Tertiary Academic Institution Research Articles

Does Time to Reimplantation After Explant for Prosthetic Joint Infection Influence the Likelihood of Successful Outcomes at 2 Years?

Consensus recommendations are lacking regarding appropriate timing of reimplantation following 2-stage resection arthroplasty for prosthetic joint infections (PJIs). We investigated whether the time from resection arthroplasty to reimplantation was associated with treatment outcome at 2 years. Retrospective cohort review was conducted for 101 patients undergoing resection arthroplasty with an antibiotic spacer for PJI at a single tertiary academic referral institution. Time from explantation and spacer placement to reimplantation was categorized into 3 groups: <12, 12-18, and >18 weeks. Baseline patient and treatment course characteristics across these groups were obtained. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to characterize association between treatment failure and time to reimplantation, controlling for American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score and prior revision surgery. Time to reimplantation (TTR) >18 weeks demonstrated statistically significant increased odds of treatment failure, after controlling for ASA score and prior revision surgery (odds ratio 7.00, confidence interval 2.14-25.42, P= .002). After excluding patients requiring second spacer or Girdlestone prior to replant, this increased odds of failure remained (odds ratio 4.12, confidence interval 1.18-15.37, P= .029). TTR groups were similar with respect to demographics, except for ASA (2.96 for time to reimplantation >18 weeks vs 2.55 for time to reimplantation <12 weeks; P= .011). Patients with TTR >18 weeks were more likely to have an unplanned readmission during the spacer period (48%, 19%, and 6% for time to reimplantation >18, 12-18, and 0-12 weeks, respectively; P < .002). Although decision regarding TTR is largely patient specific, surgeons should be aware that TTR >18 weeks may be associated with higher rates of treatment failure at 2 years.

Upper pole pathologies in duplex kidneys: an analysis of predictive factors for surgery and urinary tract infections from the Mid-Atlantic Pediatric Academic Consortium

While there is significant data on the natural history and outcomes for prenatal hydronephrosis in simplex kidneys, duplex kidneys tend to be less studied. Management can be quite variable based on provider preference. We aimed to describe practice patterns from several tertiary academic institutions, identify clinical predictors for surgical intervention and urinary tract infection (UTI) for upper pole pathology, and demonstrate the natural history of lower pole vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). We conducted a retrospective review of patients from 4 Mid-Atlantic institutions between 2015 and 2020. Inclusion criteria included patients with a duplex kidney with upper pole pathology and/or lower pole VUR. The primary outcome was predictive factors for surgical intervention and UTI. The secondary outcome was to assess the natural history of lower pole VUR including resolution rates by grade. Linear regression identified clinical predictors for UTI events. Multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of surgical intervention, UTI, and lower pole VUR resolution. Descriptive statistics and regression modeling analyses were performed using SAS. Two hundred forty-two patients were included with a total of 271 duplex renal units. Hydronephrosis grade (both SFU and UTD grading) and number of prior UTI events were statistically significant predictors for surgical intervention (p=0.03/0.001 and p=0.002 respectively). Ectopic ureter (p=0.004), ureterocele (p=0.02), and obstruction (p=0.04) were the only pathologies predictive for surgery. Male gender and circumcision were significantly associated with decreased UTI risk (p=0.03 and p=0.01). On linear regression modeling, antibiotic prophylaxis after the first year of life was associated with decreased risk of further UTI events (p=0.03); however, antibiotic prophylaxis within the first year of life did not decrease UTI risk (p=0.14). For VUR outcomes, 65.0% of grades 1-3 VUR and 52.2% of grades 4-5 had resolution/improvement at mean time of 2.1 years. There were no predictive factors for resolution/improvement of VUR. Hydronephrosis grade and UTI events were significant predictors for surgical intervention for upper pole pathology. Pathologies that were predictive for surgery included ectopic ureter, ureterocele and obstruction. Male gender, circumcision and antibiotic prophylaxis after the first year of life were associated with a decreased UTI risk. Roughly 58% of lower pole VUR spontaneously improved/resolved. Identification of these risk factors aids in standardization of care practices to reduce long-term UTI risk and inform counseling with families about possible need for surgical intervention and expectations for long term outcomes.

