Multidisciplinary Surgical Team Research Articles

Young Adolescent With Restricted Arm Motion During a Preparticipation Physical Exam.

A healthy 15-year-old right-hand dominant football player presented to the clinic for a preparticipation examination (PPE) with an exam notable for reduced right shoulder range of motion. The patient reported no complaints, including no pain. Upon questioning, he noted a remote non-sports related injury to that shoulder with unremarkable radiographs at that time. Subsequent X-ray imaging showed a bony abnormality thought to be consistent with an osteochondroma. However, advanced imaging identified it as a heterotrophic ossification center that required a complex, multidisciplinary surgical team to correct. This case of a high school football player's routine PPE that resulted in surgery highlights not only whether sport participation is safe, but also the importance of direct, specific language that asks about the history of any injuries, rather than specifically sports related.

Free Jejunal Graft Interposition with Vascular Reconstruction in Patients Undergoing Pharyngo Laryngo Esophagectomy

Pharyngo-esophageal reconstruction using free jejunal grafts has been widely used for the treatment of locally advanced carcinomas of the hypopharynx and cervical esophagus. However, the procedure is technically demanding and requires complex recontractions. The aim of this study was to evaluate our institutional outcomes of reconstruction using a free jejunal graft with vascular reconstruction in patients undergoing pharyngo laryngo esophagectomy with a multidisciplinary surgical team. There were 90 consecutive patients between October 2006 and February 2021. The mean age was 64.6±10.3years, and there were 76 male patients. Of 90 patients, 49 underwent preoperative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Jejunal vessels were commonly anastomosed to the common carotid artery and the internal jugular vein (77.8% and 92.2%, respectively). Continuous intravenous infusion of heparin was used postoperatively. Necrosis of the graft was observed in 5 patients. An isolated revision of vein was necessary in 1 patient. In all cases of graft failure, heparin was not used postoperatively. On the other hand, among the patients without graft failure, heparin was used for about two-thirds of the patients and was significantly different (0% vs. 66%, P=0.01). Free jejunal graft with vessel reconstruction is a safe and effective method for patients undergoing pharyngo laryngo esophagectomy. The position for the prevention of kinking as well anastomosis maneuver of vein is especially important. Moreover, early postoperative anticoagulation is essential.

Sri Lankan Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus inornatus) Attacks on Humans.

The sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) is an omnivore that has been reported around most parts of South Asia. Although rare, sloth bear attacks can inflict potentially life-threatening injuries. This cross-sectional study analyzed 10 patients who had been mauled by sloth bears and who presented to rural hospitals in the Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka between 2015 and 2019. All of the patients were male farmers. The human-bear encounters occurred in the jungle during the daytime. Ten victims sustained multiple soft tissue and bone injuries, mainly to the face and arms. The injuries ranged from minor abrasions to extensive deep lacerations and bone fractures. All of the patients were managed in the tertiary care hospital by multidisciplinary surgical teams. Sloth bear-inflicted wounds must be treated as major trauma. There is a need to formulate guidelines and train medical officers in managing animal-inflicted injuries in Sri Lanka.

Management of Locally Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has a natural tendency to invade the venous system with formation of a venous tumor thrombus in the renal vein, which can extend proximally into the inferior vena cava (IVC) and in some cases into the right atrium. The presence of venous involvement significantly worsens prognosis. Despite recent advances in systemic therapies, surgery remains the most effective method of treatment and in the case of complete removal of all tumor, it provides satisfactory long-term survival and must be attempted whenever possible. Several surgical techniques have been proposed, but all are associated with a high rate of perioperative complications and mortality. Minimally invasive approaches are mainly applicable for less extended IVC thrombi, while open surgery remains the gold standard for this category of patients. Most IVC thrombi can be managed without use of circulatory support by using different methods of IVC control depending on the thrombus level. However, use of cardiac bypass with or without deep hypothermic cardiac arrest is indicated in some patients with bulky intraatrial tumor thombi. In select patients presenting with IVC tumor thrombus and synchronous distant metastases, cytoreductive nephrectomy with IVC tumor thrombectomy may be considered with or without neoadjuvant systemic therapy. Surgery for RCC with venous thrombus is complex and requires experienced multidisciplinary surgical, anesthesia, and critical care teams at high-volume centers to achieve the best outcomes.

