Major Elective Surgery Research Articles

Correction to: Effect of home-based prehabilitation on objectively measured physical activity in patients undergoing elective major cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. Data from a randomized controlled trial.

Correction to: Effect of home-based prehabilitation on objectively measured physical activity in patients undergoing elective major cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. Data from a randomized controlled trial.

Efficacy of a pre-operative anaemia clinic in patients undergoing elective abdominal cancer surgery.

Pre-operative iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is common in patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery and is associated with increased risk of perioperative complications. However, widespread implementation of pre-operative anaemia management is lacking. Guidelines recommend investigation of anaemia preferably 4-6 weeks before surgery to allow time for correction. However, this is not always feasible in abdominal cancer surgery with short time to surgery and may be influenced by concomitant chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of implementing a pre-operative screening and treatment programme for IDA in elective abdominal cancer surgery patients, with short duration to surgery and concomitant use of chemotherapy. All patients scheduled for elective abdominal cancer surgery with IDA were included. Anaemia was defined according to the World Health Organization-criteria and iron deficiency as a transferrin saturation <0.20. The primary outcome was change in haemoglobin (Hb) between iron infusion and surgery in patients receiving pre-operative intravenous iron infusion. Of 178 diagnosed IDA patients 134 (75%) received intravenous iron, 103 pre-operatively (58%) at median day 17 (interquartile range: 9-27) before surgery while 31 (17%) received post-operative intravenous iron treatment. The pre-operative Hb increased 0.89 g/dL (95% CI: 0.64-1.13, p < .001) compared to a decrease of 0.4 g/dL (95% CI: 0.19-0.58, p < .001) in 75 patients not treated pre-operatively. Patients diagnosed with severe anaemia had the largest pre-operative Hb increase. Iron infusion >2 weeks pre-operatively resulted in a greater Hb increment of 1.13 g/dL (95% CI: 0.81-1.45) compared to iron infusion ≤2 weeks before surgery 0.48 g/dL (95% CI: 0.16-0.81). Hb increased by 0.64 g/dL (95% CI 0.19-1.21) in patients receiving chemotherapy ≤31 days prior to surgery. In patients scheduled for abdominal cancer surgery, including in patients with concomitant chemotherapy, pre-operative IDA management is feasible and results in a significant pre-operative Hb increase compared to patients not treated. On the day of surgery 25% patients treated pre-operatively were no longer anaemic.

Comparative Outcome Following Introduction Of Chest Physiotherapy At Hospital Setting After Major Abdominal Surgery

Background: Postoperative respiratory complications are still a matter of ‘folds in forehead’ for surgeons. Though optimum pre-operative preparation and good surgical technique, we always observe that there are some sorts of post-operative chest complications after major abdominal surgery. Now-a-days, chest physiotherapy is usually advised by the surgeons in the immediate postoperative period. But still it is not in a constructive way. There is no well-documented study regarding the effectiveness of chest physiotherapy in an immediate post-operative period of major upper abdominal surgery. So, this is a time demanding study in this regard. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of chest physiotherapy during the immediate postoperative period among patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery. Methods: All patients who underwent major abdominal surgery were selected by purposive sampling. Thereafter, they were scrutinized according to eligibility criteria and 100 patients were finalized. Among them, 50 were enrolled under control group and rest 50 were enrolled under study group. This experimental study was conducted in department of Surgery, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, from March 2017 to December 2017. Results: The mean age of the participants in control and study groups were 49.73±15.91 year and 53.77±12.21 year respectively. The female to male ratio in these groups was 1:2.13 and 1:3.17 respectively. Two groups presented similar levels of pain before and after surgery. The group receiving chest physiotherapy presented a lower pain score on the immediate postoperative day. The preoperative spirometry values (expressed as a percentage of the predicted values) were almost similar in two groups and presented average decreases of 20% in FVC, FEV, and PEF on the 14th post-operative day. It was observed that the measurements of oxygen-hemoglobin saturations were different for the control (96.7±1.6 vs 95.2±1.8; p=0.005) and study group (97.3±1.8 vs 94.6±2.5; p=0.03). Respiratory distress was not significantly higher in control group but interestingly there were statistically significant differences observed between the control and study group regarding fever, Surgical site infection (SSI) and mean hospital stay. Conclusion: Chest physiotherapy in major abdominal surgery shows an excellent outcome that accelerates the overall recovery. J Dhaka Med Coll. 2022; 31(2) : 177-181

Intra- and postoperative relative angiotensin II deficiency in patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery.