Risk Factors Associated With Reoperative Surgery for Thyroid Malignancies: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

To examine various factors associated with an increased risk of reoperation for persistent or recurrent malignant thyroid cancers. Retrospective cohort study. Tertiary academic hospital centers. Patients undergoing surgery for thyroid cancer at 2 tertiary academic institutions from 2006 to 2020 were included. Those who underwent a reoperative procedure were compared with patients only requiring 1 procedure. The Pearson chi-square and independent t test were used to compare group data accordingly. Furthermore, a binomial logistic regression was performed, while machine learning models were used to construct a predictive algorithm. This study included 2266 patients with surgically managed thyroid malignancy, of which 54 (2.4%) necessitated reoperations. Those requiring a second surgical procedure were more likely to be male (40.7% vs 20.9%, P < .001), undergo bilateral (24.1% vs 3.3%, P < .001) and lateral (16.7% vs 1.8%, P < .001) neck dissections, and have a greater number of metastatic lymph nodes (mean, 9.1 vs 3.5; P < .001) and a larger tumor size (mean, 3.0 vs 2.0 cm; P < .001). According to the binomial logistic regression model, lateral neck dissection, greater number of metastatic lymph nodes, and larger tumor size significantly increased the odds of necessitating a second procedure by 7.8 (95% CI, 2.523-24.083), 1.1 (95% CI, 1.032-1.152), and 1.3 (95% CI, 1.064-1.559), respectively. Last, machine learning models could not significantly predict the occurrence of reoperation. This study identified patient- and cancer-related characteristics associated with an increased risk of requiring reoperation for thyroid malignancies.

Association of a Multimodal Intervention With Decreased Opioid Prescribing After Neck Dissection for Malignant Thyroid Disease With Short Hospital Stay

ImportancePrescribing practices for opioid medication after thyroid surgery have been well-studied and established; however, the need for pain management with opioid medication following lateral neck dissection for malignant thyroid disease with a short hospital stay has not been established.ObjectiveTo evaluate a multimodal opioid reduction intervention and its association with a decrease in prescribing of opioid medication at hospital discharge for patients after a lateral neck dissection for thyroid cancer.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis was a retrospective cohort study of patients treated from 2011 to 2021 by a tertiary academic institution that performs a high volume of thyroid cancer surgeries annually. We evaluated the electronic health records of 417 patients who had undergone lateral neck dissection for malignant thyroid disease from June 1, 2011, to June 30, 2021, and had a short hospital stay (≤3 days). Patients with longer stays (>3 days) or additional surgical procedures were excluded. Group 1 comprised patients who underwent a neck dissection before the intervention; and group 2, those who underwent the procedure after implementation of the intervention.InterventionA multimodal intervention composed of 3 components to reduce opioid prescribing at hospital discharge home after neck dissection for malignant thyroid disease with a short hospital stay.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was the quantity of opioid medication prescribed in the postoperative period, measured as oral morphine milliequivalents (MME). The eta-squared effect size (η2ES) metric was used to determine the association of the intervention with a reduction in the MME quantities of opioid medication administered to inpatients and prescribed at discharge. An estimated need for opioids was established for the average patient undergoing lateral neck dissection for thyroid cancer based on the upper range of prescribing after intervention. The data were analyzed from January to March 2022.ResultsThe total study population was 417 patients: group 1 with 171 patients (mean [SD] age , 47.1 [15.6] years; 104 [61%] women; 144 [84%] non-Hispanic White) and group 2 with 246 patients (mean [SD] age , 46.2 [17.4] years; 146 [60%] women; 206 [83.7%] non-Hispanic White). The median MME prescribed at discharge for group 1 per patient was 225 MME compared with 0 MME for group 2, a large effect-size difference. There was a moderate association between the dose amount administered to an inpatient and the prescription dose they received at discharge (r, 0.33). Multiple linear regression analysis of sex, age, race and ethnicity, extent of surgery, and opioid reduction intervention showed that the intervention had a large clinically meaningful association with decreasing opioid prescriptions and dosage amounts at discharge (η2ES, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.19-0.33).Conclusions and RelevanceThe findings of this retrospective cohort study suggest that patients undergoing lateral neck dissections for thyroid cancer with short hospitalization needed very small amounts, if any, postoperative opioid medication for pain management. Adequate postoperative pain control was achieved using nonopioid interventions. Implementing an intervention to decrease the quantity of unnecessarily prescribed opioid medications during hospital discharge may help to reduce the risk of opioid addiction and overdose in patients after surgery.

