Jarod P. McAteer

Influence of surgeon experience, hospital volume, and specialty designation on outcomes in pediatric surgery: a systematic review.

IMPORTANCE Analyses of volume-outcome relationships in adult surgery have found that hospital and physician characteristics affect patient outcomes, such as length of stay, hospital charges, complications, and mortality. Similar investigations in childrens surgical specialties are fewer in number, and their conclusions are less clear. OBJECTIVE To review the evidence regarding surgeon or hospital experience and their influence on outcomes in childrens surgery. EVIDENCE REVIEW A MEDLINE and EMBASE search was conducted for English-language studies published from January 1, 1980, through April 13, 2012. Titles and abstracts were screened in a standardized manner by 2 reviewers. Studies selected for inclusion had to use a measure of hospital or surgeon experience as a predictor variable and had to report postoperative outcomes as dependent response variables. Included studies were reviewed with regard to methodologic quality, and study results were extracted. FINDINGS Sixty-three studies were reviewed. Significant heterogeneity was detected in exposure definitions, outcome measures, and risk adjustment, with the greatest heterogeneity seen in appendectomy studies. Various exposure levels were examined: hospital level in 48 (68%) studies, surgeon level in 11 (17%), and both in 9 (14%). Nineteen percent of studies did not adjust for confounding, and 57% did not adjust for sample clustering. The most consistent methods and reproducible results were seen in the pediatric cardiac surgical literature. Forty-nine studies (78%) showed positive correlation between experience and most primary outcomes, but differences in outcomes and exposure definitions made comparisons between studies difficult. In general, hospital-level factors tended to correlate with outcomes for high-complexity procedures, whereas surgeon-level factors tended to correlate with outcomes for more common procedures. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Data on experience-related outcomes in childrens surgery are limited in number and vary widely in methodologic quality. Future studies should seek both to standardize definitions, making results more applicable, and to differentiate procedures affected by surgeon experience from those more affected by hospital resources and system-level variables.

Predictors of survival in pediatric adrenocortical carcinoma: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program study

BACKGROUND Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is rarely described in children. There is variation in incidence worldwide. This study sought to identify national incidence rates and independent prognostic indicators for children. METHODS The SEER database was queried for the years 1973 through 2008 for all patients with ACC less than 20 years of age. Incidence rates and survival were analyzed accounting for clinical and demographic factors. Cox proportional-hazards regression was used to identify factors associated with disease-specific survival. RESULTS Eighty-five patients (57 F: 28 M) were identified. Annual ACC incidence was 0.21 per million. Young patients (≤ 4 years) were noted to have more favorable features than older patients (5-19 years) and more likely to have local disease (76% vs. 31%, p < 0.001), tumor size < 10 cm (69% vs. 31%, p = 0.007), and better 5-year survival (91.1% vs. 29.8%, p < 0.001). After adjustment, the most significant predictors of cancer-specific death were age 5-19 years (HR 8.6, p = 0.001) and distant disease (HR 3.3, p = 0.01). After accounting for tumor size, only age maintained statistical significance (HR 9.9, p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS Our study represents one of the largest reviews of pediatric ACC. An age of ≤ 4 years was associated with better outcome. Potential factors responsible for this include patient and tumor related factors.

A national review of the frequency of minimally invasive surgery among general surgery residents: assessment of ACGME case logs during 2 decades of general surgery resident training.

IMPORTANCE Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has created a shift in how many surgical diseases are treated. Examining the effect on resident operative experience provides valuable insight into trends that may be useful for restructuring the requirements of resident training. OBJECTIVE To evaluate changes in general surgery resident operative experience regarding MIS. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Retrospective review of the frequency of MIS relative to open operations among general surgery residents using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case logs for academic years 1993-1994 through 2011-2012. EXPOSURES General surgery residency training among accredited programs in the United States. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES We analyzed the difference in the mean number of MIS techniques and corresponding open procedures across training periods using 2-tailed t tests with statistical significance set at P < .05. RESULTS Of 6,467,708 operations with the option of MIS, 2,393,030 (37.0%) were performed with the MIS approach. Of all MIS operations performed, the 5 most common were cholecystectomy (48.5%), appendectomy (16.2%), groin hernia repair (10.0%), abdominal exploration (nontrauma) (4.4%), and antireflux procedures (3.6%). During the study period, there was a transition from a predominantly open to MIS approach for appendectomy, antireflux procedures, thoracic wedge resection, and partial gastric resection. Cholecystectomy is the only procedure for which MIS was more common than the open technique throughout the study period (P < .001). The open approach is more common for all other procedures, including splenectomy (0.7% MIS), common bile duct exploration (24.9% MIS), gastrostomy (25.9% MIS), abdominal exploration (33.1% MIS), hernia (20.3% MIS), lung resection (22.3% MIS), partial or total colectomy (39.1%), enterolysis (19.0% MIS), ileostomy (9.0% MIS), enterectomy (5.2% MIS), vagotomy (1.8% MIS), and pediatric antireflux procedures (35.9% MIS); P < .001. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Minimally invasive surgery has an increasingly prominent role in contemporary surgical therapy for many common diseases. The open approach, however, still predominates in all but 5 procedures. Residents today must become efficient at performing multiple techniques for a single procedure, which demands a broader skill set than in the past.

