Incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing open and minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy: a population-based study.

Purpose: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains a devastating complication of pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). Minimally invasive PD (MIPD), including laparoscopic (LPD) and robotic (RPD) approaches, have comparable POPF rates to open PD (OPD). However, we hypothesize that the likelihood of having a more severe POPF, as defined as clinically relevant POPF (CR-POPF), would be higher in an MIPD relative to OPD. Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) targeted pancreatectomy dataset (2014-2020) was reviewed for any POPF after OPD. Propensity score matching (PSM) compared MIPD to OPD, and then RPD to LPD. Results: Among 3,083 patients who developed a POPF, 2,843 (92.2%) underwent OPD and 240 (7.8%) MIPD; of these, 25.0% were LPD (n = 60) and 75.0% RPD (n = 180). Grade B POPF was observed in 45.4% (n = 1,400), and grade C in 6.0% (n = 185). After PSM, MIPD patients had higher rates of CR-POPF (47.3% OPD vs. 54.4% MIPD, p = 0.037), as well as higher reoperation (9.1% vs. 15.3%, p = 0.006), delayed gastric emptying (29.2% vs. 35.8%, p = 0.041), and readmission rates (28.2% vs. 35.1%, p = 0.032). However, CR-POPF rates were comparable between LPD and RPD (56.8% vs. 49.3%, p = 0.408). Conclusion: The impact of POPF is more clinically pronounced after MIPD than OPD with a more complex postoperative course. The difference appears to be attributed to the minimally invasive environment itself as no difference was noted between LPD and RPD. A clear biological explanation of this clinical observation remains missing. Further studies are warranted.

Consequences of a Surveillance Strategy for Side-Branch Intraductal Pancreatic Mucinous Neoplasms: Long-Term Follow-Up of One-Thousand Cysts.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to quantify the rate of progression in surveilled cysts and assess what factors should indicate delayed resection. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Side-branch intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (SB-IPMNs) are increasingly discovered, making it challenging to identify which patients require resection, thus avoiding inappropriate treatment. Most incidental lesions are surveyed, yet the consequences of that decision remain uncertain. METHODS: A prospectively maintained database of pancreatic cystic neoplasms was queried for patients with SB-IPMN. Patients with ≥2 imaging studies >6 months apart were included. Clinically relevant progression (CR-Progression) was defined by symptoms, worrisome/high-risk stigmata, or invasive cancer (IC). Growth ≥5 mm in 2 years is considered CR-Progression; size ≥3 cm alone is not. RESULTS: Between 1997-2023,1,337 patients were diagnosed with SB-IPMN. Thirty-seven (2.7%) underwent up-front surgery; 1,000 (75.0%) had >6 months surveillance.The rate of CR-progression was 15.3% (n=153) based on size increase (n=63, 6.3%), main-duct involvement (n=48, 4.8%), symptoms (n=8, 5.0%), or other criteria (n=34, 3.4%). At a median follow-up of 6.6 years (IQR 3.0-10.26), 17 patients (1.7%) developed IC. Those with CR-progression developed IC in 11.1% (n=17) and high-grade dysplasia (HGD) in 6.5% (n=10). Nearly half of the cancers were not contiguous with the surveyed SB-IPMN.Size ≥3 cm was not associated with HGD/IC (P=0.232). HGD/IC was least common in CR-progression determined by size growth (6.3%) versus main-duct involvement (24%) or other (43%, P<0.001)Patients with CR-progression demonstrated improved survival (OS) with resection on time-to-event (P<0.001) and multivariate cox-regression (HR=0.205, 0.096-0.439, P<0.001) analyses. OS was not improved with resection in all patients (P=0.244). CONCLUSION: Clinically relevant progression for SB-IPMNs is uncommon with development of cancer anywhere in the pancreas being rare. Initial size should not drive resection. Long-term and consistent non-operative surveillance is warranted, with surgery currently reserved for CR-progression knowing that the majority of these still harbor low grade pathology.

Predicting Mortality Prior to Interhospital Hospital for "Unseen" General Surgery Patients: Development, Validation and Feasibility Trial of a Mortality Risk Calculator.