Management of uncomplicated rhegmatogenous retinal detachments: a comparison of practice patterns and clinical outcomes in a real-world setting.

To investigate practice patterns and clinical outcomes in the repair of uncomplicated rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRD) in a real-world setting over a 10-year period. We compared preferences for scleral buckling (SB), pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), PPV/SB, or pneumatic retinopexy (PR) over time, and examined the 1-year single surgery anatomic success (SSAS) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at a tertiary academic institution from 2008-2018. Eight hundred eight eyes had RRD repair between 2008-2011 (n = 240), 2012-2014 (n = 271), and 2015-2017 (n = 297). Compared to 2008-2011, PPV was preferred over SB in 2012-2014 (OR: 2.93; 95% CI: 1.86-4.63) and 2015-2017 (OR: 5.94; 95% CI: 3.76-9.38), and over PPV/SB in 2012-2014 (OR: 2.74; 95% CI: 1.65-4.56) and 2015-2017 (OR: 3.16; 95% CI: 31.96-5.12). PR was uncommonly utilized (<10%). Younger surgeons (graduating 2010-2017) favored PPV over SB when compared to older surgeons [graduating 1984-2000 (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.18-2.65) and 2001-2009 (OR 1.73; 95% CI: 1.14-2.65)], but similarly selected PPV vs. PPV/SB as their older counterparts (p > 0.05). Compared to PPV, SSAS was higher with SB (OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.03-2.26) and PPV/SB (OR: 2.55; 95% CI: 1.56-4.17). One-year BCVA was markedly improved compared to baseline only for eyes that achieved SSAS (p < 0.001). Over the past 10 years, PPV has become the favored approach to repair uncomplicated RRD and this appears to be driven by younger surgeons' preferences. Given the superior long-term SSAS in SB and PPV/SB as compared to PPV, SB and PPV/SB should be more frequently considered when determining the appropriate repair strategy for uncomplicated RRD.

Spousal Selection for Marriage by Tertiary Students in Wa Municipality of Ghana: Internal Factors in Perspective

&#x0D; In contemporary society marriage is seen as the foundation of all social relations and it has remained an important goal for youngsters to achieve in the future. Spouse selection over the years especially, among adults had received extensive attention in the academic tertiary institutions in Ghana, yet little is known precisely about the internal determining factors influencing spouse selection for marriage especially among tertiary students. This current study seek to unearth the internal factors that informs individual choice for marriage among students in the public universities in Ghana. Stimulus-Value-Role (SVR) theory anchored the study and also a simultaneous mixed design was used for the study. The public Universities were sampled Ninety-three respondents were interviewed. Both primary and secondary data were sourced and descriptive statistics was used for the analyses. The findings showed that more than 93% of the students (both sexes) consider issues such as intelligence, emotional stability, dependable attitude, maturity and religion of their prospective spouses as important in the selection process. Agreeableness which is one of the extraversion dimensions and talks about how friendly and compassionate a person is was identified as the most effective element considered in the selection process. The study concluded that students varied in the exact factors they anticipated, desiring potential mates with compatibility factors truly want to find spouses who exemplified what they preferred. The study recommended that the counsellors of the tertiary institutions should endeavour to organize marriage seminars for students to educate them on the need to be cautious of the desired factors. The desired factors predict significantly on students’ choices of a spouse for marriage.&#x0D;

Abdominal Wall Thickness at Palmer's Point and Distance to Adjacent Structures across the Body Mass Index Spectrum