The classical axis of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) makes an important contribution to blood pressure regulation under general anesthesia via the vasopressor angiotensin II (Ang II). As part of the alternative RAS, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) modulates the pro-inflammatory and fibrotic effects of Ang II by processing it into the organ-protective Ang 1-7, which is cleaved to Ang 1-5 by ACE. Although the levels of ACE2 may be associated with postoperative complications, alternative RAS metabolites have never been studied perioperatively. This study was designed to investigate the perioperative kinetics and balance of both RAS axes around major abdominal surgery. In this observational cohort study, 35 patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery were included. Blood sampling was performed before and after induction of anesthesia, at 1 h after skin incision, at the end of surgery, and on postoperative days (POD) 1, 3, and 7. The equilibrium concentrations of Ang I-IV, Ang 1-7, and Ang 1-5 in plasma were quantified using mass spectrometry. The plasma protein levels of ACE and ACE2 were measured with ELISA. Surgery caused a rapid, transient, and primarily renin-dependent activation of both RAS axes that returned to baseline on POD 1, followed by suppression. After induction, the Ang II/Ang I ratio persistently decreased, while the ACE levels started to increase on POD 1 (all p < 0.01 versus before anesthesia). Conversely, the ACE2 levels increased on POD 3 and 7 (both p < 0.001 versus before anesthesia), when the median Ang 1-7 concentrations were unquantifiably low. The postoperative elevation of ACE2 may prolong the decrease of the Ang II/Ang I ratio through the increased processing of Ang II. Further clarification of the intraoperative factors leading to relative Ang II deficiency and the sources of postoperatively elevated ACE2 is warranted.

Impact of Epidural Catheter-Incision Congruency on Postoperative Analgesia after Major Abdominal Surgery: An Observational Study in a Teaching Hospital.

To determine the frequency of appropriate epidural catheter-incision congruency in adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgeries, as well as the frequency of ineffective postoperative analgesia with continuous epidural infusion, side effects, and complications of epidural insertion and epidural catheter infusion. Observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Anaesthesiology, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, from September to November 2022. All adult patients who underwent elective major abdominal surgery under general anaesthesia with epidural analgesia were included in this study. Data were collected by chart review of the patients enrolled in Acute Pain Service for the study period. Intraoperative anaesthesia form, epidural infusion form and all records of acute pain service for the postoperative period were reviewed and recorded. One hundred and eighty-two patients were included in this study. The epidural catheter was inserted congruent to the surgical incision i.e. T10-T11 level or above in 43 (23.6%) patients only. In the postoperative period, overall effective epidural analgesia was observed in 79 (43.4%) of the patients. Motor block in lower limbs was observed in 66 (36.26%) of patients in the immediate postoperative period. The present study shows appropriate epidural catheter-incision congruency in only 23.6% of the patients. This could be one of the common reasons for ineffective postoperative pain relief via epidural analgesia in 56.6% of patients. Epidural catheter insertion site, Major abdominal surgeries, Postoperative analgesia.

Comparison of Transesophageal Echocardiography Probe as Surface Probe with Vascular Probe During Right Internal Jugular Vein Catheterization in Cardiac Surgeries.

