Jason D. Wink

Among 1,706 cases of abdominal wall reconstruction, what factors influence the occurrence of major operative complications?

BACKGROUND Abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) poses a substantial operative challenge, often in the setting of multiple failed attempts at repair in high-risk patients. Our aim was to assess risk factors for major operative morbidity after AWR using the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) patient database. METHODS A review of the ACS-NSQIP database of outcomes from 2005 to 2010 was performed to identify patients undergoing AWR utilizing Current Procedural Terminology codes for ventral hernia repair and a concomitant component separation. Independent variables included patient demographics, medical comorbidities, and operative considerations. Major operative complication (deep wound infection, graft or prosthetic loss, or unplanned return to the operating room within 30 days) was used as our dependent variable. Stepwise, multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate patient risk factors influencing the occurrence of major operative complications. RESULTS We identified 1,706 patients with an average age of 55.9 ± 12.8 years with 30.1% undergoing concurrent intra-abdominal procedures and 57.1% undergoing mesh repair. Notable medical comorbidities included obesity (63.4%), smoking (24.9%), hypertension (53.1%), diabetes (19.9%), and anemia (22.6%). Average operative time was 211.7 ± 105.0 minutes. Regression analysis determined that prolonged operative time (odds ratio [OR], 2.7; P < .001) and American Society of Anesthesiologists >2 (OR, 1.8; P = .009) were positively associated, whereas advanced age (OR, 0.5; P = .005) was negatively associated with the occurrence of major operative complications. CONCLUSION Greater operative times and overall patient health are important prognostic factors for individuals undergoing AWR. The increased physiologic stress of a greater operative duration on patients who often have multiple comorbidities seems to play a significant role in predicting negative outcomes after AWR.

A craniometric analysis of posterior cranial vault distraction osteogenesis.

Background: Posterior cranial vault distraction osteogenesis has replaced fronto-orbital advancement in some centers as the first-line treatment in patients with syndromic craniosynostosis. Despite this fact, little has been written about its craniometric effects on children with syndromic craniosynostosis. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent posterior distraction was performed. Patient demographic, perioperative data, and preoperative/postoperative computed tomographic scans were reviewed. Volumetric and craniometric indices were calculated and measured using commercial three-dimensional imaging software. Results: From 2008 to 2012, 22 patients underwent posterior vault distraction osteogenesis for suspected intracranial hypertension or severe turribrachicephaly. In 13 patients, this was the first cranial vault procedure performed, whereas eight had previous fronto-orbital advancement and one had parieto-occipital reshaping. Half of patients underwent posterior cranial vault distraction osteogenesis before age 1 year; the average age at surgery was 2.3 years (range, 0.3 to 14.1 years) and distraction length averaged 27.3 mm (range, 19 to 35 mm). Average length of surgery was 2.9 hours (range, 1.6 to 3.8 hours), and average blood loss was 400 ml (range, 200 to 600 ml). Total treatment length was 91 days (range, 48 to 147 days). Distraction length averaged 27.3 mm (range, 19 to 35 mm). Intracranial volume increase averaged 21.5 percent (range, 7.5 to 70.0 percent; p < 0.0001) and 28.4 percent (range, 10.8 to 66.0 percent; p = 0.01) in the subset of patients younger than 1 year. Posterior cranial height increased 12.2 percent (range, 0 to 35 percent; p = 0.002), and basofrontal angle decrease averaged 3.9 percent (range, 0 to 12 percent; p = 0.003), indicating a decrease in cranial height trajectory and improvement in frontal bossing. Conclusions: Posterior cranial vault distraction is a safe and effective operation that may lower risk of intracranial hypertension and abnormal skull morphology. Interestingly, cranial morphological benefits were seen both anteriorly and posteriorly. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

A retrospective review of outcomes and flap selection in free tissue transfers for complex lower extremity reconstruction.

PURPOSE Complex lower extremity wounds present a significant challenge to the reconstructive surgeon. We report a consecutive experience of free tissue transfers for lower extremity reconstruction with a focus on outcomes and flap selection. METHODS A retrospective review of all free tissue transfers for lower extremity reconstruction between 2006 and 2011 was performed. Minor complications were defined as nonoperative complications (infection, seroma, hematoma, wound breakdown, and partial loss). Major complication required a surgical intervention (total flap loss, thrombosis, nonunion, amputation, and hematoma). RESULTS A total of 119 free flaps were performed in 114 patients. Reconstructed defects were most commonly derived from acute traumatic (N = 40) or chronic traumatic (N = 34) wounds, oncologic (N = 14), or diabetic (N = 8). Flap loss occurred at a rate of 5.9% and the overall lower extremity salvage rate was 93%. Complications were significantly higher for free tissue transfers to the region of the distal tibia (p = 0.04). Major complications were significantly higher in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p = 0.02) and in patients who experienced intraoperative technical difficulties (p = 0.014). Flap loss was significantly higher when the rectus abdominis flap was used (p = 0.02) and when a delayed venous thrombotic event occurred (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION Patient comorbidities and defect location can be associated with higher rates of complications; flap selection and delayed venous thrombotic events appear to be associated with flap failure.Level of Evidence Prognostic/risk category, level III.

Temporal hollowing following surgical correction of unicoronal synostosis.