Studies delineating left upper quadrant (LUQ) anatomy across a range of body mass indices are lacking. We aimed primarily to compare, between nonobese and obese women, abdominal wall thickness and the distance from the LUQ to key structures. In addition, we aimed to characterize LUQ anatomy in underweight women. A retrospective cohort study. A tertiary academic medical institution. Sixty women (30 nonobese, 30 obese) aged 18 years and older who underwent abdominal imaging from October 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018. Computed tomography imaging of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Abdominal wall thickness at the LUQ was significantly greater in obese (4.3 ± 1.7 cm) than nonobese patients (2.4 ± 1.7 cm) (p <.001), as were distances to all key structures (aorta, vena cava, spleen, stomach, pancreas, liver, left kidney, and pelvis) (p ≤.02). On average, all structures, with the exception of stomach and liver, were >10 cm (the length of a typical insufflation needle) away from the LUQ insertion point in obese women. In underweight women, the aorta, spleen, stomach, pancreas, and liver were all within 10 cm of the LUQ insertion point. Within the obese and nonobese group, abdominal wall thickness at the LUQ was significantly greater than at the umbilicus (p <.001). Body mass index was more strongly correlated with abdominal wall thickness at the LUQ (r=0.84; p <.001) than at the umbilicus (r=0.69; p <.001) (p=.007 for comparison). This study highlights special anatomic considerations for LUQ access in obese and underweight patients. In obese women, abdominal wall thickness may be greater at this site than at the umbilicus and the liver and stomach remain within reach of an insufflation needle. The increased working distance from the LUQ to the pelvis in obese patients may necessitate specialized instruments if this site is used during surgery. In underweight women, the aorta, in addition to many other structures, is within reach of commonly used entry devices.

Is routine imaging necessary prior to percutaneous abscess catheter removal?

Routine management after abscess drainage includes CT or fluoroscopic imaging to assess for residual abscess cavity prior to catheter removal. It is unclear whether this practice is necessary in patients without residual infection signs and symptoms. To evaluate safety of abscess catheter removal without follow-up imaging in patients without residual clinical or laboratory signs of infection and catheter output < 10cc/day for 2 consecutive days. In this IRB-approved, HIPAA compliant, retrospective study, consecutive patients that underwent percutaneous CT-guided drainage of a single abdominal or pelvic abscess between 01/2015 and 12/2017 in a single tertiary academic institution with or without follow-up imaging prior to catheter removal were included. In our institution, catheters are routinely removed without imaging if there are no clinical (fever, pain) or laboratory (elevated WBC count) signs of infection and catheter output is < 10cc/day for 2 consecutive days. Patients' and abscess's characteristics, repeat imaging data, and need for re-interventions were obtained through medical records review. Statistical analysis was performed with Fisher's exact test for independent data and Student's t-test for comparison of group means. 310 consecutive patients (age 56 ± 16years, 48% female) were included in the study. In 265/310 (85%) patients, no routine follow-up imaging prior to catheter removal was obtained. In 2/265 (0.8%, 95% CI 0.02-0.27%) patients without routine pre-removal imaging, repeat abscess drainage was required 6 and 15days after catheter removal in patient with perforated appendicitis and after laparoscopic renal cyst decortication, respectively. No patients, 0/45 (0%, 95% CI 0-0.07), that underwent routine imaging without clinical or laboratory signs infection needed to undergo a repeat abscess drainage. There is a low rate (0.8%) of abscess recurrence if percutaneous abscess catheter is removed at the time cessation of drainage without routine imaging in clinically well patient.

Establishing the Substantial Clinical Benefit in a Non-Shoulder Hand and Upper Extremity Population for the QuickDASH and PROMIS Upper Extremity and Physical Function Computer Adaptive Tests

