Use of failure-to-rescue after emergency surgery as a dynamic indicator of hospital resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. A multicenter retrospective propensity score-matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical failure-to-rescue (FTR, death rate following complications) is a reliable cross-sectional quality of care marker, but has not been evaluated dynamically. We aimed to study changes in FTR following emergency surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Matched cohort study including all COVID-19-non-infected adult patients undergoing emergency general surgery in 25 Spanish hospitals during COVID-19 pandemic peak (March-April 2020), non-peak (May-June 2020), and 2019 control periods. A propensity score-matched comparative analysis was conducted using a logistic regression model, in which period was regressed on observed baseline characteristics. Subsequently, a mixed effects logistic regression model was constructed for each variable of interest. Main variable was FTR. Secondary variables were post-operative complications, readmissions, reinterventions, and length of stay. RESULTS: 5003 patients were included (948, 1108, and 2947 in the pandemic peak, non-peak, and control periods), with comparable clinical characteristics, prognostic scores, complications, reintervention, rehospitalization rates, and length of stay across periods. FTR was greater during the pandemic peak than during non-peak and pre-pandemic periods (22.5% vs. 17.2% and 12.7%), being this difference confirmed in adjusted analysis (odds ratio [OR] 2.13, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.27-3.66). There was sensible inter-hospital variability in FTR changes during the pandemic peak (median FTR change +8.77%, IQR 0-29.17%) not observed during the pandemic non-peak period (median FTR change 0%, IQR -6.01-6.72%). Greater FTR increase was associated with higher COVID-19 incidence (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.31-4.16) and some hospital characteristics, including tertiary level (OR 3.07, 95% CI 1.27-8.00), medium-volume (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.14-7.34), and high basal-adjusted complication risk (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.07-4.72). CONCLUSION: FTR following emergency surgery experienced a heterogeneous increase during different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting it to behave as an indicator of hospital resilience. FTR monitoring could facilitate identification of centres in special needs during ongoing health care challenges.

P-POSSUM as mortality predictor in COVID-19-infected patients submitted to emergency digestive surgery. A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 infection is associated with a higher mortality rate in surgical patients, but surgical risk scores have not been validated in the emergency setting. We aimed to study the capacity for postoperative mortality prediction of the P-POSSUM score in COVID-19-positive patients submitted to emergency general and digestive surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing emergency general and digestive surgery from March to June 2020, and from March to June 2019 in 25 Spanish hospitals were included in a retrospective cohort study. MAIN OUTCOME: 30-day mortality. P-POSSUM discrimination was quantified by the area under the curve (AUC) of ROC curves; calibration was assessed by linear regression slope (ß estimator); and sensitivity and specificity were expressed as percentage and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: 4988 patients were included: 177 COVID-19-positive; 2011 intra-pandemic COVID-19-negative; and 2800 pre-pandemic. COVID-19-positive patients were older, with higher surgical risk, more advanced pathologies, and higher P-POSSUM values (1.79% vs. 1.09%, p < 0.001, in both the COVID-19-negative and control cohort). 30-day mortality in the COVID-19-positive, intra-pandemic COVID-19-negative and pre-pandemic cohorts were: 12.9%, 4.6%, and 3.2%. The P-POSSUM predictive values in the three cohorts were, respectively: AUC 0.88 (95% CI 0.81-0.95), 0.89 (95% CI 0.87-0.92), and 0.91 (95% CI 0.88-0.93); ß value 0.97 (95% CI 0.74-1.2), 0.99 (95% CI 0.82-1.16), and 0.78 (95% CI 0.74-0.82); sensitivity 83% (95% CI 61-95), 91% (95% CI 84-96), and 89% (95% CI 80-94); and specificity 81% (95% CI 74-87), 76% (95% CI 74-78), and 80% (95% CI 79-82). CONCLUSION: The P-POSSUM score showed a good predictive capacity for postoperative mortality in COVID-19-positive patients submitted to emergency general and digestive surgery.

Evolution of Culture on Patient Safety in the Clinical Setting of a Spanish Mutual Insurance Company: Observational Study between 2009 and 2017 Based on AHRQ Survey.

BACKGROUND: Patient safety (PS) is a key factor in reducing or even eradicating adverse incidents and events. Many health organizations promote strategies to improve PS, while also pointing out the importance of measuring it. For more than eight years, our institution has developed strategies focused on improving PS-culture among our personnel. The goal of this paper is to analyze the PS-culture between the years 2009 and 2017. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey focused on PS, and developed by the American Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), was conducted in 2009 and in 2017 among all healthcare workers at Mutualia, anonymously and voluntarily. RESULTS: The overall response rate was similar in both 2009 and 2017 (37.2% and 38.5%, respectively). The average rating obtained showed a significant improvement over the period (7.7 vs. 8.1; p < 0.05). Itemizing by question, the main strengths were found in management support, organizational learning and continuous improvement, and, especially, in teamwork. Regarding weaknesses, the two lowest scores were those which refer to the balance between clinical safety and workload and the freedom to question the decisions made by superiors. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained from the PS-surveys show that the overall PS-culture in our institution has increased, suggesting that the strategies focused on the improvement of PS-culture were well adopted among our personnel. The overall score places Mutualia at similar levels to those reached by the AHRQ and Spanish National Health System.

Karakousis's abdominoinguinal approach for the treatment of a primary retroperitoneal parasitic leiomyoma with inguinal extension. A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Primary retroperitoneal parasitic leiomyoma (PRPL) with inguinal extension is a diagnostic-therapeutic challenge due to its uncertain etiopathogenesis and because it has been considered unresectable according to customary surgical techniques in some instances. The abdominoinguinal incision described by Karakousis in the 1980s allows a safe and radical approach for lower quadrants abdominopelvic tumors. OBJECTIVES: We present the case of a rare PRPL satisfactorily treated through Karakousis's approach. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 35-year-old woman was referred from the Gynecology Service to our Unit. She suffered from a pelvic tumor with left inguinal extension. Initially, it was diagnosed as a retroperitoneal sarcomatous tumor as any digestive and/or gynecological origins of the pelvic tumor were excluded. A radical oncologic excision with permanent neuro-vascular control was undertaken using a left Karakousis's abdominoinguinal approach. The final anatomopathological report was PRPL. The patient was discharged after 8 days. She is disease-free 18 months later. DISCUSSION: PRPL variant could be related to remnant embryogenic cells of the ducts of Wolf and Müller. Karakousis's approach allowed an en-bloc ilioinguinal removal of the tumor in continuity, with permanent control of the aorto-ileo-femoral axis, the sparing of the neuro-vascular package, and ensured a total abdominal wall restoration. CONCLUSIONS: PRPL is a rare extrauterine entity probably derived from remnant embryogenic cells. The absence of clinical guidelines recommend an individualized treatment of these patients. Karakousis's abdominoinguinal approach should be present in any surgeon's armamentarium as the resectability-rate of tumors of the lower quadrant of the abdomen increases up to 95%.

Periprosthetic seroma with false-positive FDG PET-CT reactive nodes mistaken for metastases in a patient previously treated of metastasic melanoma. Potential source of diagnostic errors.

INTRODUCTION: FDG PET/CT is believed to be crucial in oncology, but its limited specificity represents a challenge. Prosthetic meshes used for repair abdominal defects may lead to false-positives FDG PET/CT uptake, over staging malignancies and inducing inappropriate treatments. A false-positive FDG PET/CT uptake mimicking metastatic disease during the follow-up of a previously treated metastatic melanoma patient is presented.