Background: Temporal hollowing occurs frequently following surgical correction of unicoronal synostosis. This is characterized by a depression in the posterolateral orbitotemporal region. Both soft-tissue and bony causes have been postulated to underpin this problem. The authors investigated the soft-tissue and bony morphology of the temporal region in surgically treated unicoronal synostosis patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of adolescent patients with temporal hollowing who underwent unicoronal synostosis repair as infants was carried out. Demographic data and computed tomographic craniometric parameters were obtained and analyzed using the t test. Photographs were graded subjectively and compared with quantitative data. Results: Fifteen children (seven boys and eight girls; mean age, 13 years) were identified. Seventeen patients (10 boys and seven girls; mean age, 14 years) were used as controls. The affected side showed temporal constriction, compared with controls, along the supraorbit and anterior temple. The sella-to-pterion distance was also less, but not statistically so. Soft-tissue analysis revealed decreased thickness of the affected temporalis muscle compared with unaffected and control sides (range, 1 to 3 mm less). The affected fat pad width was not statistically different from unaffected and controls. Subjective clinical grading did not demonstrate statistical correlations with quantitative data. Conclusions: Temporal hollowing occurs following surgical correction of unicoronal synostosis, despite original overcorrection, because of bony constriction along the anterior bandeau. Decreased thickness of the temporalis muscle may also contribute to this depression, whereas the superficial fat pad does not play a role. Subjective clinical scoring does not strictly correlate with severity of craniometric measurements. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III. Figure. No caption available.

Volumetric changes in cranial vault expansion: comparison of fronto-orbital advancement and posterior cranial vault distraction osteogenesis.

Background: Posterior cranial vault distraction osteogenesis has recently been introduced to treat patients with multisuture syndromic craniosynostosis and is believed to provide greater gains in intracranial volume. This study provides volumetric analysis to determine the gains in intracranial volume produced by this modality. Methods: This was a two-center retrospective study of preprocedure and postprocedure computed tomography scans of two groups of 15 patients each with syndromic multisuture craniosynostosis treated with either fronto-orbital advancement or posterior cranial vault distraction osteogenesis. Scan data were analyzed volumetrically with Mimics software. Volumetric gains attributable to growth between scans were controlled for. Results: The mean advancements were 12.5 mm for fronto-orbital advancement and 24.8 mm for distraction osteogenesis. The mean difference in volume between the preoperative and postoperative scans was 144 cm3 for fronto-orbital advancement and 274 cm3 for (p = 0.009). After controlling for growth, the corrected mean volume difference was 66 cm3 for fronto-orbital advancement and 142 cm3 for distraction osteogenesis (p = 0.0017). The corrected mean volume difference per millimeter of advancement was 4.6 cm3 for fronto-orbital advancement and 5.8 cm3 for distraction (p = 0.357). Conclusions: In this retrospective study, posterior cranial vault distraction osteogenesis provided statistically greater intracranial volume expansion than fronto-orbital advancement. The volume gains per millimeter advancement were similar between groups, with a trend toward greater gains per millimeter with distraction osteogenesis. Gradual expansion of the overlying soft tissues with posterior cranial vault distraction osteogenesis appears to be the primary mechanism for greater volume gains with this technique. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.

Cost-utility analysis of the use of prophylactic mesh augmentation compared with primary fascial suture repair in patients at high risk for incisional hernia

BACKGROUND Although hernia repair with mesh can be successful, prophylactic mesh augmentation (PMA) represents a potentially useful preventative technique to mitigate incisional hernia risk in select high-risk patients. The efficacy, cost-benefit, and societal value of such an intervention are not known. The aim of this study was to determine the cost-utility of using prophylactic mesh to augment fascial incisions. METHODS A decision tree model was employed to evaluate the cost-utility of using PMA relative to primary suture closure (PSC) after elective laparotomy. The authors adopted the societal perspective for cost and utility estimates. A systematic review of the literature on PMA was performed. The costs in this study included direct hospital costs and indirect costs to society, and utilities were obtained through a survey of 300 English-speaking members of the general public evaluating 14 health state scenarios relating to ventral hernia. RESULTS PSC without mesh demonstrated an expected average cost of

Analysis of risk factors associated with 30-day readmissions following pediatric plastic surgery: a review of 5376 procedures.

17,182 (average quality-adjusted life-year [QALY] of 21.17) compared with

Earlier evidence of spheno-occipital synchondrosis fusion correlates with severity of midface hypoplasia in patients with syndromic craniosynostosis.

15,450 (expected QALY was 21.21) for PMA. PSC was associated with an incremental cost-efficacy ratio (ICER) of -

Optimizing patient selection in ventral hernia repair with concurrent panniculectomy: An analysis of 1974 patients from the ACS-NSQIP datasets

42,444/QALY compared with PMA such that PMA was more effective and less costly. Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis was performed demonstrating more simulations resulting in ICERs for PSC above the willingness-to-pay threshold of

The use of epidurals in abdominal wall reconstruction: an analysis of outcomes and cost.

50,000/QALY, supporting the finding that PMA is superior. CONCLUSION Cost-utility analysis of PSC compared to PMA for abdominal laparotomy closure demonstrates PMA to be more effective, less costly, and overall more cost-effective than PSC.