It is unclear what score changes on the abbreviated Disabilities of the Arm, Hand, and Shoulder (QuickDASH), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) upper extremity (UE) computer adaptive test (CAT), and PROMIS physical function (PF) CAT represent a substantial improvement. We calculated the substantial clinical benefit (SCB) for these 3 instruments in a non-shoulder hand and upper extremity population. Adult patients treated between March 2015 and September 2019 at a single academic tertiary institution were identified. The QuickDASH, PROMIS UE CAT v2.0, and PROMIS PF CAT v2.0 scores were collected using a tablet computer. Responses to the QuickDASH both at baseline and follow-up 6 ± 4 weeks later, and a response to the anchor question "Compared to your first evaluation at the University Orthopaedic Center, how would you describe your physical function level now?" were required for inclusion. A second anchor question querying treatment-related improvement was also used. The SCB was calculated using an anchor-based approach comparing the mean change difference between groups reporting no change and a maximal change for both anchor questions. Of 1,119 included participants, the mean age was 48 ± 17 years, 53% were women, and half were recovering from surgery. Score changes between baseline and follow-up were significantly different between groups reporting no improvement and maximal improvement on both anchor questions. The SCB values ranged between 16.9 and 22.8 on the QuickDASH, 5.9 and 7.1 on the UE CAT, and 3.5 and 6.7 on the PF CAT. These score improvements for the QuickDASH, UE CAT, and PF CAT represent a substantial clinical improvement in a non-shoulder hand and upper extremity population. These SCB estimates may assist with the interpretation of outcome scores at a population level.

Patient-reported outcomes and chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in gynecologic malignancy

ObjectiveChemotherapy has multiple adverse effects, including chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment, the phenomenon colloquially referred to as ‘chemobrain’. The objective of this study was to understand patient-reported experiences of this phenomenon in...

A population-based survey of autistic traits in Kenyan adolescents and young adults.

BackgroundTo date, there have been no large-scale population studies of autistic traits (AUT) conducted in Africa.AimThe study aimed to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of autism spectrum disorders in a large sample of Kenyan adolescents and young adults.SettingTertiary academic institutions (87%) and directly from the community (13%).MethodsOur study surveyed 8918 youths (aged 15–25 years) using the autism spectrum quotient (AQ). Based on AQ scores, we derived groups with low (L-AUT), borderline (B-AUT), and high (H-AUT) autistic traits. Relationships of AUT with demographic factors, psychosis, affectivity and stress were investigated.ResultsInternal consistency of the AQ in the population was excellent (Cronbach’s α = 0.91). Across all participants, 0.63% were estimated as having H-AUT, while 14.9% had B-AUT. Amongst community youth, prevalence of H-AUT was 0.98%. Compared to those with low and borderline traits, H-AUT participants were more likely to be males, to have lower personal and parental educational attainment, and to be of a lower socioeconomic status. The H-AUT group also had higher psychotic and affective symptoms as well as higher psychosocial stress than other groups.ConclusionThe prevalence of H-AUT amongst Kenyan youth is comparable to Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rates in many countries. Autistic traits in Kenya are associated with worse social and clinical profiles. Further research on autism across Africa is needed to investigate cross-cultural heterogeneity of this disorder, and to guide healthcare policy.

Analysis of critical report notification from musculoskeletal radiology in a tertiary academic medical institution with a regional trauma center.

PurposeWe aimed to analyze the prevalence, causes, and clinical settings of 4-year critical radiologic reports (CRRs) notified from the musculoskeletal section of the radiology department. Then, we investigated the communication outcomes.MethodsThis study was approved by our institutional review board. We retrospectively included 175 musculoskeletal CRRs from our database between January 2017 and December 2020. The CRRs were analyzed by two musculoskeletal radiologists, who categorized the CRRs by clinical setting (emergency department(ED) patient, outpatient, and inpatient), body part, type of image modality, reason for CRR, incidental lesion, and clinical outcome. The clinical outcome was retrieved from the electronic medical records.ResultsThe 175 musculoskeletal CRRs accounted for 5.4% of the CRRs (n = 3217) available in the study period. Most CRRs (94.9%, 166/175) corresponded to the musculoskeletal system, while the remaining ones (5.1%, 9/175) corresponded to the non-musculoskeletal system. In addition, the spine, extremities, and thoracic cage accounted for 52.6%, 40.6%, and 1.7% of the musculoskeletal CRRs, respectively. Moreover, most patients presented to the ED (50.3%, 88/175), followed by inpatients (30.9%, 54/175), and outpatients (18.9%, 33/175). The CRR reasons included missed fracture (54.3%), suspected malignancy (16%), clinical emergency (10.3%), unexpected infection/inflammation (11.4%), and others (8%). Furthermore, 11 (6.3%) incidental lesions were not related to the primary imaging purpose. Referring clinicians actively acknowledged 80% of the CRRs. The loss to follow-up action was the highest in the ED patients (35.2%, 31/88; p < 0.001), being significantly higher than that in outpatients (6.1%, 2/33) and inpatients (3.7%, 2/54).ConclusionMissed fractures were the most common cause of musculoskeletal CRRs. ED showed prevalence in musculoskeletal CRRs and reflected the highest loss to follow-up action. ED physicians should pay more attention to CRRs to enhance patient care.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma: a real-world comparison of therapy access and outcomes by hospital setting.