USG vascular probe and TEE probe can help during central venous catheterization (CVC) and can confirm the location of guide wire in the neck vessels. We proposed this study, as there are only few studies comparing between TEE probe as surface probe and USG vascular probe for right IJV cannulation. To compare the TEE probe as a surface probe and USG vascular probe during right IJV catheterization in cardiac surgeries. Prospective, comparative study. One twenty-four patients of either sex posted for major elective cardiac surgery were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups (TEE group and USG group) of 62 by assigning the study participants alternatively to each group. The goal of this study was to compare the puncture time, visualization of IJV to first successful puncture, quality of the imaging with needle tip positioning, and catheter positioning using both TEE probe and vascular probe. The primary outcome was comparison of time from visualization of the IJV to successful puncture using both TEE probe as a surface probe and vascular probe. Secondary outcome was to compare the quality of image with respect to needle tip positioning and compare quality of image with respect to catheter position using both probes. Statistical analyses were performed by using a statistical software package SPSS, version 20.0. The observation and results of our study clearly show the feasibility of TEE as surface probe for guiding central venous catheter in right IJV just like the vascular linear probe. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). No statistical differences were found in the puncture time, image quality, needle tip positioning, wire positioning, and catheter positioning between the two groups. All the P values were greater than 0.05. The TEE probe can be used as an alternative method to guide IJV puncturing and catheterization when the vascular probe is not available. It is feasible especially in cardiac surgeries where the TEE monitoring machine is a must in modern anesthesia and readily available than an ultrasound machine.

The Use of Narco SS Score in Predicting Adverse Events in Children Undergoing Major Elective Abdominal Surgery at The University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.

The neurological, airway, respiratory, cardiovascular and other, with a subscore of surgical severity (NARCO-SS) is a scoring system which assesses the presence of systemic disease and the risk the operation poses to the patient. A number of patients that undergo major abdominal surgery suffer adverse events. The aim of the study was to determine the reliability of NARCO-SS in predicting peri-operative adverse events and to determine the risk factors for peri-operative adverse events in paediatric patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery. Prospective cohort study. Consecutively sampled patients from December 2019 to December 2020 were used. Patients scheduled for elective abdominal surgery were scored pre-operatively and end points were; when an adverse event occurred or up to day 30. Analysis of the reliability of the tool, bivariate and multivariate logistics regression was done. One hundred and nineteen patients were enrolled and 49% of them had adverse events. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses showed no significant association between the NARCO-SS score and the occurrence of adverse events. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (area under the curve) of the NARCO-SS for adverse events was 0.518; there was a significant correlation between high scores and mortality. Longer duration of surgery and complex surgery were the risk factors for adverse events. The NARCO-SS score was found to be a poor predictor of adverse events with a fair inter-rater reliability as a scoring tool. Future research could evaluate a modification of neurological and airway categories.

Does investigating an elevated C-reactive protein detect infectious complications earlier after major colorectal surgery? A prospective clinical trial.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a useful negative predictor of infectious complications following colorectal surgery. Whilst a CRP level below reported cut-offs on postoperative day (POD) 3 to 5 can be reassuring, it can be difficult to interpret an elevated CRP above these cut-offs. This study evaluated whether investigating an elevated CRP on POD 3-5 allows earlier detection of infectious complications. Adult patients undergoing elective colonic or rectal resection were prospectively evaluated over two consecutive time periods. Group 1 had CRP levels measured on POD 3-5 with routine clinical care while Group 2 followed an algorithm where CRP levels above certain cut-offs (170 mg/L on POD3, 125 mg/L on POD4, or increase of 50 units from POD 3-4 or POD 4-5) led to an abdominopelvic CT scan and septic screen. Complications were graded as per the Clavien-Dindo classification and Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI). 120 patients were included in Group 1 and 60 patients were included in Group 2. There were no significant differences between the two groups with regards to patient, operation or disease characteristics. Whilst the overall complication burden was significantly greater in Group 2 (CCI 29.6 versus 12.2, P < 0.001), there were no significant differences between the groups in the day of diagnosis of infectious complication, the overall incidence, or type of complications. Early investigation of an elevated or increasing CRP on POD 3-5 following elective major colorectal surgery did not allow earlier detection of infectious complications.

A prospective study on risk assessment and prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in general surgery patients.

