Walley J. Temple

The Computer Synoptic Operative Report—A Leap Forward in the Science of Surgery

AbstractBackground: Quality of surgery is a proven prognostic factor in many tumors. It is critical to ensure that an effective method is in place to evaluate surgery accurately. Material and Methods: A provincial Cancer Surgery Working Group designed and piloted a computerized synoptic operative report template (WebSMR) in rectal cancer surgery, to replace the standard narrative operative record (NR). This included a precise description of the procedure, data on demographics, diagnostic evaluation, staging, and functional measures. A total of 70 items for anterior resection (AR) and 63 items for abdominoperinal excision (APR) were included. The WebSMR was assessed for comparison with 40 NR randomly selected from seven hospitals in Southern Alberta from 2001 to 2003. Results: The NR contained 45.9% of the specified data elements and the WebSMR captured 99%. The most complete NR data (68.8% to 97%) concerned hospital and patient data, anesthetist and surgeon information, approach, and closure details. The important details of laparotomy and tumor resection were the next most complete data (33.5% to 47.5%) and the least complete (0 to 25%) concerned preoperative treatment, comorbidity, and metastatic and local assessment. All differences among these groups were statistically different (P < .001). No statistically significant differences were seen in the completeness of the NR according to the type of surgery (AR vs. APR; P = .1) or the dictating surgeon (colorectal vs. general vs. resident; P = .175). The time needed to complete the WebSMR test was only 6 minutes. Conclusion: The science of surgical technique can be better measured by this unique instrument and will create accountability in surgery.Background: Quality of surgery is a proven prognostic factor in many tumors. It is critical to ensure that an effective method is in place to evaluate surgery accurately. Material and Methods: A provincial Cancer Surgery Working Group designed and piloted a computerized synoptic operative report template (WebSMR) in rectal cancer surgery, to replace the standard narrative operative record (NR). This included a precise description of the procedure, data on demographics, diagnostic evaluation, staging, and functional measures. A total of 70 items for anterior resection (AR) and 63 items for abdominoperinal excision (APR) were included. The WebSMR was assessed for comparison with 40 NR randomly selected from seven hospitals in Southern Alberta from 2001 to 2003. Results: The NR contained 45.9% of the specified data elements and the WebSMR captured 99%. The most complete NR data (68.8% to 97%) concerned hospital and patient data, anesthetist and surgeon information, approach, and closure details. The important details of laparotomy and tumor resection were the next most complete data (33.5% to 47.5%) and the least complete (0 to 25%) concerned preoperative treatment, comorbidity, and metastatic and local assessment. All differences among these groups were statistically different (P < .001). No statistically significant differences were seen in the completeness of the NR according to the type of surgery (AR vs. APR; P = .1) or the dictating surgeon (colorectal vs. general vs. resident; P = .175). The time needed to complete the WebSMR test was only 6 minutes. Conclusion: The science of surgical technique can be better measured by this unique instrument and will create accountability in surgery.

Pelvic exenteration for advanced pelvic malignancy.

Pelvic exenteration is a demanding, yet potentially curative operation, for patients with advanced pelvic cancer. The majority will present with recurrence after prior surgery and radiotherapy. After exenteration, 5-year survival is 40% to 60% in patients with gynecologic cancer as compared to 25% to 40% for patients with colorectal cancer. Physiologic age and absence of co-morbidities appear to be more important when selecting patients for exenteration than chronological age. Careful pre-operative staging, including either computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), usually will identify patients with distant metastases, extrapelvic nodal disease, or disease involving the pelvic sidewall (which generally precludes surgery). The recent application of intra-operative radiotherapy or postoperative high-dose brachytherapy for patients with more advanced pelvic disease, which may include sidewall involvement, may expand the standard indications for exenteration. However, the intent of this procedure, with or without radiotherapy, should be resection of all tumor with the aim of cure since the place of palliative exenteration is controversial at best. The operative details of exenteration are presented, as are two surgical approaches to composite resection of pelvic structures in continuity with sacrectomy. Filling the pelvis with large tissue flaps, usually a rectus abdominus flap, has decreased morbidity rates, particularly with small bowel complications. Peri-operative mortality is usually 5% to 10%, and significant morbidity occurs in over 50% of patients. Restorative techniques for both urinary and gastrointestinal tracts can diminish the need for stomas and, along with vaginal reconstruction, can significantly improve quality of life for many patients after exenteration. These advances in surgery and radiotherapy help make the procedure a viable option for patients with otherwise incurable pelvic malignancy.

