The role of psychometric data in predicting inpatient mental health service utilization.

Inpatient mental health readmission rates have increased dramatically in recent years, with a subset of consumers referred to as revolving-door patients. In an effort to reduce the financial burden associated with these patients and increase treatment efficacy, researchers have begun to explore factors associated with increased service utilization. To date, predictors of increased service usage are remarkably discrepant across studies. Further exploration, therefore, is needed to better explicate the relevance of "traditional" predictors and also to identify alternate strategies that may assist in predicting rehospitalization. One method that may be helpful in identifying patients at high risk is the development of a psychometric screening procedure. As a means to this end, the present study was designed to assess the potential usefulness of psychometric data in predicting mental health service utilization. The sample consisted of 131 patients hospitalized during an index period of 8 months at an acute-care psychiatric hospital. Number of readmissions was recorded in a 9 month post-index period. Measures completed during the index admission included the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-Anchored (BPRS-A), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results indicated that psychometric data accounted for significant variance in predicting past, present and future mental health service utilization. The BPRS-A, SCL-90-R, and BDI show particular promise as time efficient psychometric screening instruments that may better enable practitioners to identify patients proactively who are at increased risk for rehospitalization. Implications are discussed with regard to patient-treatment matching and discharge planning.

Peritoneal fibrosis in cirrhotics treated with peritoneovenous shunting for ascites. An autopsy study with clinical correlations.

Of 554 cirrhotics autopsied during 1975-1993, 69 had had peritoneovenous shunts. Generalized peritoneal fibrosis with cocoon formation was found in 26 (38%) of those with shunts but in only one of 485 without shunts (P = 0.00002). In 14/26 the fibrosis was asymptomatic, an incidental autopsy finding. Intestinal obstruction in 12/26 (46%), the only symptomatic manifestation, was fatal in five. The etiology of peritoneal fibrosis in shunted patients is unknown. The 26 patients with fibrosis had more prior abdominal operations, complicated abdominal wall hernias, and active biliary tract inflammations; the features differentiated them from the 43 patients without fibrosis. Scores in a 'peritoneal complication index,' that considered multiple risks in the same patients, were significantly higher in those with fibrosis. In addition to these peritoneal injuries or inflammations, the faster ascitic fluid circulation in shunted patients may have increased deposition of fibrin upon the peritoneum. Fibrogenic cytokines, thus spread throughout the abdomen from local sites, may have converted fibrinous adhesions to generalized peritoneal fibrosis.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy bile duct injuries: more than meets the eye.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has rapidly become standard treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis. Its advantages are well known, while its risks have not been well defined. The most common major complication of LC is bile duct injury. Over the past year, we have treated six patients for this problem. Injuries included: one partial laceration of the common bile duct; one partial laceration of the common hepatic duct; three complete common hepatic duct transections at the bifurcation, and one clip obstruction of the right hepatic duct. Intraoperative cholangiography was performed in two of six patients. Injury was recognized in these two cases, which were converted to celiotomy for immediate repair. One was repaired primarily; the other required a hepaticojejunostomy. Injuries were not identified at LC in four. Three of the four patients required biliary-enteric reconstruction procedures. With a mean follow-up period of 13 months, four of six patients remain symptomatic. LC does carry a real risk of bile duct injury. Routine intraoperative cholangiography may decrease this risk or at least allow early recognition and repair when it has occurred. Conversion to an open procedure is not a complication of LC but rather a sign of good surgical judgement. Patients not following the routine postoperative course must be evaluated for a possible bile duct injury to prevent the morbidity of delayed diagnosis.

Adenocarcinoma of the pancreas coexisting with pancreatic abscess.

Of 20 patients treated for pancreatic abscess during the years 1984-1991, two patients were found to have adenocarcinoma of the pancreas associated with their pancreatic abscesses. In one patient an adenocarcinoma of the proximal pancreas caused ductal obstruction, which may have been the primary cause of an abscess distal to the tumor. In the second patient, metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and a concurrent pancreatic abscess were found when the patient's abdomen was explored for complications related to gallstone pancreatitis. In both patients, the tumor was unresectable at presentation. A detailed review of these cases is presented as well as a review of the related literature.