To evaluate the patients at risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) based on Caprini VTE risk assessment scale and the effect of implementation of this scale on the use of thromboprophylaxis. A prospective study was conducted, including patients who underwent major elective surgical procedures. Demographic details were noted, and VTE prophylaxis offered if needed. According to the VTE risk assessment scale, patients were categorised into very low-, low-, moderate-, and high-risk categories. The data were analysed statistically. A total of 500 patients (women = 259; men = 241) were enrolled in this study. Of them, eight women and nine men developed VTE (P = 0.691). The maximum number of patients who developed VTE belonged to 61-70 years group (n = 7). According to VTE risk assessment, 61 patients were categorised as low-risk, 217 patients as moderate-risk, and 222 patients were categorised as high-risk. A significant (P < 0.0005) correlation was found between body mass index (BMI) and VTE development. In obese patients with BMI >25, 14 patients developed VTE. Out of total, 329 patients received prophylaxis for deep vein thrombosis. Of 284 patients who received pharmacologic prophylaxis, only three developed VTE (P = 0.002). Of 145 patients who received mechanical prophylaxis, 75 had high risk and none of them developed VTE. Four patients had mortality, and a significant (P = 0.022) correlation was found between mortality and VTE development. According to Caprini risk assessment scale, the prophylaxis for VTE was effective in patients undergoing major elective general surgery, resulting in significant lowering of morbidity and mortality.

Volatile vs Total intravenous Anaesthesia for major non-cardiac surgery: a pragmatic randomised triaL (VITAL)

BackgroundImproving outcomes after surgery is a major public health research priority for patients, clinicians and the NHS. The greatest burden of perioperative complications, mortality and healthcare costs lies amongst the population of patients aged over 50 years who undergo major non-cardiac surgery. The Volatile vs Total Intravenous Anaesthesia for major non-cardiac surgery (VITAL) trial specifically examines the effect of anaesthetic technique on key patient outcomes: quality of recovery after surgery (quality of recovery after anaesthesia, patient satisfaction and major post-operative complications), survival and patient safety.MethodsA multi-centre pragmatic efficient randomised trial with health economic evaluation comparing total intravenous anaesthesia with volatile-based anaesthesia in adults (aged 50 and over) undergoing elective major non-cardiac surgery under general anaesthesia.DiscussionGiven the very large number of patients exposed to general anaesthesia every year, even small differences in outcome between the two techniques could result in substantial excess harm. Results from the VITAL trial will ensure patients can benefit from the very safest anaesthesia care, promoting an early return home, reducing healthcare costs and maximising the health benefits of surgical treatments.Trial registrationISRCTN62903453. September 09, 2021.

Adverse postoperative outcomes in elderly patients with sarcopenia

PurposeNo study has compared 30-day and 90-day adverse postoperative outcomes between old-age patients with and those without sarcopenia.Patients and methodsWe categorize elderly patients receiving major surgery into two groups according to the presence or absence of preoperative sarcopenia that were matched at a 1:4 ratio through propensity score matching (PSM). We analyzed 30-day or 90-day adverse postoperative outcomes and mortality in patients with and without sarcopenia receiving major surgery.ResultsMultivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the patients with preoperative sarcopenia were at significantly higher risk of 30-day postoperative mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]. = 1.25; 95% confidence interval [CI]. = 1.03–1.52) and 30-day major complications such as postoperative pneumonia (aOR = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.00-1.40), postoperative bleeding (aOR = 2.18; 95% CI = 1.04–4.57), septicemia (aOR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.03–1.66), and overall complications (aOR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.00-1.46). In addition, surgical patients with sarcopenia were at significantly higher risk of 90-day postoperative mortality (aOR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.29–1.74) and 90-day major complications such as pneumonia (aOR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.10–1.47), postoperative bleeding (aOR = 1.90; 95% CI = 1.04–3.48), septicemia (aOR = 1.52; 95% CI = 1.28–1.82), and overall complications (aOR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.08–1.42).ConclusionsSarcopenia is an independent risk factor for 30-day and 90-day adverse postoperative outcomes such as pneumonia, postoperative bleeding, and septicemia and increases 30-day and 90-day postoperative mortality among patients receiving major surgery.Condensed abstractNo study has compared 30-day and 90-day adverse postoperative outcomes between patients with and those without sarcopenia. We conducted a propensity score?matched (PSM) population-based cohort study to investigate the adverse postoperative outcomes and mortality in patients undergoing major elective surgery with preoperative sarcopenia versus those without preoperative sarcopenia. We demonstrated that sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for 30-day and 90-day adverse postoperative outcomes, such as postoperative pneumonia, bleeding, septicemia, and mortality after major surgery. Therefore, surgeons and anesthesiologists should attempt to correct preoperative sarcopenia, swallowing function, and respiratory muscle training before elective surgery to reduce postoperative complications that contribute to the decrease in surgical mortality.