This study analyzes sociodemographic barriers for primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) treatment and outcomes at a public safety-net hospital versus a private tertiary academic institution. We hypothesized that these barriers would lead to access disparities and poorer outcomes in the safety-net population. We reviewed records of PCNSL patients from 2007-2020 (n = 95) at a public safety-net hospital (n = 33) and a private academic center (n = 62) staffed by the same university. Demographics, treatment patterns, and outcomes were analyzed. Patients at the safety-net hospital were significantly younger, more commonly Black or Hispanic, and had a higher prevalence of HIV/AIDS. They were significantly less likely to receive induction chemotherapy (67% vs 86%, P = .003) or consolidation autologous stem cell transplantation (0% vs. 47%, P = .001), but received more whole-brain radiation therapy (35% vs 16%, P = .001). Younger age and receiving any consolidation therapy were associated with improved progression-free (PFS, P = .001) and overall survival (OS, P = .001). Hospital location had no statistical impact on PFS (P = .725) or OS (P = .226) on an age-adjusted analysis. Our study shows significant differences in treatment patterns for PCNSL between a public safety-net hospital and an academic cancer center. A significant survival difference was not demonstrated, which is likely multifactorial, but likely was positively impacted by the shared multidisciplinary care delivery between the institutions. As personalized therapies for PCNSL are being developed, equitable access including clinical trials should be advocated for resource-limited settings.

The State of the Do-Not-Resuscitate Order in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in the Middle East: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives: The Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order is part of most hospitals' policies on the process of making and communicating decisions about a patient's resuscitation status. Yet it has not become a part of our society's ritual of dying in the Middle East especially among children. Given the diversity of pediatric patients, the DNR order continues to represent a challenge to all parties involved in the care of children including the medical team and the family. Methods: This was a retrospective review of the medical charts of patients who had died in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a tertiary academic institution in Beirut, Lebanon within the period of January 2012 and December 2017. Results: Eighty-two charts were extracted, 79 were included in the analysis. Three were excluded as one patient had died in the Emergency Department (ED) and 2 charts were incomplete. Most patients were male, Lebanese, and from Muslim families. These patients clinically presented with primary cardiac and oncological diseases or were admitted from the ED with respiratory distress or from the operating room for post-operative management. The primary cause of death was multiorgan failure and cardiac arrest. Only 34% of families had agreed to a DNR order prior to death and 10% suggested "soft" resuscitation. Most discussions were held in the presence of the parents, the PICU team and the patient's primary physician. Conclusions: The DNR order presents one of the most difficult challenges for all care providers involved, especially within a culturally conservative setting such as Lebanon. As the numbers suggest, it is difficult for parents to reach the decision to completely withhold resuscitative measures for pediatric patients, instead opting for "soft" resuscitations like administering epinephrine without chest compressions.