Pancreatic duct drainage in chronic pancreatitis.

Pancreatic duct drainage is an effective method of dealing with many of the surgical complications of chronic pancreatitis without sacrificing pancreatic endocrine or exocrine function. Between 65 and 90% of patients with intractable pain of chronic pancreatitis and a dilated pancreatic duct will have substantial pain relief with complete ductal drainage by a lateral pancreaticojejunostomy. The mortality of this procedure ranges from 0 to 5%. In spite of operation, late mortality of this disease remains high with 1/3 to 1/2 of patients dying within 10 years. Fixed biliary tract obstruction and upper gastrointestinal obstruction can also complicate chronic pancreatitis. We have combined drainage of the common bile duct and stomach with pancreaticojejunostomy to deal with these problems and have found no increase in morbidity or mortality. Pseudocysts occur more frequently in patients with chronic pancreatitis. We have also combined pseudocyst drainage with lateral pancreaticojejunostomy in 26 patients having both pseudocysts and chronic pancreatitis. These patients achieve the same degree of pain relief noted in patients undergoing lateral pancreaticojejunostomy alone without any increase in morbidity or mortality. Drainage procedures are safe and effective and are our preferred method of dealing with obstructive complications of chronic pancreatitis.

Long-term results of side-to-side pancreaticojejunostomy.

Chronic alcoholism is the etiologic factor initiating most instances of chronic pancreatitis and its complications in the United States of America. The goal of operative intervention is to relieve incapacitating abdominal and back pain, while preserving as much endocrine and exocrine function as possible. Ultrasound and computed tomography scans are helpful for the identification of gross anatomical changes in the pancreas, but endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is critical for the precise delineation of pancreatic ductal anatomy. In patients who exhibit dilation of the pancreatic duct secondary to single or multiple sites of obstruction, pancreatic ductal drainage will provide complete or significant relief of pain in greater than 80% of patients. Side-to-side pancreaticojejunostomy has evolved as the operation which permits the widest drainage of the entire pancreatic ductal system. Although, initially, it was hoped that pancreatic exocrine and endocrine function would improve or stabilize after pancreatic ductal drainage, follow-up studies show that the destructive process in the pancreatic islets and acinar cells initiated by chronic alcoholism continues during the years after operation with an increasing incidence of diabetes and steatorrhea. Late mortality is primarily related to continued alcoholism and death secondary to alcohol-(and-smoking-) associated diseases. Correction of coexistent complications secondary to chronic pancreatitis including pseudocyst and biliary and/or duodenal obstruction should be considered at the time of pancreatic ductal drainage.

Peritoneovenous shunting as compared with medical treatment in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and massive ascites. Veterans Administration Cooperative Study on Treatment of Alcoholic Cirrhosis with Ascites.

The optimal management of severe ascites in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis has not been defined. in a 5 1/2-year study, we randomly assigned 299 men with alcoholic cirrhosis, who had persistent or recurrent severe ascites despite a standard medical regimen, to receive either intensive medical treatment or peritoneovenous (LeVeen) shunting. We identified three risk groups: Group 1 had normal or mildly abnormal results on liver-function tests, Group 2 had more severe liver dysfunction or previous complications, and Group 3 had severe prerenal azotemia without kidney disease. For the patients who received the medical treatment and those who received the surgical treatment combined, the median survival times were 1093 days in Group 1, 222 days in Group 2, and 37 days in Group 3 (P less than or equal to 0.01) for all comparisons). For all the groups combined, the median time to the resolution of ascites was 5.4 weeks for medical patients and 3.0 weeks for surgical patients (P less than 0.01). Within each risk group, mortality during the initial hospitalization and median long-term survival were similar among patients receiving either treatment. However, the median time to the recurrence of ascites in Group 1 was 4 months in medical patients, as compared with 18 months in surgical patients (P = 0.01); in Group 2 it was 3 months in medical patients as compared with 12 months in surgical patients (P = 0.04). The median duration of hospitalization was longer in medical patients than in surgical patients (6.1 vs. 2.4 weeks in Group 1 [P less than 0.001] and 5.0 vs. 3.1 weeks in Group 2 [P less than 0.01]). Group 3 was too small to permit a meaningful comparison. During the initial hospitalization, the incidence of infections, gastrointestinal bleeding, and encephalopathy was similar among the medical and surgical patients. We conclude that peritoneovenous shunting alleviated disabling ascites more rapidly than medical management. However, survival was closely related to the severity of the illness at the time of randomization and was not altered by shunting.