Development of a nomogram for predicting perioperative blood transfusions in major hepatobiliary and colorectal surgeries: a retrospective study

Background: Major hepatobiliary and colorectal surgeries are associated with a risk of blood transfusions. However, risk assessment tools for predicting blood transfusions have not been studied extensively among patients undergoing these types of surgeries. We evaluated the risk factors for perioperative blood transfusions in patients who underwent major hepatobiliary and colorectal surgeries and subsequently created a nomogram. Methods: Medical records of patients who underwent elective major hepatobiliary and colorectal surgeries in a single university hospital in Malaysia from 2015 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. A nomogram to predict transfusions risk was developed, and its discriminatory ability was tested using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: Data from 293 patients (61.1% male) with an average age of 59.7 years (± SD 14.51) were analysed. The prevalence of anaemia was 61.1%. A total of 127 patients (43.3%) received at least 1 unit of packed red cells transfusions. On multivariable analysis, gender (odds ratio [OR 1.646), preoperative haemoglobin of 8.0 g/dl or less (OR 0.777), Charlson Comorbidity Index score (OR 1.14) and procedure type (versus colonic surgery, major hepatectomy, OR 6.094; other pancreatomy, OR 1.487; Whipple’s procedure, OR 9.667; and anterior resection, OR 3.569) were associated with a significantly higher risk of transfusions. All 4 of these factors were included in the nomogram. The nomogram’s discrimination and calibration results showed an AUROC curve of 0.754. Conclusion: The nomogram effectively predicted the need for blood transfusions in major colorectal and hepatobiliary surgeries in our patients.

Evaluation of antimicrobial stewardship implementation in elective surgery in dr Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital using Gyssens Method

Introduction. Nowadays, surgical site infections (SSI) remain the most common complication of surgical procedures. In prevention, prophylactic antibiotics are the first option, which leads to the high use of antibiotics. However, antibiotic administration should be based on strategies such as stewardship. Thus, the study aimed to assess the situation using Gyssens' method. Method. A retrospective cohort study analyzed the antibiotic administration of most major elective surgeries, including thyroidectomy, mastectomy, and cholecystectomy, proceeded in Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia, from January to July 2023. Indication, type, dosage, timing, interval, duration, and route of administration were the variables of interest. Results. Of 191 subjects who underwent the most common elective surgery procedures, 30 used combination antibiotics. Gyssens category 0 consists of 165 subjects (86.5%), and 11 subjects (5.8%) were classified as category IIA, indicating inappropriate dose (inadequate, insufficient). Inaccuracies were identified as mistimed administration (5.8%), less effective antibiotic selection (3.1%), incorrect dosage (2.6%), and inappropriate timing (2.1%). The association of Gyssens categories with SSIs showed a p-value of &gt; 0.05 with an odds ratio of 1, indicating that both appropriate and inappropriate antibiotics of the Gyssens category showed no impact on SSIs or non–SSIs. Conclusion. The adherence to antimicrobial stewardship in the most common elective surgery in the Department of Surgery, dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital was 86.4 and subjected to improvement.