OBJECTIVE: Develop and validate a mortality risk calculator that could be utilized at the time of transfer, leveraging routinely collected variables that could be obtained by trained non-clinical transfer personnel. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: There are no objective tools to predict mortality at the time of inter-hospital transfer for Emergency General Surgery (EGS) patients that are "unseen" by the accepting system. METHODS: Patients transferred to general or colorectal surgery services from January 2016 through August 2022 were retrospectively identified and randomly divided into training and validation cohorts (3:1 ratio). The primary outcome was admission-related mortality, defined as death during the index admission or within 30 days post-discharge. Multiple predictive models were developed and validated. RESULTS: Among 4,664 transferred patients, 280 (6.0%) experienced mortality. Predictive models were generated utilizing 19 routinely collected variables; the penalized regression model was selected over other models due to excellent performance using only 12 variables. The model performance on the validating set resulted in an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, specificity, and balanced accuracy of 0.851, 0.90, 0.67, and 0.79, respectively. After bias correction, Brier score was 0.04, indicating a strong association between the assigned risk and the observed frequency of mortality. CONCLUSION: A risk calculator using twelve variables has excellent predictive ability for mortality at the time of interhospital transfer among "unseen" EGS patients. Quantifying a patient's mortality risk at the time of transfer could improve patient triage, bed and resource allocation, and standardize care.

Natural history and growth prediction model of pancreatic serous cystic neoplasms.

OBJECTIVE: Serous cystic neoplasms (SCN) are benign pancreatic cystic neoplasms that may require resection based on local complications and rate of growth. We aimed to develop a predictive model for the growth curve of SCNs to aid in the clinical decision making of determining need for surgical resection. METHODS: Utilizing a prospectively maintained pancreatic cyst database from a single institution, patients with SCNs were identified. Diagnosis confirmation included imaging, cyst aspiration, pathology, or expert opinion. Cyst size diameter was measured by radiology or surgery. Patients with interval imaging ≥3 months from diagnosis were included. Flexible restricted cubic splines were utilized for modeling of non-linearities in time and previous measurements. Model fitting and analysis were performed using R (V3.50, Vienna, Austria) with the rms package. RESULTS: Among 203 eligible patients from 1998 to 2021, the mean initial cyst size was 31 mm (range 5-160 mm), with a mean follow-up of 72 months (range 3-266 months). The model effectively captured the non-linear relationship between cyst size and time, with both time and previous cyst size (not initial cyst size) significantly predicting current cyst growth (p < 0.01). The root mean square error for overall prediction was 10.74. Validation through bootstrapping demonstrated consistent performance, particularly for shorter follow-up intervals. CONCLUSION: SCNs typically have a similar growth rate regardless of initial size. An accurate predictive model can be used to identify rapidly growing outliers that may warrant surgical intervention, and this free model (https://riskcalc.org/SerousCystadenomaSize/) can be incorporated in the electronic medical record.

Tumor Size Combined With CA-19 Level Improves Prediction of Survival of Patients With Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Undergoing Perioperative Chemotherapy and Resection.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Five-year survival in pancreatic adenocarcinoma is less than 20%. While previous studies have postulated that a carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) threshold could predict outcome of resection, the role for CA19-9 in decision-making remains unclear. This study aims to assess whether CA19-9 levels combined with tumor size improve prediction of post-resection survival. METHOD: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 109 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who underwent perioperative chemotherapy followed by resection. The primary outcome of mortality was, divided into short (<1 year) or prolonged (>2 years). Univariate and multivariable analyses compared the tumor size-adjusted CA19-9 between the outcome groups. RESULTS: Twenty-seven (24.78%) and eighty-two (75.23%) patients were in the short survival and prolonged-survival groups, respectively. The mean CA19-9 was significantly greater in the short vs prolonged group (P < .001). Analyzing CA19-9 level by tumor size, the association of high CA19-9 and short survival was significant for small (≤2 cm) and large tumor (>4 cm), but not for intermediate-size tumors (2-4 cm). Adjusting for preoperative variable did not change this association. CONCLUSION: CA 19-9 in combination with tumor size better identifies patients with prolonged post-resection survival. This prediction is most accurate in patients with either small (≤2 cms) or large (>4 cms) tumors compared to intermediate-size tumors.