Surgical outcomes of ureteral reconstruction during cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundUreteral reconstruction is required after surgical resection of the tumor invading the urinary tract in ovarian cancer with low incidence. There are no currently reported surgical outcomes of ureteral reconstruction during cytoreductive surgery. The aim of the study is to investigate the clinical features and surgical outcomes of ureteral reconstruction during primary, interval and secondary cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer. MethodsA total of 3226 patients who underwent primary, interval or secondary cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer between January 2000 and May 2021 were reviewed. Fifty-six patients who underwent ureteral reconstruction during cytoreductive surgery were included in the analysis. ResultsUreteral reconstruction was required in 1.7% (56/3226) of ovarian cancer patients. Of the 56 patients who underwent ureteral reconstruction during cytoreductive surgery, 35 (62.5%) had primary ovarian cancer, and 21 (37.5%) had recurrent ovarian cancer. The median tumor size invading the lower urinary tract was 2.0 cm (range, 0.4–9.5 cm). Ureteroneocystostomy with direct implantation (51.8%) and psoas hitch (8.9%), transureteroureterostomy (7.1%), and ureteroureterostomy (32.1%) were required as part of cytoreductive surgery. Complete cytoreduction with ureteral reconstruction was achieved in 83.9% (47/56) and the rest of the patient population (16.1%) achieved a gross residual tumor size of less than 1 cm. All complications, including hydronephrosis (33.9%), were managed, none resulting in long-term sequelae. In primary ovarian cancer, the 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival were 50.0% and 89.5%, respectively. In patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, the 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival were 23.6% and 64.0%, respectively.ConclusionsUreteral reconstruction as a part of cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer could be performed with acceptable morbidities. Complete cytoreduction by a multidisciplinary surgical team, including urologic oncologists, should be pursued for the surgical management of ovarian cancer.Trial registrationRetrospectively registered.

Enhancing surgical education for resource-limited settings: open appendectomy cognitive task analysis

Open appendectomy is one of the most common procedures performed globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In many LMICs, surgical education is limited by personnel shortages. Developing effective teaching methods for resource-limited environments may enhance the availability of a trained workforce. Cognitive task analysis (CTA) is an effective method to obtain expert input to define operative steps and cognitive processes in complex procedures. The aim of this study was to perform the first CTA for open appendectomy in an effort to develop a teaching module for practitioners in LMICs. Twelve expert general surgeons completed semi-structured interviews which were recorded via Zoom. Each expert had previously performed > 100 open appendectomies. Each interviewee described the entire procedure and then answered specific questions to inform surgical decision making, anatomic landmarks, and error recognition/avoidance. The responses were collated by two independent reviewers into a CTA model which then underwent review through a multi-disciplinary surgical education team. Final steps were presented back to the experts for feedback and modifications and tested on a simulator. Completeness of each expert’s interview was determined by two metrics: time and percentage of steps on the compiled model that the expert surgeon described. The CTA identified five main steps: preoperative patient preparation, safe entry into the abdomen, identify the appendix, appendectomy, and abdominal closure. Each step had additional sub-steps for a total of 24 procedural steps. Available equipment/supplies and critical decision point descriptions provided the most variability. The median completeness score for the unstructured portion of the interview was 76% (IQR 68–80). Using CTA, we defined the essential operative steps, decision points, and areas of potential error with performing an open appendectomy. These results provide a framework that can guide intraoperative instruction and the development of a teaching module for open appendectomy that can be implemented in LMIC to enhance surgical education.