Effects of Perioperative Glycemic Management Protocol on Glycemic Outcomes of Type 2 Diabetic Patients Undergoing Major Abdominal Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study

PurposeThis study aimed to reveal the effects of a glycemic control protocol directed by nurses during the perioperative period on glycemic outcomes in diabetic patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. DesignThis was a prospective cohort study MethodsThe study was conducted at the Department of General Surgery of a research and training hospital in Turkey. The study included 47 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who underwent elective major abdominal surgery between September 2017 and December 2018. The number of patients in the intervention and the control groups was 22 and 25, respectively. Routine clinical glycemic control was implemented in the control group, whereas a glycemic management protocol developed by a multidisciplinary team was implemented in the intervention group. We collected data on the control group first, followed by the introduction of the glycemic management protocol to clinical staff and glycemia data collection using the new protocol. Blood glucose (BG) levels in patients and the factors that may affect BG were measured in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods. Data on glycemic control was also collected. Furthermore, we measured the satisfaction of the nurses implementing the glycemic management protocol. FindingsThe rate of hyperglycemia in intensive care unit was 21% in the intervention group and 59% in the control group (P < .05). Time spent in the target BG range during insulin infusion was 76% in the intervention group and 35% in the control group (P < .05). The time required to achieve target BG range during insulin infusion was 6 hours for the intervention group and 15 hours for the control group, indicating that less time was required to achieve the target BG range in the intervention group (P < .05). Moreover, the insulin consumption rate in the intensive care unit was lower in the intervention group (P < .05). The satisfaction levels of the nurses that used the glycemic management protocol was 92.61 ± 7.93%. ConclusionsResults of this study showed that the implementation of a glycemic management protocol by nurses for patients undergoing major abdominal surgery decreases the rate of hyperglycemia, insulin consumption rate, and the time required to achieve the targeted BG range during the perioperative period. Therefore, it is recommended to use a glycemia management protocol to control glycemia in patients during the surgical process.

Incremental Societal Costs of Perioperative Complications Following Adult Elective Inpatient Major Therapeutic Surgery in the State of Florida: A Seven-Year Retrospective Epidemiological Analysis.

Introduction There is an expanding role for anesthesiologists in the preoperative optimization and postoperative management of patients, often in the context of a so-called perioperative surgical home. Such efforts typically include enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols and often an anesthesiologist-led team for perioperative management. Studies of the cost-effectiveness of such approaches have generally been conducted at single institutions, with most patients cared for by small numbers of surgeons. This limitation creates generalizability issues as to whether improvement was related mostly to organizational culture or the studied surgeons' practices (non-generalizable) versusthe procedures (generalizable). We studied whether other organizations can rely on achieving similar benefits following the adoption of a studied process improvement strategy at a single institution. Methods All patients undergoing elective major therapeutic inpatient surgery discharged between October 2015 and June 2022 at non-federal hospitals in the state of Florida were included. For each discharge, the United States Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group (MS-DRG) weighting factor (i.e., the multiplier for the hospital's base rate for admissions that determines reimbursement) and the Clinical Classification Software Refined (CCSR) code for the principal procedure were determined at admission and discharge from the state's inpatient healthcare database based on the diagnoses present at those time points. An increase in the weighting factor from admission to discharge represents societal costs from perioperative complications. Statewide, by hospital, and by surgeon, we calculated the total increase for each CCSR's weighting factor. Our primary hypothesis was that surgeon variability would be statistically greater than CCSR variability but that the incremental effect would be <5%. If CCSR and surgeon variability were comparable, this would be supportive of generalizability. In contrast, if there were a predominant effectrelated to the surgeon, results from one institution might not be applicable to others. Results Among the 1,482,344 discharges studied, the pooled (N=7 years) contributions to MS-DRG weighting factor increases from the upper 20% of surgeons were 2.8% more than from the upper 20% of CCSRs (95% CI 1.9%-3.9%, p=0.0006). Those CCSRs accounted for 85.5% (95% CI 79.4%-91.7%, p<0.0001) of the total increase in the MS-DRG weighting factor. The average contribution of the top two surgeons at each hospital to that hospital's increase in the weighting factor ranged among CCSRs from 68% to 97%.The median and 75th percentile of surgeons performing at least 10% of the total number of cases at each hospital was similar to those values for the contributions to the increases in the MS-DRG weighting factor, median 2.0 to 3.0, and 75th percentile 1.75 to 4.0. Conclusions Because variability among surgeons in their contributions to increases in the MS-DRG weighting factor only slightly exceeded the variability among CCSR surgical categories, perioperative surgical home and ERAS study research results involving single institutions and a small number of surgeons would likely be generalizable to other hospitals and healthcare systems. Funding agencies should not be hesitant to fund single-center perioperative surgical home studiesand ERAS interventions based on concerns related to lack of generalizability.