Comparing oncologic and surgical outcomes of robotic and laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy in patients with pancreatic cancer: a propensity-matched analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Minimally invasive Pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD), or the Whipple procedure, is increasingly utilized. No study has compared laparoscopic (LPD) and robotic (RPD) approaches, and the impact of the learning curve on oncologic, technical, and post-operative outcomes remains relatively understudied. METHODS: The National Cancer Database was queried for patients undergoing LPD or RPD from 2010 to 2020 with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Outcomes were compared between approaches using propensity-score matching (PSM); the impact of annual center-level volume of MIPD was also assessed by dividing volume into quartiles. RESULTS: A total of 3,342 patients were included. Most (n = 2,716, 81.3%) underwent LPD versus RPD (n = 626, 18.7%). There was a high rate (20.2%, n = 719) of positive margins. Mean length-of-stay (LOS) was 10.4 ± 8.9 days. Thirty-day mortality was 2.8% (n = 92) and ninety-day mortality was 5.7% (n = 189). PSM matched 625 pairs of patients receiving LPD or RPD. After PSM, there was no differences between groups based on age, sex, race, CCI, T-stage, neoadjuvant chemo/radiotherapy, or type of PD. After PSM, there was a higher rate of conversion to open (HR = 0.68, 95%CI = 0.50-0.92)., but there was no difference in LOS (HR = 1.00, 95%CI = 0.92-1.11), 30-day readmission (HR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.68-1.71), 30-day (HR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.39-1.56) or 90-day mortality (HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.42-1.16), ability to receive adjuvant therapy (HR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.92-1.44), nodal harvest (HR = 1.01, 95%CI = 0.94-1.09) or positive margins (HR = 1.19, 95% CI = 0.89-1.59). Centers in lower quartiles of annual volume of MIPD demonstrated reduced nodal harvest (p = 0.005) and a higher rate of conversion to open (p = 0.038). Higher-volume centers had a shorter LOS (p = 0.012), higher rate of initiation of adjuvant therapy (p = 0.042), and, most strikingly, a reduction in 90-day mortality (p = 0.033). CONCLUSION: LPD and RPD have similar surgical and oncologic outcomes, with a lower rate of conversion to open in the robotic cohort. The robotic technique does not appear to eliminate the "learning curve", with higher volume centers demonstrating improved outcomes, especially seen at minimum annual volume of 5 cases.

Intramucosal Extent as a Marker for Advanced Disease and Survival in Gallbladder Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common biliary tract malignancy and has a poor prognosis. The clinical significance of focal vs diffuse GBC remains unclear. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on all patients with non-metastatic GBC at a quaternary care center. Pathology was reviewed, and gallbladder cancer pattern was defined based on the extent of mucosal involvement; "diffuse" if the tumor was multicentric or "focal" if the tumor was only in a single location. Patients undergoing liver resection and portal lymphadenectomy were considered to have definitive surgery. The primary outcome was overall survival and assessed by Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: 63 patients met study criteria with 32 (50.7%) having diffuse cancer. No difference was observed in utilization of definitive surgery between the groups (14 [43.8%] with focal and 12 [38.7%] with diffuse, P = .88). Lymphovascular invasion (P = .04) and higher nodal stage (P = .04) were more common with diffuse GBC. Median overall survival was significantly improved in those with focal cancer (5.1 vs 1.2 years, P = .02). Although not statistically significant, this difference in overall survival persisted in patients who underwent definitive surgery (4.3 vs 2.4 years, P = .70). DISCUSSION: Patients with diffuse involvement of the gallbladder mucosa likely represent a subset with aggressive biology and worse overall survival compared to focal disease. These findings may aid surgeons in subsequent surgical and medical decision-making for patients with GBC.