Surgical treatment of primary liver tumors in children: Outcomes analysis of resection and transplantation in the SEER database

Adjusted survival outcomes following hepatic resection and transplantation for pediatric liver tumors have not been compared. To address this question, we conducted a retrospective cohort study using the SEER registry. While SEER lacks certain specifics regarding staging, chemotherapy, comorbidities, and recurrence, important hypothesis‐generating data are available and were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier statistics and Cox proportional hazards regression. All SEER patients under the age of 20 yr undergoing surgery for HB (n = 318) or HCC (n = 80) between 1998 and 2009 were included. Of HB patients, 83.3% underwent resection and 16.7% transplantation. Advanced disease, vascular invasion, and satellite lesions were more common among transplant patients. Unadjusted five‐yr survival was equivalent, as was the adjusted hazard of death for transplant relative to resection (HR = 0.58, p = 0.63). Of HCC patients, 75.0% underwent resection and 25.0% transplantation. Transplant patients had a higher prevalence of vascular invasion and satellite lesions. Five‐yr survival was 53.4% after resection and 85.3% after transplant, and the adjusted hazard of death was significantly lower after transplantation (HR = 0.05, p = 0.045). While transplantation is generally reserved for unresectable tumors, the favorable survival seen in HCC patients suggests that liberalized transplant criteria might improve survival, although further prospective data are needed.

Shifts towards pediatric specialists in the treatment of appendicitis and pyloric stenosis: Trends and outcomes

BACKGROUND Little data exists on temporal changes in the care of children with common surgical conditions. We hypothesized that an increasing proportion of procedures are performed at pediatric hospitals over time, and that outcomes are superior at these centers. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Washington State discharge records for children 0-17years old undergoing appendectomy (n=39,472) or pyloromyotomy (n=3,500). Pediatric hospitals were defined as centers with full-time pediatric surgeons. Outcomes were examined for two time periods (1987-2000, 2001-2009). RESULTS From 1987 to 2009, the proportion of procedures performed at pediatric hospitals steadily increased. The percentage for appendectomies increased from 17% to 32%, and that for pyloromyotomies increased from 57% to 99%. For pyloromyotomy, care at a pediatric hospital was associated with decreased risk of postoperative complications (OR=0.36, p<0.001) for both time periods. Appendectomy outcomes did not differ significantly in the early time period, but in the later time period specialist care was associated with lower risk of complications in children <5years (OR=0.54, p=0.03). CONCLUSION There has been a shift towards pediatric hospitals for certain procedures, with a widening disparity in outcomes for younger children. These results suggest that procedures in younger patients may best be performed by providers familiar with these patient populations.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in children: epidemiology and the impact of regional lymphadenectomy on surgical outcomes.

BACKGROUND Factors influencing survival in children with HCC have not been studied. The objective of this study was to identify prognostic factors in pediatric HCC, and to determine whether regional lymphadenectomy is associated with improved survival. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry. All patients <20 years old diagnosed with HCC from 1973-2009 were included. Disease-specific survival was compared using Kaplan-Meier statistics and Cox proportional-hazards regression. RESULTS We identified 238 patients (139 Male: 99 Female). Overall, 112 (47%) received an operation (resection/transplantation). Observed mortality and adjusted hazard of disease-specific death was greater for females (HR=2.07, p=0.013) and older children. Among operative patients, 44% were documented to have a regional lymphadenectomy. Although demographic factors did not differ between lymphadenectomy and non-lymphadenectomy groups, patients who underwent lymphadenectomy had a greater proportion of metastatic disease (24% vs. 15%) and fibrolamellar HCC (53% vs. 31%). Five-year survival for lymphadenectomy patients was superior to non-lymphadenectomy (70% vs. 57%). Adjusted mortality for lymphadenectomy was also improved relative to non-lymphadenectomy (HR=0.26, p=0.013). CONCLUSIONS HCC in children is associated with poor survival, especially among children older than 4 years and girls. In surgical candidates, regional lymphadenectomy may be associated with improved survival.