Peritoneovenous shunt function 2-6 years after insertion for cirrhotic ascites.

To test the hypothesis that prolonged freedom from clinically detectable ascites after peritoneovenous shunt insertion is the result of continued drainage of ascitic fluid through the shunt, the authors studied shunt patency and function in 26 of the 27 survivors of 59 alcoholic cirrhotic patients operated upon 2-6 years previously for massive ascites resistant to medical therapy. Twenty-three patients were without clinically detectable ascites (minimal ascites--Group A), and three had large ascites (Group B). In 20 Group A patients the shunts were patent and functioning. The other three Group A patients had completely occluded shunts without demonstrable ascitic fluid flow. In one Group B patient with a daily fluid intake of 5-6 L, the shunt was partially obstructed but flow was rapid; in the other two, shunts were completely occluded. One subject in Group B with a completely obstructed shunt was resistant to medical treatment after 6 years of freedom from ascites, whereas the other two were controlled medically. In the three in Group A who had nonfunctioning shunts and required no diuretics, the severity of the ascites had decreased so that artificial drainage was no longer necessary. Thus, freedom from clinically significant ascites does not always indicate that the shunt continues to function.

Therapeutic options for biliary tract disease in advanced cirrhosis.

Between 1979 and 1984, 21 male cirrhotic patients with advanced liver disease, cholecystitis, and jaundice were seen. Eight patients had persistent symptoms of acute cholecystitis despite intense symptoms of acute cholecystitis despite intense medical management. Of these patients, five underwent cholecystostomy and survived. The other three patients had cholecystectomy and one died. Thirteen patients presented with jaundice. Twelve patients underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiography which revealed gallbladder stones in four but no stones in the common bile duct. They did not undergo further surgical procedures. One patient presented with jaundice, cholangitis, and pancreatitis was found to have stones in the common bile duct and underwent endoscopic sphincterotomy with removal of multiple small, pigmented stones. This patient died from sepsis and renal failure 37 days after sphincterotomy. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography was unsuccessful in four patients who later underwent percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography which revealed stones in one and cirrhotic ductal changes in three. The remaining jaundiced patient underwent cholecystectomy and common bile duct exploration which revealed no ductal stones. This patient died 21 days after operation from sepsis and multiple organ system failure. Three of five patients with gallstones on endoscopic retrograde cholangiography or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography died, but none of the deaths were due to biliary tract disease. At last follow-up the two surviving patients were asymptomatic. The overall mortality rate was 14 percent (3 of 21 patients). Cholecystostomy in cirrhotic patients with advanced liver disease and acute cholecystitis is associated with minimal mortality and morbidity. Cirrhotic patients with jaundice are probably best evaluated initially by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography which is safe, diagnostic, and sometimes therapeutic.

Biliary enteric bypass for benign and malignant disease.