Effect of home-based prehabilitation on objectively measured physical activity in patients undergoing elective major cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. Data from a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Low functional capacity in patients undergoing major elective surgery is associated with postoperative complications. Prehabilitation aims to increase functional capacity by increasing preoperative physical activity. Low functional capacity in patients eligible for major surgery is associated with high age and comorbid burden. In this population, center-based prehabilitation is a barrier for participation. Therefore, we developed a multimodal home-based prehabilitation intervention. Data regarding the effectiveness of a home-based prehabilitation intervention to increase physical activity before surgery is limited. We hypothesize that home-based prehabilitation leads to an increase in physical activity in patients undergoing major cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. Methods We included patients aged over 65 with a proven low functional capacity and/or ventilatory efficiency measured by preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Patients were randomized to either standard of care or intervention. The intervention group received a home-based prehabilitation intervention 2-4 weeks before surgery. As part of the multimodal intervention, patients were prescribed a walking regimen according to the physical activity guidelines published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Patients were followed-up with weekly telephone calls by a physiotherapist to increase adherence and motivation. All patients were provided a wrist-worn tri-axial accelerometer at the baseline visit. The accelerometer was collected at the ward once the patient entered the hospital for surgery. Physical activity was estimated by calculating the average Euclidean norm minus one (ENMO, milligravity [mg]) per day. Baseline characteristics were tested by Wilcoxon rank-sum test and a linear model for the primary outcome was performed to adjust for confounders. Data analysis was performed using R Studio. Results 37 patients scheduled for cardiac and 62 for non-cardiac surgery were included (Table 1). Mean group difference of daily physical activity levels in non-cardiac surgery patients was 3.01 mg (p = 0.03, 95% CI [0.3, 5.6]). Mean group difference of daily physical activity levels in cardiac surgery patients was 0.27 mg (p = 0.95, 95% CI [-4.1, 5.0]) (Figure 1). Patients undergoing cardiac surgery had higher overall activity levels compared to non-cardiac also when adjusted for age. Conclusion Home-based prehabilitation increases preoperative physical activity levels in patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery, but not in patients undergoing major cardiac surgery. Higher activity levels in cardiac surgery patients was unexpected, but may be explained by previous inclusion of patients with cardiac diseases in exercise-based rehabilitation and physical activity recommendations at routine cardiac follow-up visits. Table 1 Figure 1

Opioid-free versus opioid-based anesthesia in major spine surgery: a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Major spine surgery is associated with severe postoperative pain and increased opioid consumption. Opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) is thought to provide adequate intraoperative analgesia with reduced postoperative opioid consumption. The aim of this study is to compare the impact of intraoperative OFA approach to the conventional opioid-based anesthesia (OBA) on postoperative pain, opioid consumption, and related side effects in patients undergoing multilevel spinal fusion surgery. Forty-eight patients undergoing elective major spine surgery were randomly allocated to either receive intraoperative dexmedetomidine and lidocaine (OFA group) or fentanyl during induction and intraoperative remifentanil (OBA group). All patients received intraoperative sevoflurane, propofol, rocuronium, ketamine, dexamethasone, ondansetron and postoperative paracetamol and patient-controlled analgesia device set to deliver intravenous morphine for 48 hours after surgery. Postoperative pain was measured using numerical rating scale. Opioid side effects were documented, when present. OFA group required less morphine in the first 24 hours post-surgery (17.28±12.25 mg versus 27.96±19.75 mg, P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was significantly lower in the OFA group. More patients in the OFA group required antihypertensive medications compared to patients in the OBA group (P<0.05). In the post anesthesia care unit, OFA patients had a significantly longer stay than OBA patients (114.1±49.33 min versus 89.96±30.71 min, P<0.05). OFA can be an alternative to OBA in patients undergoing multilevel spine fusion surgery. OFA reduces opioids consumption in the first 24 hours and PONV.