WE1.3 Surgical Multi-disciplinary Team's engagement with the Implementation of the New “Safe Anastomosis” Checklist

Abstract Aims Introducing a surgical intervention can only be effective if it is deemed user-friendly by the participants involved in the study. Hence, it is crucial to gather the consensus amongst the users to maximise engagement with the intervention. A questionnaire was created with the aim of gathering data regarding the ease, practicality, and any area for improvement of the ‘safe anastomosis checklist’ at a district general hospital. Methods An anonymous questionnaire, with qualitative and quantitative questions, regarding the ‘Safe Anastomosis checklist’ was created. The aim of this study was explained to the surgical department and the questionnaire was given to members of the surgical multi-disciplinary team to complete. The results were gathered and analysed to yield results regarding this intervention. Results Of the 22 responses obtained, 77.2% rated the ease of the questionnaire as being 9+ out of 10 while 59% found this intervention very useful especially when it was done during the “team brief”. Although in 68% of cases, it did not lead to any changes with the intra-operative method, it was used an opportunity for the team to re-evaluate the procedure itself and the technique to be used. Conclusion The questionnaire was well received amongst the participants, with most of the participants considering the intervention to be a quick, easy, and practical tool to re-enforce the purpose of the procedure and further eliminates any risks that could lead to an anastomotic leak.

Creation of a surgical service line to treat patients with recurrent gynecologic cancer with curative intent: Complex oncologic multidisciplinary pelvic surgery (COMPS) (559)

Creation of a surgical service line to treat patients with recurrent gynecologic cancer with curative intent: Complex oncologic multidisciplinary pelvic surgery (COMPS) (559)

Uniport video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for thoracic Eden type IV dumbbell tumor.

Uniport video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for thoracic Eden type IV dumbbell tumor.

Ultrasound Evaluation of Retrocervical and Parametrial Deep Endometriosis on the Basis of Surgical Anatomic Landmarks

To assess the value of combined transvaginal/transabdominal ultrasonographic evaluation performed by experienced examiners for deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) lesions of the retrocervical (torus uterinus and uterosacral ligaments) and parametrial areas and summarize the features and anatomic criteria for identification of these lesions and their extent in the above-mentioned pelvic compartments. Retrospective study. A specialized endometriosis center in Avellino, Italy. A retrospective cohort of patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for clinically suspected DIE between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2018, with a dedicated ultrasound (US) evaluation performed no more than 1 month before the intervention. Preoperative US findings and surgical reports were reviewed. Using the findings of laparoscopic surgery as the gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of preoperative US evaluation for retrocervical and parametrial endometriotic lesions were calculated with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals. A total of 4983 patients were included. US evaluation showed high diagnostic accuracy for DIE detection in the examined pelvic compartments, with sensitivity and specificity of 97% to 98% and 98% to 100%, respectively, for both retrocervical (torus uterinus and uterosacral ligaments insertion) and parametrial lesions. Parametrial extension of DIE indicates major surgical technical difficulties and risk of complications, and urologic and nerve-sparing procedures may be required in such cases. Preoperative evaluation of such scenarios will allow proper counseling of patients and facilitate adequate surgical planning in referral centers; moreover, when necessary, it can guide the constitution of a dedicated multidisciplinary surgical team as an alternative to treatment by a pelvic surgeon alone. Detailed imaging evaluation of DIE lesions and their extension is crucial for clinical management of affected patients. It can facilitate optimization of surgical timing and strategies, thereby potentially preventing ineffective, or even harmful, repeated procedures.

