through Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Given the potential implications for healthcare decision-making, this study sought to determine the utility of hospital-level data from the HCAHPS survey as a predictor of in-hospital postoperative outcomes in gynecologic cancer patients by creating a link with the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, an inpatient care database developed for the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). Methods: 2009-2011 HCAHPS survey data was used to assign hospitals into terciles by scores. The NIS database was used to identify admissions for cancer-specific surgeries for patients with ovarian, uterine, and cervical cancers. Outcomes included complications, mortality, and prolonged length of stay. Mixed effects models compared correlation of outcomes and HCAHPS scores, after adjustment for patient-level and hospital-level variables. Results: 17,509 linked encounters in 651 hospitals across the U.S. were identified, with 51% uterine, 40% ovarian, and 9% cervical cancer surgical admissions. In-hospital mortality was less likely in hospitals in the highest vs. lowest tercile of summary HCAHPS scores (odds ratio (OR) 0.54, 95% CI: 0.31-0.94). While higher scores were not associated with overall postoperative complications, by complication subcategory, admissions in top tercile hospitals were less likely to have surgical complications (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.69-0.98). No differences were found in risk of medical or nursing-related complications, or prolonged hospitalization (p &gt; 0.05). Conclusions: For patients undergoing gynecologic oncology surgery, assessment of patient experience has limited correlation with in-hospital adverse surgical outcomes. Awareness of the limitations of HCAHPS survey data may better inform patients as consumers and highlights the importance for transparency of relevant quality measures.

Validity time of normal results of preoperative tests for surgical reintervention and the impact on postoperative outcomes

There are few data defining the period of time in which preoperative tests can be considered valid. The purpose of this study was to determine the likelihood of changes in the results of preoperative tests previously normal in relation to time, and the impact of these changes on postoperative outcomes. A total of 970 patients with normal preoperative tests before the first surgery and who required a new intervention were included. The preoperative tests performed for the first procedure were compared with those performed for the second procedure. The following variables were assessed regarding their potential to induce changes in test results: sex, age, surgical risk, previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and presence of comorbidities. In-hospital outcomes were analyzed. The median time between procedures was 27 months (6-84). The probability of change in at least one of the preoperative exams was 1.7% (95% CI: 0.5-2.9), 3.6% (95% CI: 1.8-5.4), and 6.4% (95% CI: 3.9-8.9) during the 12, 24, and 36-month intervals, respectively, for patients aged <50 years and 2.1% (95% CI: 0.7-3.5), 9.2% (95% CI: 5.9-12.5), and 13.4% (95% CI: 9.3-17.5), respectively, for patients ≥ 50 years of age. Age (p=0.009), surgical risk (p <0.001), chemotherapy (p=0.001), radiotherapy (p=0.012), and comorbidities (p <0.001) were associated with the likelihood of changes in test results. Test changes were not significantly associated with in-hospital adverse outcomes (p=0.426). For patients undergoing a second surgical procedure, the probability of change in previously normal preoperative tests is low during the first years after the first surgical intervention, and when changes occurred, they did not adversely affect the in-hospital postoperative outcomes.

Validity time of normal results of preoperative tests for surgical reintervention and the impact on postoperative outcomes

Background and objectiveThere are few data defining the period of time in which preoperative tests can be considered valid. The purpose of this study was to determine the likelihood of changes in the results of preoperative tests previously normal in relation to time, and the impact of these changes on postoperative outcomes. MethodsA total of 970 patients with normal preoperative tests before the first surgery and who required a new intervention were included. The preoperative tests performed for the first procedure were compared with those performed for the second procedure. The following variables were assessed regarding their potential to induce changes in test results: sex, age, surgical risk, previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and presence of comorbidities. In-hospital outcomes were analyzed. ResultsThe median time between procedures was 27 months (6–84). The probability of change in at least one of the preoperative exams was 1.7% (95% CI: 0.5–2.9), 3.6% (95% CI: 1.8–5.4), and 6.4% (95% CI: 3.9–8.9) during the 12, 24, and 36-month intervals, respectively, for patients aged <50 years and 2.1% (95% CI: 0.7–3.5), 9.2% (95% CI: 5.9–12.5), and 13.4% (95% CI: 9.3–17.5), respectively, for patients ≥50 years of age. Age (p=0.009), surgical risk (p<0.001), chemotherapy (p=0.001), radiotherapy (p=0.012), and comorbidities (p<0.001) were associated with the likelihood of changes in test results. Test changes were not significantly associated with in-hospital adverse outcomes (p=0.426). ConclusionFor patients undergoing a second surgical procedure, the probability of change in previously normal preoperative tests is low during the first years after the first surgical intervention, and when changes occurred, they did not adversely affect the in-hospital postoperative outcomes.

Ultrafast Track Robotic-Assisted Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Surgical Revascularization.

Contemporary anesthetic techniques have enabled shorter sedation and early extubation in off-pump and minimally invasive coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery. Robotic-assisted CABG represents the optimal surgical approach for ultrafast track anesthesia, with patients able to bypass the cardiac surgical intensive care unit with recovery in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and inpatient ward. In-hospital postoperative outcomes from ninety patients who underwent either elective or urgent robotically-assisted CABG at our institution were reviewed. These patients were carefully selected by a multidisciplinary team to undergo fast-track anesthesia: extubation in the operating room, 4-hour recovery in the postanesthesia care unit and transfer to the inpatient ward. Intrathecal, paravertebral local, and patient-controlled anesthesia techniques were used to facilitate transition to oral analgesics. Average patient age was 61 ± 9 years. Sixty-six patients (73%) were male. Seventy cases were elective, and 20 patients required urgent revascularization. All patients underwent intraoperative angiography after graft construction, which revealed Fitzgibbon class A grafts. There were no in-hospital mortalities. One patient required re-exploration for bleeding, through the same minimally invasive incision, did not require conversion to sternotomy for bleeding, and was transferred to the intensive care unit postexploration for bleeding for standard postoperative care. Postoperative complications were limited to one superficial wound infection. The mean hospital length of stay was 3.5 ± 1.17 days. In patients undergoing robotic-assisted CABG, ultrafast-track cardiac surgery with immediate postprocedure extubation and transfer to the inpatient ward has been demonstrated to be safe with no increase in perioperative morbidity or mortality. It requires a dedicated heart team with a carefully selected group of patients. Avoiding cardiac surgical intensive care unit expedites recovery, with possible avoidance of infection and early discharge from hospital.