Procedural-based Specialties Benefit from a Formal Informed Consent and Disclosures Educational Program

At our tertiary academic center, residents undergo formalized training in obtaining informed consent and disclosing a complication. The informed consent portion has previously been shown to benefit a group of surgical and emergency medicine residents. We aimed to determine if the benefits from training persist across a larger number of procedural-based specialties and to ascertain the benefit of training in disclosing complications. This retrospective cohort study examined first-year residents from seven procedural-based specialties who participated in a formal informed consent and disclosures training program, consisting of a didactic lecture and two-part simulation. Two years after the start of the program, the disclosure scenario was added. Participants were given pre- and post-surveys assessing comfort and confidence in the informed consent and disclosure scenarios. Survey results were compared using the signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis test as appropriate. This study occurred at Temple University Hospital, a tertiary academic institution in Philadelphia, PA. First-year residents from 2014 to 2020 in seven procedural-based specialties, including general surgery, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, radiology, and anesthesia, participated in this study. One hundred and ninety-three residents completed the program and surveys. Residents reported improved confidence in filling out an informed consent form (p = 0.036) and more comfortable in obtaining informed consent (p = 0.041), as well as more confidence (p = 0.018) and comfort (p = 0.001) in disclosing a complication. Surgical residents demonstrated greater confidence in obtaining informed consent (p = 0.009) and disclosing a complication (p = 0.0002) after training than non-surgical residents. Across multiple procedural-based specialties, formal training in informed consent and disclosure of complications increases resident ability to perform these tasks. A formal training program is valuable for residents who are expected to perform these tasks across various specialties.

Total Hip and Knee Revisions are Really Outpatient Procedures? Implications of the Removal From the Inpatient Only List

BackgroundIn 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) removed over 200 procedures from the Inpatient Only (IPO) list including revision total hip (THA) and total knee arthroplasties (TKA). The purpose of this study is to determine if some revision TKA and THA procedures may be appropriate for outpatient status. MethodsWe reviewed a consecutive series of 1026 revision THA and TKA patients at our tertiary academic institution from 2015 to 2020. An outpatient procedure was defined as a length of stay of <2 midnights. We queried our prospectively collected arthroplasty database and compared demographics, comorbidities, surgical indication, type of procedure, discharge disposition, readmissions, and complications between the outpatient and inpatient groups. ResultsThere were only 166 revision patients (16%) who met outpatient criteria. Revision THA outpatients were more likely to have a head and liner exchange (49% vs 25%, P < .001) and an indication of instability (93% vs 44%, P < .001). Revision TKA outpatients were more likely to have an isolated liner exchange (34% vs 14%, P < .001) and have an indication of instability (67% vs 25%, P < .001). Patients undergoing a revision for infection and aseptic loosening were more likely to require an inpatient stay than other revision indication (P < .05). ConclusionThe vast majority of revision TKA and THA patients met CMS inpatient criteria. In addition to a projected decrease in facility reimbursement, concerns exist for the safety of early discharge and access to care for these complex patients if CMS removes all revisions from the Inpatient Only list.

Utility and futility of skin testing to address concerns surrounding messenger RNA coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine reactions

BackgroundThe mechanism of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hypersensitivity reactions is unknown. COVID-19 vaccine excipient skin testing has been used in evaluation of these reactions, but its utility in predicting subsequent COVID-19 vaccine tolerance is also unknown. ObjectiveTo evaluate the utility of COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine excipient skin testing in both patients with an allergic reaction to their first messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccine dose and patients with a history of polyethylene glycol allergy who have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine dose. MethodsIn this multicenter, retrospective review, COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine excipient skin testing was performed in patients referred to 1 of 3 large tertiary academic institutions. Patient medical records were reviewed after skin testing to determine subsequent COVID-19 vaccine tolerance. ResultsA total of 129 patients underwent skin testing, in whom 12 patients (9.3%) had positive results. There were 101 patients who received a COVID-19 vaccine after the skin testing, which was tolerated in 90 patients (89.1%) with no allergic symptoms, including 5 of 6 patients with positive skin testing results who received a COVID-19 vaccine after the skin testing. The remaining 11 patients experienced minor allergic symptoms after COVID-19 vaccination, none of whom required treatment beyond antihistamines. ConclusionThe low positivity rate of COVID-19 vaccine excipient skin testing and high rate of subsequent COVID-19 vaccine tolerance suggest a low utility of this method in evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine hypersensitivity reactions. Focus should shift to the use of existing vaccine allergy practice parameters, with consideration of graded dosing when necessary. On the basis of these results, strict avoidance of subsequent COVID-19 vaccination should be discouraged.