Between the years of 1970 and 1984, a total of 96 patients underwent biliary enteric bypass to alleviate distal common bile duct obstruction from benign and all malignant disease. Cholecystoenterostomy (CCE) was performed in 13 patients (chronic pancreatitis 7, carcinoma 6), choledochoduodenostomy (CDD) was performed in 35 patients (stones 9, chronic pancreatitis 17, carcinoma 8, and fistula 1), cholecystojejunostomy (CDJ) was performed on 48 patients (stones 1, pancreatitis 21, carcinoma 25 and stricture 1). Operative mortality was 7 per cent and morbidity occurred in 12 per cent of the patients. Symptomatic improvement was measured by relief of pain and sepsis and decrease of bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase to normal. Overall improvement was seen in 73 per cent of patients (CCE 50%, CDD 8%, CDJ 65%), 27 per cent of the patients did not improve (CCE 50%, CDD 12%, CDJ 35%), 83 per cent of the poor results were in patients with advanced malignancy. Thirty-one per cent of patients undergoing CCE required conversion to CDD or CDJ. Cholecystoduodenostomy was associated with failure in 50 per cent of patients. CCD and CDJ are safe and reliable means of relieving distal common duct obstruction due to biliary or pancreatic disease. Cholecystojejunostomy may be performed in the terminal patient with advanced carcinoma requiring a short-term biliary bypass.

Simultaneous treatment of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic pseudocyst.

Records from 87 consecutive patients undergoing lateral pancreaticojejunostomy (LPJ) for chronic pancreatitis were reviewed to determine the incidence of pseudocyst and the safety of combined pancreatic duct and pseudocyst drainage. Twelve patients had undergone previous pancreatic pseudocyst drainage; four of them also had pancreatic pseudocysts present at the time of LPJ. In addition, 22 patients had pseudocysts identified preoperatively and/or confirmed at operation. The overall incidence of pseudocyst was 39%. Twenty-six patients (group 1) underwent pancreaticojejunostomy combined with pseudocyst drainage. Sixty-one patients (group 2) underwent pancreaticojejunostomy only. Operative morbidity and mortality results (19% and 8%, respectively, in group 1; 18% and 2%, respectively, in group 2) were similar. Patient outcome was also similar in the two groups (81% and 84% of patients obtained pain relief in groups 1 and 2, respectively). There were no pseudocyst recurrences in either group. Thus, there is a high incidence (39%) of pancreatic pseudocyst in patients undergoing LPJ for chronic pancreatitis. Combined drainage of the pancreatic duct and pseudocyst is safe and effective.

Results of cystoduodenostomy for treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of cystoduodenostomy, the cases of 117 patients operated on for pancreatic pseudocysts during the last 14 years have been reviewed. Eleven patients were treated with cystoduodenostomy. They included ten men and one woman whose ages ranged from 26 to 56 years (mean 41 years). The etiology of pancreatitis was alcohol abuse in nine patients, alcohol abuse and gallstones in one, and trauma in one. Three patients had another cyst located within the body or tail of the pancreas which was identified preoperatively by ultrasound. Each patient underwent transduodenal cystoduodenostomy and three had a concomitant cystogastrostomy for a second pseudocyst. There was no operative mortality. Morbidity included postoperative pancreatitis in one patient, a wound infection and pancreatic fistula in one, and excessive bleeding from the cyst in one. There were no injuries to the common bile duct. Upon follow-up, which ranges from 6 months to 8 years, none of the patients has had a persistent or recurrent pseudocyst. This has been confirmed by ultrasound or computerized tomography (CT scan) in nine patients. Transduodenal cystoduodenostomy is a safe, reliable means of internal drainage for mature pseudocysts that are located in the head of the pancreas adjacent to the duodenum. Preoperative evaluation of the pancreas to rule out multiple pseudocysts and intraoperative care to avoid injury to the common bile duct are important factors in obtaining these good results.

Intra-abdominal surgery in patients with advanced cirrhosis.

Between 1971 and 1984, intra-abdominal surgical procedures were required in 51 patients with cirrhosis who had advanced liver dysfunction and/or ascites. These included the following types of surgery: gastric, 17 patients; small bowel, two patients; colon, five patients; hepatic, nine patients; and pancreas, nine patients. Twelve patients also underwent exploratory celiotomy for an acute condition of the abdomen (six patients) and jaundice (six patients). Patients fell into two groups: (1) those with prothrombin time (PT) greater than 2.5 s over control (24 patients), and (2) those with PT within 2.5 s of control (27 patients). The 30-day mortality rate was 34 (67%) of 51 patients. Nineteen (83%) of 23 patients who had ascites died. Twenty-two (91%) of 24 patients with elevated PT greater than 2.5 s of control died. Twenty-five (86%) of 29 patients who underwent surgery under emergency conditions died. Intraabdominal surgery in decompensated patients with cirrhosis must be undertaken with great caution.