Sacral resection for control of pelvic tumors.

A surgical approach for treating patients with resected, recurrent, posterior pelvic visceral tumors involving the sacrum is detailed. Of 11 patients, 9 had rectal cancers, 1 had chordoma, and 1 had cancer of the cervix. Five total pelvic exenterations and five posterior exenterations were performed en bloc with involved sacrum. One patient had a sacral resection only. Surgical mortality was 9%, and the average hospital stay was 1 month. Mean disease-free survival was 1 year, and mean survival was 3 years. Absolute cure rate was 18% with a complete 5-year follow-up. This experience confirms the value of this procedure in selected patients.

Locally recurrent rectal cancer: role of composite resection of extensive pelvic tumors with strategies for minimizing risk of recurrence.

Locally recurrent cancer of the rectum has been under‐recognized as a complication, although it affects up to 40% of patients treated with surgery alone. Even in the best centers, rates average 25%. While radiotherapy may reduce recurrence, it is now apparent that total mesorectal excision is the most effective modality, with rates as low as 5%. The dramatic decrease in local recurrence can also be linked to increased survival in prospective studies, an effect more significant than any adjuvant therapy. The options, however, for patients with locally recurrent cancer are limited. Fifteen percent of patients with this complication die without systemic spread. Salvage by surgery offers potential cure. Other than anastomotic recurrences that can be locally resected, the best approach for long‐term survival is an extensive surgical procedure requiring en bloc removal of adjacent organs and pelvic structures—so‐called composite resection. With careful selection, 30% 5‐year survival can be achieved and palliation is considerable, with 50% long‐term local control. Intraoperative radiotherapy and brachytherapy, and/or preoperative chemoradiation may provide better results in future. Newer techniques of coloanal anastomosis, improved urinary diversion, and myocutaneous flaps for perineal reconstruction radically reduce the morbidity of these procedures. The approach to recurrent rectal cancer requires a sophisticated multidisciplinary team to obtain optimum results. J. Surg. Oncol. 2000;73:47–58.

Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy (Modified Eilber Protocol) Provides Maximum Local Control and Minimal Morbidity in Patients With Soft Tissue Sarcoma

BackgroundLocal recurrence rates of 15% to 30% after treatment of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) are still common but unacceptable. Our hypothesis was that a refined neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation protocol (modified Eilber protocol) improves local control rates while minimizing major morbidity.MethodsConsecutive patients with STS deep to the fascia of the extremity or trunk during 1984 to 1996 were treated with 3 days of doxorubicin (30 mg/day) and sequential radiation (300 cGy/day for 10 days). Wide excision with limb preservation was performed 4 to 8 weeks after radiation completion. Treatment complications, margins, local recurrence, and survival were prospectively documented.ResultsOf 75 patients, 66% had tumors >5 cm, and 71% were grade 2/3. In eight patients, negative margins were not achieved, and four of these had amputation (95% limb salvage). Three of the remaining four had local recurrence with a 5- and 7-year actuarial local control rate of 50% and 25%, respectively. In contrast, of the 67 patients with negative margins, a local control rate of 97% at 5 years and 94% at 7 years and an overall survival of 63% were achieved. Although margin (P = .001) and stage (P = .035) were correlated, these were not significant on multivariate Cox regression analysis. Risk factors for death included tumor stage (hazard ratio, 1.54; P = .001) and tumor grade (hazard ratio, 1.4; P = .02). Three patients (4%) required reoperation for tissue loss, and eight patients (10.6%) developed minor wound complications.ConclusionsThis modified Eilber protocol seems to maximize local control and minimize major wound complications for extremity/truncal STS.

Improvement in the accuracy of reporting key prognostic and anatomic findings during thyroidectomy by using a novel Web-based synoptic operative reporting system.