Influence of hospital and patient location on early postoperative outcomes after appendectomy and pyloromyotomy

BACKGROUND The effects of hospital location and designation on postoperative pediatric outcomes remain unclear. We hypothesized that urban hospital outcomes would be superior to rural hospitals, and that outcomes at urban centers would differ for children from rural versus urban counties. METHODS Retrospective cohort study of children undergoing appendectomy (n=129,507) and pyloromyotomy (n=13,452) using the 2006/2009 KID databases. Hospitals were characterized by specialty designation and classified as urban/rural. County of residence was classified as urban/rural. Outcomes included complications and length of stay. Multivariate regression models were used to adjust for confounding. RESULTS Among appendectomy patients, treatment at urban hospitals was associated with reduced odds of any postoperative complication (OR=0.77, 95% C.I. 0.70-0.85) and anesthesia-related complications (OR=0.72, 95% C.I. 0.57-0.91). This association was strongest in the youngest children (<5 years) and at childrens hospitals. For pyloromyotomy patients, urban hospitals were associated with reduced odds of any complication (OR=0.43, 95% C.I. 0.24-0.75), anesthesia-related complications (OR=0.14, 95% C.I. 0.05-0.37), and duodenal perforation (OR=0.46, 95% C.I. 0.19-1.07). These associations were most significant at childrens hospitals. CONCLUSIONS Postoperative outcomes appear to be improved at urban specialty hospitals relative to rural hospitals for certain common pediatric procedures. Identification of the factors driving this association may help inform resource optimization efforts in pediatric surgery.

Intradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestration: advantages of the thoracoscopic approach

Pulmonary sequestrations are accessory foregut lesions that are most commonly located within the thorax and occasionally in the abdominal cavity. Sequestrations arising within the diaphragm are exceedingly rare. We describe 2 patients found to have left peridiaphragmatic lesions on prenatal ultrasound and postnatal computed tomography. In the first patient, an initial laparoscopic approach was abandoned in favor of a thoracoscopic approach after no intraabdominal mass was found. The second patient had an uncomplicated thoracoscopic resection of a similar lesion. To our knowledge, these represent the first intradiaphragmatic pulmonary sequestrations to be resected via a minimally invasive approach. The rarity of these lesions makes definitive diagnosis without operative intervention challenging. Thoracoscopy appears to be a reasonable approach for resection of such intradiaphragmatic lesions.

Extensive congenital abdominal aortic aneurysm and renovascular disease in the neonate

Primary congenital abdominal aortic aneurysm is an extremely rare entity, with only 15 patients reported in the literature. Options for repair are often limited secondary to branch vessel size and other anatomic limitations. We present a neonate diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm on prenatal ultrasound. A postpartum computed tomography angiogram revealed an extensive type IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm extending to the aortic bifurcation and resulting in bilateral renal artery stenosis. The unique features of this patient and challenges in management are discussed.

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Surgery Resident Operative Logs: The Last Quarter Century

Study Objective: To describe secular trends in operative experience for surgical trainees across an extended period using the most comprehensive data available, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) case logs. Background: Some experts have expressed concern that current trainees are inadequately prepared for independent practice. One frequently mentioned factor is whether duty hours’ restrictions (DHR) implemented in 2003 and 2004 contributed by reducing time spent in the operating room. Methods: A dataset was generated from annual ACGME reports. Operative volume for total major cases (TMC), defined categories, and four index laparoscopic procedures was evaluated. Results: TMC dropped after implementation of DHR but rebounded after a transition period (949 vs 946 cases, P = nonsignificance). Abdominal cases increased from 22% of overall cases to 31%. Alimentary cases increased from 21% to 26%. Trauma and vascular surgery substantially decreased. For trauma, this drop took place well before DHR. The decrease in vascular surgery also began before DHR but continued afterward as well: 148 cases/resident in the late 1990s to 107 currently. Conclusions: Although total operative volume rebounded after implementation of DHR, diversity of operative experienced narrowed. The combined increase in alimentary and abdominal cases is nearly 13%, over a half-years worth of operating in 5-year training programs. Bedrock general surgery cases—trauma, vascular, pediatrics, and breast—decreased. Laparoscopic operations have steadily increased. If the competence of current graduates has, in fact, diminished. Our analysis suggests that operative volume is not the problem. Rather, changing disease processes, subspecialization, reductions in resident autonomy, and technical innovation challenge how todays general surgeons are trained.