Minimally Invasive Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery at a Large Regional Health System: Assessing the Safety of Program Expansion.

BACKGROUND: Complex, minimally invasive hepatopancreatobiliary surgery (MIS HPB) is safe at high-volume centers, yet outcomes during early implementation are unknown. We describe our experience during period of rapid growth in an MIS HPB program at a large regional health system. METHODS: During an increase in MIS HPB (60% greater from preceding year), hospital records of patients who underwent HPB surgery between 1/1/2019 and 12/31/2020 were reviewed. Operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), conversion rates, length of stay (LOS), and perioperative outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: 267 patients' cases were reviewed. The population was 62 ± 13 years, 50% female, 90% white. MIS was more frequently performed for hepatic than pancreatic resections (59% vs 21%, P < .001). Open cases were more frequently performed for invasive malignancy in both pancreatic (70% vs 40%, P < .018) and hepatic (87% vs 70%, P = .046) resections. There was no difference in operative time between MIS and open surgery (293[218-355]min vs 296[199-399]min, P = .893). When compared to open, there was a shorter LOS (4[2-6]d vs 7[6-10]d, P < .001) and lower readmission rate (21% vs 37%, P = .005) following MIS. Estimated blood loss was lower in MIS liver resections, particularly when performed for benign disease (200[63-500]mL vs 600[200-1200]mL, P = .041). Overall 30-day mortality was similar between MIS and open surgery (1.0% vs 1.8%, P = 1.000). DISCUSSION: During a surgical expansion phase within our regional health system, MIS HPB offered improved perioperative outcomes when compared to open surgery. These data support the safety of implementation even during intervals of rapid programmatic growth.

An Unusual Presentation of Segmental Arterial Mediolysis.

Segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) is a rare nonatherosclerotic and noninflammatory disease that often affects medium to large-sized arteries. We report a case of SAM involving bilateral hepatic arteries in an elderly woman. Although her initial presentation mimicked vasculitis, the clinical course and imaging led to the diagnosis of SAM. She was treated with coil embolization and stenting of the involved hepatic vessel leading to dramatic clinical improvement. It should be differentiated from vasculitis because there is no role of steroids in the management of SAM.

Parental Perceptions About Alcohol Use for Their Adolescent with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol use can worsen attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, interfere with treatment, and worsen outcomes. Our objective was to describe parental perceptions of alcohol use for their adolescents with ADHD. METHODS: Parents of adolescents with ADHD completed an online survey about perceptions of adolescent alcohol use for adolescents with ADHD. We described the level of parental concern about the impacts of alcohol use on their adolescent's functioning. We assessed whether specific covariates were associated with the level of parental concern. RESULTS: Of 290 parents who completed the survey, 96.5% were women, and 66.1% had an educational attainment of college degree or higher. Most adolescents (75.4%) took ADHD medication, and 59.9% had comorbid anxiety or depression. Almost one-third (30.3%) of parents perceived that their adolescent was more likely to use alcohol because of ADHD, whereas 34.8% of parents disagreed with this and 34.8% of parents were neutral. Parents who suspected their adolescent regularly used alcohol were less likely to report concern about the impact of alcohol on their adolescent's school performance or ADHD medication effectiveness compared with parents who did not suspect regular adolescent alcohol use. Almost half of the parents (48.5%) did not report discussing the impact of alcohol use on ADHD with their adolescent. CONCLUSION: Many parents of adolescents with ADHD do not understand the unique risks of alcohol use for their adolescents. In addition, if alcohol use harm is not obvious, parents may not perceive there to be concerns about alcohol use on functioning. Parental education about alcohol use and ADHD is needed.

Screening and brief intervention in high schools: School nurses' practices and attitudes in Massachusetts.

BACKGROUND: Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is recommended as a strategy to prevent or reduce adolescent substance use. Offering SBIRT in schools may provide an opportunity to reach adolescents not accessing primary care. The objective is to assess school nurses' attitudes and practices regarding adolescent SBIRT. METHODS: The authors administered electronically and in person a questionnaire including 29 items on SBIRT attitudes and practices to school nurses registered for the Northeastern University's School Health Institute Summer Program in Massachusetts (N = 168). Survey questions were adapted from a questionnaire originally developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-four nurses completed the survey for a response rate of 85.7%. More than three quarters of the respondents (77.0%) were in favor of universal alcohol screening in schools. None of the respondents reported screening their students on a regular basis. More than half (64.4%) of nurses reported screening students; however, they did so only when they suspected alcohol use. During these instances, only 17.9% used a validated screening tool and almost all (98.2%) used face-to-face clinical interviews. When addressing alcohol use by a student, the large majority of respondents reported including the following recommended clinical strategies: asking about problems related to alcohol use (56.3%), explaining the harms of alcohol use (70.1%), and advising abstinence (73.6%). On average, respondents spend 5 to 10 minutes discussing alcohol use with their students. CONCLUSION: Survey respondents were supportive of universal alcohol screening in school, although few were doing so at the time. When respondents identified students using alcohol, their interventions were closely aligned with clinical recommendations for brief intervention. Implementation of SBIRT that focuses on standardized, annual screening has the potential to deliver high-quality care in this setting.