Is hypothyroidism is a risk factor for postoperative atrial tachyarrhythmias after major elective colorectal surgery?

Is hypothyroidism is a risk factor for postoperative atrial tachyarrhythmias after major elective colorectal surgery?

Persistent Racial Disparities in Morbidity Following Major Elective Operations.

Introduction: Despite considerable national attention, racial disparities in surgical outcomes persist. We sought to consider whether race-based inequities in outcomes following major elective surgery have improved in the contemporary era. Methods: All adult hospitalization records for elective coronary artery bypass grafting, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, colectomy, and hip replacement were tabulated from the 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample. Patients were stratified by Black or White race. To consider the evolution in outcomes, we included an interaction term between race and year. We designated centers in the top quartile of annual procedural volume as high-volume hospitals (HVH). Results: Of ∼2,838,485 patients, 245,405 (8.6%) were of Black race. Following risk-adjustment, Black race was linked with similar odds of in-hospital mortality, but increased likelihood of major complications (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 1.41, 95%Confidence Interval [CI] 1.36-1.47). From 2016-2020, overall risk-adjusted rates of major complications declined (patients of White race: 9.2% to 8.4%; patients of Black race 11.8% to 10.8%, both P < .001). Yet, the delta in risk of adverse outcomes between patients of White and Black race did not significantly change. Of the cohort, 158,060 (8.4%) were treated at HVH. Following adjustment, Black race remained associated with greater odds of morbidity (AOR 1.37, CI 1.23-1.52; Ref:White). The race-based difference in risk of complications at HVH did not significantly change from 2016 to 2020. Conclusion: While overall rates of complications following major elective procedures declined from 2016 to 2020, patients of Black race faced persistently greater risk of adverse outcomes. Novel interventions are needed to address persistent racial disparities and ensure acceptable outcomes for all patients.

Cardiac index-guided therapy to maintain optimised postinduction cardiac index in high-risk patients having major open abdominal surgery: the multicentre randomised iPEGASUS trial

BackgroundIt is unclear whether optimising intraoperative cardiac index can reduce postoperative complications. We tested the hypothesis that maintaining optimised postinduction cardiac index during and for the first 8 h after surgery reduces the incidence of a composite outcome of complications within 28 days after surgery compared with routine care in high-risk patients having elective major open abdominal surgery. MethodsIn three German and two Spanish centres, high-risk patients having elective major open abdominal surgery were randomised to cardiac index-guided therapy to maintain optimised postinduction cardiac index (cardiac index at which pulse pressure variation was <12%) during and for the first 8 h after surgery using intravenous fluids and dobutamine or to routine care. The primary outcome was the incidence of a composite outcome of moderate or severe complications within 28 days after surgery. ResultsWe analysed 318 of 380 enrolled subjects. The composite primary outcome occurred in 84 of 152 subjects (55%) assigned to cardiac index-guided therapy and in 77 of 166 subjects (46%) assigned to routine care (odds ratio: 1.87, 95% confidence interval: 1.03–3.39, P=0.038). Per-protocol analyses confirmed the results of the primary outcome analysis. ConclusionsMaintaining optimised postinduction cardiac index during and for the first 8 h after surgery did not reduce, and possibly increased, the incidence of a composite outcome of complications within 28 days after surgery compared with routine care in high-risk patients having elective major open abdominal surgery. Clinicians should not strive to maintain optimised postinduction cardiac index during and after surgery in expectation of reducing complications. Clinical trial registrationNCT03021525.