BACKGROUND Documentation of thyroidectomy is performed traditionally by surgeon-dictated operative reports (DORs). A Web-based system that generates a synoptic report (WebSMR) for thyroidectomy was developed. The purpose of this study was to assess the completeness of documentation in WebSMR compared with DOR. METHODS In all, 271 DORs and 133 WebSMR were reviewed for the documentation of (1) prognostic information for the MACIS score calculation; (2) key anatomic structures such as recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and parathyroid glands; and (3) nonessential information such as middle thyroid vein (MTV) ligation and sutures used for closure. RESULTS Overall DOR documented presence/absence of invasion in 27%, completeness of resection in only 3%, and tumor size in 29%, whereas these were recorded in 100% of WEBSMR (P < .001). The MACIS scores could not be calculated from any DOR, whereas WebSMRs have a MACIS calculator incorporated in the software. Although subtle differences were found in reporting anatomic structures depending on training, DORs were good at reporting the status of the RLNs (>95%) and parathyroids (>83%) compared with 100% in WebSMRs. DOR routinely included nonessential information; MTV (80%) and sutures used for closure (93% to 98%). CONCLUSION Use of the WebSMRs was superior to DORs in documenting key prognostic and anatomic findings without nonessential information, and it produced a superior document that can aid in postoperative care.

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy and reconstruction using autologous vein graft for the treatment of inferior vena cava leiomyosarcoma.

Inferior vena cava (IVC) leiomyosarcomas are rare and are a relatively small subset of retroperitoneal sarcomas. The current approach is resection and ligation or reconstruction of the IVC. This study was undertaken to analyze the outcomes associated with the use of neoadjuvant radiotherapy and IVC reconstruction in the treatment of IVC leiomyosarcoma.

Surgical palliation for recurrent rectal cancers ulcerating in the perineum

This report describes a unique palliative approach of radical surgical debridement for uncontrollable, recurrent pelvic tumors ulcerating through the perineum. All conservative treatment attempts with radiotherapy and chemotherapy had failed. Seven patients have been treated with resection of the tumor including a portion of the sacrum to obtain all but the deep margins clear of tumor. Coverage was obtained with myocutaneous flaps. All patients were significantly relieved of pain, requiring little or no subsequent analgesics. Three patients returned to work and the remainder led a relatively comfortable existence at home until their demise. At the time of death, four patients had no visible perineal disease. When conservative attempts at chemotherapy and radiotherapy have failed in this situation, the authors believe that palliative surgery prolongs both quantity and, more importantly, quality of life.

Synoptic surgical reporting for breast cancer surgery: an innovation in knowledge translation.

BACKGROUND Extensive literature identifies that the quality of surgery not only influences morbidity and mortality but also long-term survival and function. This mandates that we develop a system to capture this information on a real-time basis. METHODS A synoptic surgical template for breast cancer was created; this was digitized and made available to all surgeons in Alberta. RESULTS The data reference 1,392 breast cancer procedures. Ninety-one percent of reports were submitted within 1 hour and 97% of reports were submitted within 24 hours. Fifty-two percent of reports were completed within 5 minutes. Information quality with respect to completeness of staging information was present in 89%. Eighty-four percent complied with practice guidelines and 89% of breast surgeons adopted the template. Seventy-five percent of users were moderately or highly satisfied with the system. CONCLUSIONS The experience with the development and implementation of synoptic surgical reporting has proven to be a successful tool for generating quality surgical data.

The closure of large pelvic defects by extended compound tensor fascia lata and inferior gluteal myocutaneous flaps.

THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE USE of myocutaneous flaps in two unique situations with extensive pelvic and perineal defects. In the first patient, bilateral tensor fascia lata myocutaneous flaps 10 × 40 cm were rotated posteriorly to cover a perineal defect measuring 15 × 30 cm. In the second patient, bilateral inferior gluteus maximus myocutaneous flaps 10 × 32 cm were rotated to fill a pelvic defect 10 × 15 × 8 cm that remained after a pelvic exenteration and sacral resection. Both flaps were delayed 2 weeks prior to surgery to insure 100% viability.