Pelvic soft tissue sarcomas

Pelvic soft tissue sarcomas (PSTS) are a rare, heterogeneous group of tumors. They have been usually analyzed with retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS), but actually have key differences. Due to their unique anatomic location, symptomatic presentation of PSTS may be more common than RPS. Adequate imaging approach is paramount for guiding differential diagnosis, while preoperative biopsy is mandatory, especially when preoperative treatment may be considered as initial approach. The most frequent histologic subtype is leiomyosarcoma, which is different as expected in the retroperitoneum where liposarcoma is the commonest histology. Also solitary fibrous tumor is commonly diagnosed in the pelvis. Surgical approach for PSTS differs from that for RPS mainly due to anatomic relations. Similarly, in the lack of definite evidence from specific trials about neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatments, the anatomic constraints to obtain wide margins in the pelvis as well as the expected functional outcome in case of organ resections should be factored into decision for individualized treatment offer. Vascular and genitourinary involvement are frequent, as well as herniation through pelvic foramina. For these reasons a multidisciplinary surgical team should always be considered. Early referral of these patients to high-volume centers is critical and may impact on survival, given that optimal initial resection is a major predictor of curative treatment. International consensus on PSTS treatment is advocated, similarly to the recent efforts realized for RPS.

P03 Improving antimicrobial stewardship and sustainability by promoting oral metronidazole in eligible surgical patients at the Royal Alexandra Hospital

BackgroundAntimicrobial stewardship (AS) is essential to minimize the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance.1 Timely IV to oral antibiotic switch and promotion of the oral route are key AS initiatives in the acute hospital setting.1 Metronidazole is commonly prescribed IV in the surgical management of intra-abdominal sepsis; however, metronidazole has excellent oral bioavailability of 95%–100%. In addition to improved AS, the oral route provides advantages to patients, staff and the environment including reduced patient risk of line infections/complications; reduced staff workload and healthcare costs; improved patient comfort/mobility; earlier discharge; and improved sustainability.ObjectivesTo measure baseline proportion of surgical patients meeting the criteria for oral receiving oral metronidazole; introduce tests of change to promote use of oral metronidazole where appropriate; and measure changes in prescribing behaviour to determine if improvement has been achieved, with the aim of increasing the proportion of oral metronidazole prescribed to eligible Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) surgical patients to 50% by February 2022.MethodsBaseline metronidazole prescribing data were collected over 6 weeks in surgical wards at the RAH. Exclusions for oral metronidazole included compromised gut absorption, oral route unreliable or worsening clinical condition/sepsis. A quality improvement approach was used to engage and raise awareness of the multidisciplinary surgical team to the benefits of prescribing oral metronidazole where appropriate. A range of methods were used including prospective audit and feedback; departmental presentations to surgical and pharmacy teams; eye-catching posters in key areas; staff champions; staff recognition awards; WhatsApp© group messages; and West of Scotland Surgical Association presentation. To measure improvement the proportion of oral and IV metronidazole prescribed was measured weekly and oral and IV metronidazole usage data in RAH surgical wards was measured monthly. A questionnaire was used to assess the impact of the project on nursing staff.ResultsBaseline data (n = 90) highlighted that only 13.5% of patients meeting the criteria for oral metronidazole were prescribed oral in RAH surgical wards. Post-change: oral metronidazole prescribing increased from a baseline median of 7% to 51%; IV metronidazole usage data decreased by 45%; there were 320 fewer IV metronidazole administrations per month; and nursing staff reported benefits including reduced workload, improved patient comfort and reduced plastic waste.ConclusionsA quality improvement approach to engage and raise staff awareness of the benefits of oral metronidazole resulted in a change in prescribing behaviour and increased the proportion of oral metronidazole prescribed to eligible surgical patients to 50% by February 2022.

Haemodynamic changes during radical nephrectomy with inferior vena cava thrombectomy: A pilot study.

Haemodynamic changes during radical nephrectomy with inferior vena cava thrombectomy: A pilot study.