Impact of autotransfusion on recurrence of colorectal cancer liver metastasis: Long-term follow-up of patients undergoing curative intent hepatectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) occurs in upto 50% of cases and drives patient outcomes. Up-front liver resection is the treatment of choice in resectable cases. There is no consensus yet established as to the safety of intraoperative autotransfusion in liver resection for CRLM. METHODS: Patients undergoing curative-intent hepatectomy for CRLM at a single quaternary-care institution from 1999 to 2016 were included. Demographics, surgical variables, Fong Clinical Risk Score (FCRS), use of intraoperative auto and/or allotransfusion, and survival data were analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed accounting for allotransfusion, extent of hepatectomy, FCRS, and systemic treatment regimens. RESULTS: Three-hundred sixteen patients were included. The median follow-up was 10.4 years (7.8-14.1 years). The median recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in all patients were 1.6 years (interquartile range: 0.63-6.6 years) and 4.4 years (2.1-8.7), respectively.  Before PSM, there was a significantly reduced RFS in the autotransfusion group (0.96 vs. 1.73 years, p = 0.20). There was no difference in OS (4.11 vs. 4.44 years, p = 0.118). Patients in groups of FCRS 0-2 and 3-5 both had reduced RFS when autotransfusion was used (p = 0.005). This reduction in RFS was further found when comparing autotransfusion versus no autotransfusion within the FCRS 0-2 group and within the FCRS 3-5 group (p = 0.027). On Cox-regression analysis, autotransfusion (hazard ratio = 1.423, 1.028-2.182, p = 0.015) remained predictive of RFS. After PSM, there were no differences in FCRS (p = 0.601), preoperative hemoglobin (p = 0.880), allotransfusion (p = 0.130), adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 1.000), immunotherapy (p = 0.172), tumor grade (p = 1.000), use of platinum-based chemotherapy (p = 0.548), or type of hepatic resection (p = 0.967). After matching, there was a higher rate of recurrence with autotransfusion (69.0% vs. 47.6%, p = 0.046). There was also a reduced time to recurrence in the autotransfusion group compared with the group without (p = 0.006). There was no difference in OS after PSM (p = 0.262). CONCLUSION: Autotransfusion may adversely affect recurrence in liver resection for CRLM. Until further studies clarify this risk profile, the use of intraoperative autotransfusion should be critically assessed on a case-by-case basis only when other resuscitation options are not available.

ASMBS statement on metabolic and bariatric surgery for beneficiaries of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services with a review of the literature.

This position statement is issued by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric. Surgery in response to inquiries made to the Society by patients, physicians, Society members, hospitals, health insurance payors, the media, and others regarding the access and outcomes of metabolic and bariatric surgery for beneficiaries of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This position statement is based on current clinical knowledge, expert opinion, and published peer-reviewed scientific evidence available at this time. The statement is not intended to be and should not be construed as stating or establishing a local, regional, or national standard of care. This statement will be revised in the future as additional evidence becomes available.

Neoadjuvant Gastric Score: How Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Affects Overall Survival and Adjuvant Benefit.

INTRODUCTION: The Neoadjuvant Rectal score (NAR) was developed as a short-term surrogate for 5-year overall survival (OS) prediction in locally advanced rectal cancer on the basis of response to neoadjuvant therapy. We aim to assess whether this score can be repurposed for locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgical resection. METHODS: Patients with gastric adenocarcinoma treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy followed by surgical resection were extracted from the National Cancer Database. Neoadjuvant Gastric (NAG) scores were calculated, and patients were stratified into low-, intermediate-, and high-score categories, with low scores predicting longer survival. Patients were propensity-matched 1:1:1 between the groups for OS comparison. We also matched patients within each group 1:1 per receipt of adjuvant therapy and compared 5-year OS. RESULTS: There were 2,970 patients identified. NAG classified patients into low- (n = 396, 13.3%), intermediate-(n = 756, 25.5%), and high (n = 1818, 61.2%) groups. After propensity matching, 5-year OS was significantly different between the matched groups (low-NAG 82%, intermediate-NAG 73%, and high-NAG 39%; p < 0.001). NAG score grouping also predicted OS benefit of adjuvant therapy; low- and intermediate-NAG patients had no OS benefit with adjuvant therapy (86% vs. 84%; p = 0.492, and 77% vs. 74%; p = 0.382, respectively), whereas patients with high-NAG score had a 5-year OS benefit with adjuvant therapy (39% vs. 29%; p = 0.024). CONCLUSION: NAR score may be repurposed to generate a prognostic tool in gastric adenocarcinoma to predict 5-year OS and has the potential to guide decision-making regarding allocation of adjuvant therapy. Further studies should prospectively validate these findings to confirm clinical utility.