Redrainage of the pancreatic duct in chronic pancreatitis.

Recurrent pain after a drainage procedure for chronic pancreatitis is considered an indication for pancreatectomy. To evaluate whether redrainage might be a better alternative, 14 patients who underwent redrainage after a failed pancreaticojejunostomy were reviewed. Patients with previous pseudocyst drainage were excluded. Initial operations included five caudal, three longitudinal, and six side-to-side pancreaticojejunostomies. Nine patients treated since 1974 had ERCP, which showed obstructed segments of pancreatic duct in the head of the gland. Two caudal pancreaticojejunostomies and one longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy were revised to longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomies. The other 11 were revised to side-to-side pancreaticojejunostomies. Operative findings confirmed undrained segments of the pancreatic duct in the pancreatic head. Postoperatively, one patient died from hemorrhage and four patients had complications. At most recent follow-up from 6 months to 20 years postoperatively, three patients were pain free and six had substantial relief from pain (71 percent). Of eight patients who were not diabetic before redrainage, diabetes developed in only two. Only one of seven patients without pancreatic exocrine insufficiency required pancreatic enzymes after redrainage. Patients with recurrent pain after pancreaticojejunostomy should undergo ERCP. If segments of the pancreatic duct are obstructed, redrainage can provide satisfactory pain relief with a minimal loss of endocrine and exocrine function. This problem is best avoided by initial complete drainage of the major and minor pancreatic ducts.

Radiologic diagnosis of an intra-abdominal abscess. Do multiple tests help?

A review was made of the charts of 94 patients who underwent ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), and gallium citrate Ga 67 (Gall) scan to rule out intra-abdominal abscesses. Of all the clinical and laboratory data, only the presence of pain and tenderness differentiated patients with and without abscesses. A review of radiologic data showed that CT was superior to US, and that US was superior to Gall scan with regard to sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values. When multiple radiologic tests were performed, results agreed in 72% of cases; therefore, the additional tests were essentially redundant. When radiologic test results disagreed, accuracy rates were CT, 0.86; US, 0.00; and Gall scan, 0.44. These findings suggest that, except to rule out pelvic abscesses in the presence of pelvic inflammatory disease, CT is usually the only special radiologic test that should be performed to localize a suspected intra-abdominal abscess.

Peritoneo-venous shunting in patients with cirrhotic ascites and end-stage renal failure.

End-stage renal failure supervened in two cirrhotic patients with ascites, necessitating maintenance hemodialysis therapy. One patient had a functioning LeVeen peritoneo-jugular shunt (Becton-Dickinson, Rutherford, NJ) in place at the time that hemodialysis was initiated. In the other patient, a LeVeen shunt was inserted 8 months after beginning hemodialysis, after extracorporeal ultrafiltration had failed to resolve his ascites. Both patients achieved control of their ascites and enjoyed relatively long survival. Our results suggest that, in patients with cirrhotic ascites who develop end-stage renal failure, successful long-term management can be obtained using a combination of peritoneo-venous shunting and maintenance hemodialysis.

Combined pancreatic duct and upper gastrointestinal and biliary tract drainage in chronic pancreatitis.