Association of Operating Room Costs With Head and Neck Surgical Instrumentation Optimization

In an era of increasing health care expenditure, reduction of redundant head and neck surgical instrumentation may minimize waste. To (1) optimize head and neck surgical instrument trays at a single large academic tertiary care center and (2) identify associated direct cost savings. This prospective quality improvement initiative was conducted at an academic tertiary care medical center from July 2017 through July 2021. Participants were a multidisciplinary surgical quality team consisting of head and neck surgeons, operating room nurses, surgical technicians, and supply chain analysts. The 4 primary surgical instrument trays (major otolaryngology [Oto], Oto plastics, direct laryngoscopy, and microdirect laryngoscopy) used in all head and neck procedures were reviewed by 10 head and neck surgical faculty with detailed case observation of instrument utilization performed by trained operating room nurses and surgical technologists. Instruments used in less than 40% of cases were excluded from surgical trays, and novel instrument trays were established based on faculty feedback and utilization. Data on instrument processing, utilization, and associated institutional direct costs were prospectively collected over a 3-year period. The primary outcome measure was change in operating room direct costs. Surgeon satisfaction with the quality improvement intervention was the secondary outcome. Direct cost savings were identified as a function of surgical volume, labor and supply costs, and instrument depreciation. More than 1500 eligible surgical cases were reviewed during the preintervention period. Of the 149 instruments in the major Oto tray, only 118 (79%) instruments were used in more than 40% of cases. There were 58 (49%) and 32 (21%) instruments in this tray that were used in more than 40% of neck dissections and sentinel lymph node biopsies, respectively. Resulting intervention included development of a streamlined major Oto tray with 118 instruments and novel neck dissection and sentinel lymph node biopsy trays. Similar processes were applied to the remaining head and neck trays, with a total of 257 instruments removed. Over a 3-year postintervention period, streamlined surgical trays were used 9284 times with direct cost savings of $228 338 (95% CI, $227 817-$228 854). Overall surgeon satisfaction with the optimized head and neck surgical trays was 100%. In this quality improvement study, surgeon-led elimination of redundant or rarely used instruments from surgical instrument trays was associated with reduced operating room direct costs while maintaining stakeholder satisfaction.

Outcomes of surgical treatment for active infective endocarditis under COVID-19 pandemic.

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has been and will continue to be a challenge to the healthcare system worldwide. In this context, we aimed to discuss the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the diagnosis, timing, and prognosis of surgical treatment for active infective endocarditis (IE) during the pandemic and share our coping strategy.MethodsA total of 39 patients were admitted for active IE in the year 2020. The number of the same period last year was 50. Medical information of these two groups was extracted from our surgical database. Data were compared between the two groups and differences with or without statistical significance were discussed.ResultsIn the pandemic year, we admitted fewer transferred patients (64.1% vs. 80%, p = .094). Timespan for diagnosis were prolonged (60 vs. 34.5 days, p = .081). More patients were admitted in emergency (41% vs. 20%, p = .030) More patients had heart failure (74.4% vs. 40%, p = .001), sepsis (69.2% vs. 42.0%, p = .018), or cardiogenic shock (25.6% vs. 8.0%, p = .038). Overall surgical risk (EuroSCORE II) was higher (4.15% vs. 3.24%, p = .019) and more commando surgery was performed (7.7% vs. 2.0%, p = .441). However, we did not see more postoperative complications, and early mortality was not worse either (0 vs. 4%, p = .502).ConclusionsThe negative impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the clinical practice of surgical treatment for active IE was multifaceted. However, with the preservation of the effectiveness of multidisciplinary IE surgical team, the early outcomes were comparable with those in the normal years.

Robot-assisted laparoscopy for deep infiltrating endometriosis: a retrospective French multicentric study (2008-2019) using the Society of European Robotic Gynecological Surgery endometriosis database.