Postoperative Day 1 Drain Amylase After Pancreatoduodenectomy: Optimal Level to Predict Pancreatic Fistula.

INTRODUCTION: Drain amylase on day 1 (DA-D1) after pancreaticoduodendectomy (PD) to predict occurrence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is controversial. In this study, we evaluate the optimal DA-D1 level to predict clinically relevant POPF (CR-POPF). METHODS: The 2014-2020 NSQIP pancreatectomy-targeted database was queried for patients who underwent elective PD. Perioperative data was extracted to determine development of POPF and CR-POPF per International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula guidelines. Receiver operative curve (ROC) and Youden's index were used to assess the performance and optimal cutoff for DA-D1 to predict CR-POPF. The DA-D1 value was confirmed with a multivariable logistic regression to determine hazard ratios (HR) for CR-POPF and conditional logistic regression by modified fistula risk score (mFRS) subgroups. RESULTS: A total of 6,087 patients with complete perioperative data were included. Mean DA-D1 was 2,897 ± 8,636 U/L; median drain duration was 5 days. CR-POPF was documented in 544 (8.9%) patients. DA-D1 ROC for CR-POPF had area under the curve of 0.779 (95%CI 0.759-0.798). Youden's index for the CR-POPF ROC coordinates had 77.6% sensitivity and 66.3% specificity, corresponding to DA-D1 values ≥ 720U/L as an optimal cutoff. CR-POPF was higher for patients with DA-D1 ≥ 720U/L (HR 4.6; p = 0.001). Patients DA-D1 < 720U/L with a negligible, low, intermediate, and high mFRS had respectively 1%, 3%, 4%, and 7% rate of CR-POPF. CONCLUSION: DA-D1 < 720U/L after elective PD is a clinically useful predictor of CR-POPF. For patients with negligible to intermediate FRS, surgeons should consider utilizing DA-D1 < 720 U/L for removal of a drain on the first postoperative day.

Comparing Outcomes of Minimally Invasive and Open Hepatectomy for Primary Liver Malignancies in Patients with Low-MELD Cirrhosis.

INTRODUCTION: Cirrhotic patients with primary liver cancer may undergo curative-intent resection when selected appropriately. Patients with T1 tumors and low-MELD are generally referred for resection. We aim to evaluate whether minimally invasive hepatectomy (MIH) is associated with improved outcomes versus open hepatectomy (OH). METHODS: NSQIP hepatectomy database 2014-2021 was used to select patients with T1 Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) or Intra-hepatic Cholangiocarcionoma (IHCC) and low-MELD cirrhosis (MELD ≤ 10) who underwent partial hepatectomy. Propensity score matching was applied between OH and MIH patients, and 30-day postoperative outcomes were compared. Multivariable regression was used to identify predictors of post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) in the selected population. RESULTS: There were 922 patients: 494 (53.6%) OH, 372 (40.3%) MIH, and 56 (6.1%) began MIH converted to OH (analyzed with the OH cohort). We matched 354 pairs of patients with an adequate balance between the groups. MIH was associated with lower rates of bile leak (HR 0.37 [0.19-0.72)], PHLF (HR 0.36 [0.15-0.86]), collections requiring drainage (HR 0.30 [0.15-0.63]), postoperative transfusion (HR 0.36 [0.21-0.61]), major (HR 0.45 [0.27-0.77]), and overall morbidity (HR 0.44 [0.31-0.63]), and a two-day shorter median hospitalization (3 vs. 5 days; HR 0.61 [0.45-0.82]). No difference was noted in operative time, wound, respiratory, and septic complications, or mortality. Regression analysis identified ascites, prior portal vein embolization (PVE), additional hepatectomies, Pringle's maneuver, and OH (vs. MIH) as independent predictors of PHLF. CONCLUSION: MIH for early-stage HCC/IHCC in low-MELD cirrhotic patients was associated with improved postoperative outcomes over OH. These findings suggest that MIH should be considered an acceptable approach in this population of patients.