Risk factors for bleeding hepatocellular adenoma in a United States cohort.

Known risk factors for hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) bleeding are size >5cm, growth rate, visible vascularity, exophytic lesions, β-catenin and Sonic Hedgehog activated HCAs. Most studies are based on European cohorts. The objective of this study is to identify additional risk factors for HCA bleeding in a US cohort. Retrospective chart review was performed on patients diagnosed with HCA on magnetic resonance imaging (n=184) at an academic tertiary institution. Clinical, pathological, and imaging data were collected. Primary outcomes measured were HCA bleeding and malignancy. Statistical analysis was performed with SAS 9.4 using Chi-Square, Fisher's exact test, sample t test, non-parametric Wilcoxon test, and logistic regression. After excluding patients whose pathology showed focal nodular hyperplasia and non-adenoma lesions, follow-up data were available for 167 patients. 16% experienced microscopic or macroscopic bleeding and 1.2% had malignancy. HCA size predicted bleeding (P<.0001) and no patients with lesion size <1.8cm bled. In unadjusted analysis, hepatic adenomatosis (≥10 lesions) trended towards 2.8-fold increased risk of bleeding. Of patients with a single lesion that bled, 77% bled from a lesion >5cm. In patients with multiple HCAs that bled, 50% bled from lesions <5cm. In patients with multiple adenomas, size (P=.001) independently predicted bleeding and hepatic steatosis trended towards increased risk of bleeding (P=.05). In a large US cohort, size predicted increased risk of HCA bleeding while hepatic adenomatosis trended towards increased risk of bleeding. In patients with multiple HCAs, size predicted bleeding and hepatic steatosis trended toward increased risk of bleeding.

Ocular adverse events following intravitreal brolucizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration at a single tertiary care center.

To determine the incidence of ocular adverse effects (AEs) following brolucizumab injection for neovascular age-related macular degeneration at a tertiary academic institution. Retrospective, single center cohort study. All patients who received an intravitreal injection of brolucizumab 6 mg for neovascular age-related macular degeneration between October 7, 2019 and July 31, 2020. Medical records of all patients who received brolucizumab 6 mg during the aforementioned time period were carefully reviewed and all ocular adverse effects after injection were charted. Incidence of post-injection ocular AEs, including intraocular inflammation (IOI), and time to development of AEs after injection. A total of 77 patients received brolucizumab 6 mg for a total of 115 administrations during the study period. There were 4 AEs (3.5%), including three cases of IOI (2.6%), one central retinal artery occlusion, and one retinal detachment. Two men and two women were affected. Ocular AEs, including those leading to severe vision loss, may develop after intravitreal brolucizumab 6 mg. A careful discussion of benefits and risks to brolucizumab should be conducted with all patients. In this first case series of ocular adverse effects after brolucizumab 6 mg injection at a single tertiary care center, the incidence of ocular adverse effects was 3.5%, including a 2.6% incidence of intraocular inflammation.

Design and implementation of a biometric students’ time and attendance logging system

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Every tertiary academic institution has the obligation of recording and taking the attendance of its students during lecture periods. Over the years the process and accuracy of this attendance has been marred by many challenges which range from the cumbersome nature of paper sheets used in recording, to the manipulation of attendance by unscrupulous students and so on. This paper is aimed at designing and implementing a biometric students’ time and attendance logging system that helps in mitigating these challenges. This biometric student time and attendance logging system uses the fingerprint biometric characteristics to accurately identify the student. The system also generates a report showing the number of times a particular student was present or absent in a semester. This feat was achieved through the use of an atmega328P microcontroller, a fingerprint RS305 module, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a Red Green Blue (RGB) light emitting diode (LED) and a Personal Computer (PC) amongst others. The software used in this work was developed using visual studio C# and MySQL2008, and the final work was simulated using proteus before it was constructed and tested. The results of the test show a significant improvement over the manual attendance system.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;