This study aimed at assessing perioperative results of robot-assisted laparoscopy (RAL) in the context of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). This retrospective French multicentric study included all patients with DIE who underwent surgical treatment managed by RAL (Da Vinci® System). From November 2008 to June 2019, patients were included in a single European database, in Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Gynecologic Surgery, with Society of European Robotic Gynecological Surgery collaboration. Patients had different DIE sites as follows: gynecological, urological, or digestive, or combinations of these. Surgical procedures and perioperative complications were evaluated. To assess complications, patients were divided into the following four groups according to surgical procedure and DIE site: gynecological only; gynecological and urological; gynecological and digestive; and gynecological, urological, and digestive. A total of 460 patients treated at one of eight health-care facilities from November 2008 to June 2019 were included. Median operative time was 245min (IQR 186-320), surgeon console time was 138 ± 75min and estimated blood loss was 70.0mL ± 107mL. Among this patient sample, 42.1% had a multidisciplinary surgical approach with a digestive or urology surgeon in addition to gynecology surgeon (25.5% and 16.6% of cases, respectively). Among those with intraoperative complications (n = 25, 5.4%) were primarily conversion to laparotomy (n = 6, 2.0%), transfusion (n = 2, 0.6%), and organ wounds (n = 8, 1.7%). Overall, 5.6% had severe postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥ Grade 3). This is among the largest published series addressing RAL for DIE. Interest in this procedure appears promising, with no observed increases in blood loss or in peri- or post-operative complications. DIE laparoscopic surgery can require complex surgical procedures performed by multidisciplinary surgical teams. Thus, it may be one of the best candidates for RAL within gynecology surgery.

Discussion Guide for the Kim Article.

Discussion Guide for the Kim Article.

Modern possibilities of interventional radiology in the elimination of percutaneous nephrolithiasis surgery hemorrhagic complications

Рurpose. To increase the treatment eff ectiveness of patients with various forms of nephrolithiasis based on the development and integration of interdisciplinary approaches to the choice of surgical access. Materials and methods. The study was based on clinical and laboratory data and the results of surgical treatment of 133 patients with various forms of urolithiasis. Results. The analysis of complications of percutaneous surgery is shown by the example of 133 patients with various forms of nephrolithiasis, who underwent PCNL (percutaneous nephrolithotomy). The inclusion of highly informative methods of visualization of urinary stones, multispiral computed tomography with 3D-visualization and densitometry namely in the algorithm of examination of patients with nephrolithiasis is justifi ed. The possibilities of interventional radiology in the elimination of hemorrhagic complications of percutaneous surgery of urolithiasis, including staghorn nephrolithiasis, are presented. Conclusion. The eff ectiveness of the creation of multidisciplinary surgical teams, including specialists in the fi eld of interventional radiology, for the interpretation of diagnostic results, as well as the prevention and elimination of intra- and postoperative hemorrhagic complications, is proven.

Periorbital Mass in a 2-month-old Girl.

Periorbital Mass in a 2-month-old Girl.

Optimization of Antibiotic Prophylaxis Delivery for Pediatric Surgical Procedures.

To optimize prophylactic antibiotic timing and delivery across all surgeries performed at a single large pediatric tertiary care center. A multidisciplinary surgical quality team conducted a quality improvement initiative from July 2015 to December 2019 by using the A3 problem-solving method to identify and evaluate interventions for appropriate antibiotic administration. The primary outcome measure was the percentage of surgical encounters for pediatric patients with appropriate timing of antibiotic administration before surgical incision. Surgical site infection rates was the secondary outcome. Intervention effectiveness was assessed by using statistical process control. A total of 32 192 eligible surgical cases for pediatric patients were completed during the study period. Identified barriers to timely perioperative antibiotic administration included failure to order antibiotics before the surgical date and lack of antibiotic availability in the operating room at the time of administration. Resulting sequential interventions included updating institutional guidelines to reflect procedure-specific antibiotic choices and clarifying timing of administration to optimize pharmacokinetics, creating a hard-stop antibiotic order within electronic health record case requests, optimizing pharmacy and nursing workflow, and implementing an automatic antibiotic prophylaxis timer in the operating room. Administration of prophylactic antibiotics during the recommended preincision time window significantly improved; the correct timing was recorded in 38.6% of preintervention cases versus 94.0% at the conclusion of rollout of the sequential interventions (P < .001). Surgical site infection rates remained stable. Here we demonstrate utility of the A3 problem-solving schematic to successfully optimize prophylactic antibiotic timing and delivery in the surgical setting for pediatric patients by implementing systems-based interventions.