Kibileri Williams

Current practice patterns for postoperative activity restrictions in children

BACKGROUND Postoperative activity restrictions are designed to prevent undue stress on a recent repair and minimize the risk of surgical complication, however, there is little evidence to support certain restrictions in clinical practice. For the pediatric population, there is a paucity of formal evaluations of postoperative activity restrictions, and little is known about current practice patterns among pediatric surgeons. This study aimed to describe national practice patterns of pediatric surgeons for postoperative activity recommendations following three common general surgical procedures. METHODS A 7-item survey was sent to all American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) members regarding surgeon practice of recommended activity restrictions for school attendance, participation in playground or gym, participation in contact sports, and heavy lifting in children following 3 procedures: exploratory laparotomy, laparoscopic appendectomy, and inguinal hernia repair. Information on type and duration of clinical practice was also collected for each surgeon. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS The survey was completed by 293 pediatric surgeons for a response rate of 28.9%. There was wide national variability in the recommended activity restrictions for children <12 years old among pediatric surgeons. Following laparoscopic appendectomy, 30.7%, 51.9% and 47.8% of surgeons recommends restriction of gym, contact sports, and heavy lifting for 2-3 weeks respectively, but 26.7%, 19.8%, and 22.2% do not recommend any restriction whatsoever of these three activities. Following inguinal hernia repair, 31.7%, 49.1% and 44.4% of surgeons recommend restriction of gym, contact sports, and heavy lifting for 2-3 weeks, but 30.8%, 30.8%, and 29.2% do not recommend any restriction of these three activities. Only 22% of surgeons change their activity restriction recommendations for children ≥12 years old, this decision was not associated with surgeon years in practice or type of practice. CONCLUSIONS There is considerable variability in surgeon recommendations for activity restrictions following three general surgery procedures in children. While activity restrictions are rooted in the physiology of wound healing, there is little evidence to support the benefit of these restrictions in clinical practice. In addition, activity restriction may have unintended deleterious effects on a childs psychosocial well-being and quality of life. Further investigation should be pursued to understand the utility of activity restrictions in children and their impact on clinical outcomes and patient quality of life. TYPE OF STUDY Treatment study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level V, expert opinion.

Age at orchiopexy for undescended testis in the United States

PURPOSE Undescended testis (UDT) is the most common congenital anomaly of the male genitalia. The American Urological Association guidelines recommend orchiopexy by age 18months to ameliorate the risk of subfertility. The study aim was to assess adherence to these guidelines on a national level. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed both the State Ambulatory Surgery Database (SASD) in 2012 and the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) for 2015. All patients aged 18years or less with a diagnosis of UDT who underwent orchiopexy were included. Demographic data including age at repair as well as surgical subspecialty and payer status were extracted. RESULTS Analysis of the 2012 SASD for New Jersey, Florida, and Maryland yielded 1654 patients. The majority were white, 791 (48.3%), with a median age at repair of 4years (IQR 1-8). Most patients, 1048 (64%), had orchiopexy later than age 2. A total of 844 males were identified from the PHIS database. Of these, 63% were white. The median age at repair was 5years (IQR 1-9). There were 577 (68%) patients older than 2years at orchiopexy. CONCLUSION Almost 70% of boys with undescended testes in the United States are undergoing orchiopexy at least 6months later than the recommended age. TYPE OF STUDY Retrospective. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III.

Optimal timing of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax in children

PURPOSE There is no consensus in the pediatric surgical community about when to recommend video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). We aimed to identify factors that predict the likelihood of requiring VATS, and to compare recurrence rates and healthcare utilization among different management approaches to PSP. METHODS A retrospective chart review and a telephone survey were conducted on all patients 12-21years who were diagnosed with PSP from 2007 to 2015. Data were extracted on patient demographics, initial management, hospital length of stay (LOS), and subsequent admissions, procedures, and recurrences. RESULTS A total of 46 patients were included with a mean age of 16.1years (+/- 1.2). Most patients were male (41, 89%) and white (16, 44%). Initial management comprised chest tube drainage alone in 28 (61%), no intervention in 8 (17%), and VATS in 10 (22%). Total LOS was 6days (IQR 4-7) and was longer in patients who underwent VATS (p<0.001). Recurrence occurred in 17 patients (37%). However, recurrence and healthcare utilization were not significantly associated with initial management approach. Among those who had initial chest tube drainage, 14 (50%) underwent VATS on that admission, and 8 (28%) had subsequent surgery. Significant predictors of ultimately requiring VATS were presence of an air leak and partial lung expansion. CONCLUSION Most patients with PSP currently undergo chest tube placement as initial management, although most eventually require VATS. Presence of an air leak and partial lung expansion on chest radiograph within the first 48h of management should prompt earlier surgical intervention. TYPE OF STUDY Retrospective. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III.

Variation in prophylactic antibiotic use for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Need for better stewardship in pediatric surgery

PURPOSE The role of prophylactic antibiotics for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been questioned over the last decade. Although gradually being discontinued in the adult population, the practice among pediatric surgeons remains unknown. Our aim was to investigate the use of perioperative antibiotics in children undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for symptomatic cholelithiasis and biliary dyskinesia. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database for 2015 and selected all patients 18years old or younger who underwent LC for cholelithiasis (without cholecystitis) or biliary dyskinesia. Demographic and hospital data were extracted as well as antibiotics administered and surgical complications. RESULTS A total of 1112 patients from 44 hospitals were identified with a median age of 15years (IQR 13-16years). Eight out of every 10 hospitals routinely give prophylactic antibiotics in more than 50% of patients. In 37 hospitals that performed more than 5 LC per year, 19 to 100% of patients were given antibiotics. No surgical complications were identified in those who did not get antibiotics. CONCLUSION There is significant inter-hospital variation in prophylactic antibiotic administration for elective LC in children. Perioperative antibiotic administration should be tracked as a quality metric in the current push for better stewardship. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III. TYPE OF STUDY Retrospective.

Using accelerometers to characterize recovery after surgery in children

BACKGROUND Assessment of recovery after surgery in children remains highly subjective. However, advances in wearable technology present an opportunity for clinicians to have an objective assessment of postoperative recovery. The aims of this pilot study are to: (1) evaluate acceptability of accelerometer use in pediatric surgical patients, (2) use accelerometer data to characterize the recovery trajectory of physical activity, and (3) determine if postoperative adverse events are associated with a decrease in physical activity. STUDY DESIGN Children aged 3-18-years-old undergoing elective inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures were invited to participate. Physical activity was measured using an Actigraph GT3X wristworn accelerometer for ≥2days preoperatively and 5-14days postoperatively. Time spent performing light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was expressed in minutes/day. Physical activity for each postoperative day was calculated as a percentage of preoperative activity, and recovery trajectories were produced. Adverse events were reported and mapped against recovery trajectories. RESULTS Of 60 patients enrolled, 25 (10 inpatients, 15 outpatients) completed the study procedures and were included in the analysis. For outpatient procedures, LPA recovered to preoperative level on postoperative day (POD) 7 and MVPA peaked at 90% on POD 8. For inpatient procedures, LPA peaked at 70% on POD 11, and MVPA peaked at 53% on POD 10. Adverse events in 2 patients were associated with a decline in activity. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that objective monitoring of postoperative physical activity using accelerometers is feasible in the pediatric surgical population. Recovery trajectories for inpatient and outpatient procedures differ. Accelerometer technology presents clinicians with a new potential tool for assessing and managing surgical recovery, and for determining if children are not recovering as expected. TYPE OF STUDY Diagnostic Study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III.