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery literature review on the effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass limb lengths on outcomes.

This literature review is issued by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery regarding limb lengths in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and their effect on metabolic and bariatric outcomes. Limbs in RYGB consist of the alimentary and biliopancreatic limbs and the common channel. Variation of limb lengths in primary RYGB and as a revisional option for weight recurrence after RYGB are described in this review.

The role of minimally invasive surgery in resectable distal pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: In distal pancreatectomy (DP) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), we hypothesize that minimally invasive DP (MIDP) carries short-term benefits over ODP (ODP) in the absence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). METHODS: NSQIP database was queried to select patients who underwent DP for PDAC with available report on POPF. The population was divided into No-POPF vs. POPF groups. In each group, propensity-score matching was applied to compare 30-day outcomes of ODP vs. MIDP. RESULTS: There were 2,824 patients; 2,332 (82%) had No-POPF and 492 (21%) had POPF. In No-POPF patients, 921 pairs were matched between ODP and MIDP. MIDP patients had slightly longer operations (227 vs. 205 minutes; p < 0.001), but lower rates of surgical site complications (1% vs. 2.9%; p = 0.002), postoperative transfusion (7.1% vs. 11.0%; p = 0.003), overall morbidity (21.1% vs. 26.3%; p = 0.009), and one-day shorter median length of stay (LOS) (5 vs. 6 days; p = 0.001). In the POPF group, 172 pairs were matched. There was no difference in morbidity, mortality, reoperation, LOS, and home discharge. Similar conclusions were drawn in the intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses. CONCLUSION: POPF is common following DP for PDAC. In the absence of POPF, MIDP is associated with fewer postoperative morbidities and shorter LOS.

Evaluating approaches to diagnosis and management of idiopathic acute pancreatitis.

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic acute pancreatitis (IAP) is a diagnosis of exclusion; systematic work-up is challenging but essential. Recent advances suggest IAP results from micro-choledocholithiasis, and that laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) or endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) may prevent recurrence. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with IAP from 2015-21 were identified from discharge billing records. Acute pancreatitis was defined by the 2012 Atlanta classification. Complete workup was defined per Dutch and Japanese guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 1499 patients were diagnosed with IAP; 455 screened positive for pancreatitis. Most (N = 256, 56.2%) were screened for hypertriglyceridemia, 182 (40.0%) for IgG-4, and 18 (4.0%) MRCP or EUS, leaving 434 (29.0%) patients with potentially idiopathic pancreatitis. Only 61 (14.0%) received LC and 16 (3.7%) ES. Overall, 40% (N = 172) had recurrent pancreatitis versus 46% (N = 28/61) following LC and 19% (N = 3/16) following ES. Forty-three percent had stones on pathology after LC; none developed recurrence. CONCLUSION: Complete workup for IAP is necessary but was performed in <5% of cases. Patients who potentially had IAP and received LC were definitively treated 60% of the time. The high rate of stones on pathology further supports empiric LC in this population. A systematic approach to IAP is lacking. Interventions aimed at biliary-lithiasis to prevent recurrent IAP have merit.

How much narcotics are really needed after bariatric surgery: results of a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: To mitigate the opioid crisis, physicians are reevaluating opioid prescribing patterns. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate outcomes of maximal opioid reduction on top of an existing Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) pathway in our The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program-accredited bariatric surgery program. SETTING: Academic tertiary care hospital, United States. METHODS: Patients undergoing primary bariatric operation were studied from July 2017 to April 2019, (standard ERAS cohort), and compared to patients from April 2019 to February 2021 (standard ERAS with Sparing Opioid Use Postoperatively protocol) (SOUP cohort). The primary endpoint was reduction of perioperative opioid use. RESULTS: Of 367 patients, 212 (57.8%) and 155 (42.2%) were in the ERAS and SOUP cohorts, respectively. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was 48.6% (n = 103) versus 54.2% (n = 84) and sleeve gastrectomy was 51.4% (n = 109) versus 45.8% (n = 71) for ERAS versus SOUP, respectively (P = .29). The SOUP cohort of patients required a low median inpatient morphine equivalent dose of 4 mg [0-6.2]. The ERAS cohort was discharged on a higher morphine equivalent dose than the SOUP cohort at 186.7 mg ± 92.9 versus 37.6 ± 32.3 (P < .05), and median consumption of the standard 5 mg oxycodone tablet was 1.5 tablets [0-4]. The SOUP cohort patients rated their pain satisfaction score on a scale of 1 to 10 at 9.1 points (standard deviation ± 1.8). The SOUP cohort had a shorter length of stay (P < .05), with comparable readmission rates. CONCLUSIONS: An opioid-sparing protocol can be implemented after bariatric surgery with high overall satisfaction with pain control.