In 55 patients undergoing pancreaticojejunostomy for intractable abdominal pain, common bile duct obstruction occurred in 29% (16/55) and duodenal obstruction occurred in 15% (8/55). Serum alkaline phosphatase and total and direct serum bilirubin levels were significantly higher in patients with intrapancreatic common bile duct stenosis. Transient upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract obstruction was common with chronic pancreatitis; however, if symptoms persisted beyond 2 weeks, fixed duodenal obstruction was likely. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and UGI roentgenograms and endoscopy were useful in confirming mechanical obstruction to the biliary and UGI tracts, respectively. There was no difference in operative mortality and morbidity from combined drainage procedures compared with pancreaticojejunostomy alone. The biliary and UGI tracts should be investigated in symptomatic patients both before and after pancreaticojejunostomy. Combined drainage of the pancreatic duct and UGI and biliary tract is safe and effective treatment for obstructing complications of chronic pancreatitis.

Gastric outlet and duodenal obstruction from inflammatory pancreatic disease.

During a ten-year period, 16 patients with gastric outlet and duodenal obstruction due to inflammatory pancreatic disease were seen. The cause of obstruction was chronic pancreatitis in ten patients, pseudocysts with associated pancreatitis in five patients, and pancreatic abscess in one patient. All patients had nausea and vomiting, 14 had abdominal pain, and five had weight loss greater than 4.5 kg. Diagnosis was made by plain abdominal film in one case, upper gastrointestinal tract roentgenographic series in 15 cases, and endoscopy in 11 cases. Mobilization of the duodenum relieved the obstruction in two patients. Fixed obstruction remained in 14 patients. This was relieved by gastrojejunostomy in 12 patients. Gastrojejunostomy was combined with drainage of a pseudocyst in three patients, a dilated pancreatic duct in three patients, and a dilated common bile duct in four patients. Obstruction was relieved by pseudocyst drainage in two patients. Associated common duct and pancreatic duct obstruction must be identified preoperatively.

Carcinoma masquerading as a pancreatic pseudocyst on ultrasound.

Ultrasound has proven invaluable in detecting and evaluating pancreatic pseudocysts, and it is now a standard test to rule out complications of pancreatitis. In reviewing the authors' experience with 122 patients treated surgically for a pancreatic pseudocyst, five patients were identified in whom an ultrasound demonstrated a pseudocyst that was associated with an unexpected cancer at the time of operation. A sixth patient, with a pseudocyst documented by ultrasound, died prior to surgery and was found at autopsy to have metastatic common bile duct carcinoma. There was little difference in presenting symptoms, age, frequency of alcoholism, or physical findings compared with patients with pseudocysts secondary to pancreatitis. In two patients, pseudocysts were found in the tail of the pancreas at operation, in addition to carcinoma. In the other three patients, no pseudocyst was found; however, a subcapsular splenic hematoma was present in one. Five patients had metastatic disease, three from pancreatic adenocarcinoma, one from islet cell carcinoma, and one from a common bile duct carcinoma. One patient with a pancreatic adenocarcinoma confined to the head underwent a Whipple procedure and has no evidence of disease 6 months later. Malignancy may cause or coexist with pancreatic pseudocysts. Ultrasound is often not helpful in distinguishing pseudocysts associated with malignancy from those associated with pancreatitis. Biopsy should be performed to rule out malignancy when operating for pancreatic pseudocysts.

The spectrum of biliary tract obstruction from chronic pancreatitis.

Fifty-one patients with chronic pancreatitis manifested distal common duct obstruction from fibrosis of pancreatitis. The cause of the pancreatitis was alcohol in most patients. An elevated serum alkaline phosphatase level was the most frequent abnormal laboratory finding. The serum bilirubin level elevation was never progressive; a rising and falling pattern was most often encountered. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography are the most useful diagnostic tests. An operation was performed on 47 patients and included choledochoduodenostomy in 16 patients, choledochojejunostomy in 19 patients, cholecystenteric anastomosis in seven patients, common bile duct exploration with T-tube drainage in three patients, and sphincteroplasty in two patients. Abdominal pain was lessened after operation in 40 of 44 patients who survived surgery. Two patients with T-tube drainage and two with cholecystenteric anastomosis required conversion operations to choledochoduodenostomies. Identification of associated pancreatic duct obstruction and dilatation, pseudocysts, and duodenal obstruction is important.