Long term assessment of antibiotic prophylaxis and biliary microbiome in pancreaticoduodenectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical site infections (SSI) can represent a major complication of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). We summarize the outcomes of process improvement efforts to reduce the SSI rates in PD that includes replacing Cefazolin with Ceftriaxone-Metronidazole as antibiotic prophylaxis. Additional efforts included current assessment of biliary microbiome and potential prophylactic failures based on bile cultures and suspected antibiotic allergies. METHOD: A single-center review of PD patients from January-2012 to March-2021. Study groups were divided into Pre and Post May-2015 (Group 1 and 2, respectively) when Ceftriaxone-Metronidazole prophylaxis and routine intraoperative cultures were standardized. Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to assess groups' differences and association with SSI. RESULTS: Six hundred ninety patients identified [267(38.7%) and 423(61.3%) in Group 1 and Group2, respectively]. After antibiotic change, SSI rates decreased from 28.1% to 16.5% (incisional: 17.6%-7.5%, organ-space or abscess: 17.2%-13.0%), Group 1 and Group 2, respectively, P<0.001. Ceftriaxone-Metronidazole was used in 75.9% of patients Group 2. When adjusting for other covariates, an SSI-decrease was associated only with Ceftriaxone-Metronidazole (OR 0.34, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Ongoing process improvement has resulted in decreased SSIs with Ceftriaxone-Metronidazole prophylaxis. The benefit of Ceftriaxone-Metronidazole is independent of the biliary microbiome. Improving prophylaxis for those with suspected penicillin allergy is warranted.

A chronological review of 500 minimally invasive liver resections in a North American institution: overcoming stagnation and toward consolidation.

BACKGROUND: Although interest in expanding the application of minimally invasive liver resection (MILR) is high the world over, most of the extensive experience in MILR has been reported from Far East Asia and Europe and its adoption in North America is limited. The aim of this study was to review the experience of MILR in a single North American institute over a 15-year period, highlighting both the obstacles encountered and strategies adopted to overcome the stagnation in its uptake. METHODS: This study included 500 MILR cases between 2006 and 2020. Patient demographics, disease characteristics, surgical technique, and perioperative outcomes are summarized. The major hepatectomy rate and conversion rate were assessed according to case numbers (first 100, 101-300, and 301-500 cases) to assess chronological trends. RESULTS: Of 500, 402 MILRs were done by pure laparoscopic (80.4%), 67 were hand assisted (13.4%), and 31 were robotic (6.2%). The majority (64%) of cases were performed for malignancy (n = 320; 100 Hepatocellular carcinoma, 153 Colorectal metastases, 27 Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and others, 40, 64%). A total of 71 cases were converted to open (14.2%). The annual case number gradually increased over the first few years; however, case numbers stayed around 30 between 2009 and 2017. In this period, despite accumulating MILR experience, open conversion rates increased despite no change in major hepatectomy rate. After this period of long-term stagnation, we introduced crucial changes in team composition and laparoscopic instrumentation. Our MILR case number and major hepatectomy rate thereafter increased significantly without increasing conversion or complication rates. CONCLUSION: Our recovery from long-term stagnation by instituting key changes as detailed in this study could be used as a guidepost for programs that are contemplating transitioning their MILR program from minor to advanced resections. Establishing a formal MILR training model through proper mentorship/proctorship and building a dedicated MILR team would be imperative to this strategy.