Long-Term Effectiveness of Strattice in the Laparoscopic Closure of Paraesophageal Hernias.

Prosthetic reinforcement reduces the recurrence rate of large paraesophageal hernias (PEH), but the use of synthetic or biosynthetic mesh in the repair remains controversial. PEH repair has reported recurrence rates of 12% to 42%, and primary repair of PEH by suture closure under tension is at high risk of disruption. Synthetic mesh use in large PEH repair has shown to reduce recurrence but can lead to problems including mesh erosion, ulceration, stricture, and dysphagia. The objective of this study was to examine the long-term safety and efficacy of Strattice biologic mesh, a porcine acellular dermal matrix, in crural reinforcement of laparoscopic large PEH repair. Thirty-five patients with symptomatic PEH (>5 cm) were consented to receive Strattice for PEH repair. Patients were seen in clinic preoperatively, at surgery, and 2 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively. Patients were given a standard subjective reflux test at each visit and a 12-month barium swallow X-ray to test for recurrence. Hernia recurrence was documented in 14.3% of cases by the end of the 1-year follow-up. Symptoms improved in 75% to 100% of patients by 6 months, and 33% to 100% of patients were still reporting symptom improvement at 12 months. Strattice mesh in PEH repair results in similar outcomes to other absorbable meshes, and the recurrence rate is within the 12% to 42% range of recurrences reported in studies outside of our institution. The use of Strattice mesh in large PEH repair had results similar to other biomaterial meshes and successfully decreased patients' symptom scores through surgical intervention.

Sleeve gastrectomy and anti-reflux procedures.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is an epidemic in the USA that continues to grow, becoming a leading cause of premature avoidable death. Bariatric surgery has become an effective solution for obesity and its comorbidities, and one of the most commonly utilized procedures, the sleeve gastrectomy, can lead to an increase in gastroesophageal reflux following the operation. While these data are controversial, sometimes operative intervention can be necessary to provide durable relief for this problem. METHODS: We performed an extensive literature review examining the different methods of anti-reflux procedures that are available both before and after a sleeve gastrectomy. RESULTS: We reviewed several different types of anti-reflux procedures, including those that supplement the lower esophageal sphincter anatomy, such as magnetic sphincter augmentation and radiofrequency ablation procedures. Re-operation was also discussed as a possible treatment of reflux in sleeve gastrectomy, especially if the original sleeve becomes dilated or if a conversion to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or biliopancreatic diversion is deemed necessary. Sleeve gastrectomy with concomitant anti-reflux procedure was also reviewed, including the anti-reflux gastroplasty, hiatal hernia repair, and limited fundoplication. CONCLUSION: A number of techniques can be used to mitigate the severity of reflux, either by maintaining the normal anatomic structures that limit reflux or by supplementing these structures with a plication or gastroplasty. Individuals with existing severe reflux should not be considered for a sleeve gastrectomy. New techniques that incorporate plication at the time of the index sleeve gastrectomy show some improvement, but these are in small series that will need to be further evaluated. The only proven method of treating intractable reflux after sleeve gastrectomy is conversion to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Plateaued national utilization of adolescent bariatric surgery despite increasing prevalence of obesity-associated co-morbidities.

BACKGROUND: The number of adolescent bariatric surgeries (ABS) performed from 2003 to 2009 has been stable despite reports of an increase in adolescent morbid obesity. OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the trend in national ABS volume and the changes in obesity-associated co-morbidities (OACM) from 2004 to 2011. SETTING: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample database. METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample database was queried for adolescents undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding, or sleeve gastrectomy from 2004 to 2011. Twelve OACM categories were created by ICD-9 code. RESULTS: From 2004 to 2011, an estimated 968 ABS cases per year were performed with no significant change in yearly volumes. There was a significant decrease in the annual volume of Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses (85.7%-54.4%, P<.001) with a significant increase in the number of adjustable gastric bandings (13.6%-18.9%, P = .002) and sleeve gastrectomies (.7%-26.7%, P<.001). The mean patient age was 18.0±1.3 years, and 76% of patients were female. The average number of OACMs per adolescent increased significantly, from 1.44±1.3 in 2004-2005 to 1.85±1.5 in 2010-2011 (P<.001). There was a significant increase over time in the prevalence of preoperative obstructive sleep apnea (15.6%-26.8%, P<.001), hypertension (16.6%-24.2%, P = .006), hyperlipidemia (10.2%-15.4%, P = .021), and fatty liver disease (5.2%-10.5%, P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant increase in OACMs for patients undergoing ABS. Despite the increase in OACMs, there has not been a concomitant increase in the number of ABS performed as of 2011. Given the increase in OACMs, these data support efforts to address barriers to adolescent bariatric surgical evaluation and treatment.

Resident involvement in laparoscopic procedures does not worsen clinical outcomes but may increase operative times and length of hospital stay.

BACKGROUND: Surgical procedures have a learning curve regarding the number of cases required for proficiency. Consequently, involvement of less experienced resident surgeons may impact patients and the healthcare system. This study examines basic and advanced laparoscopic procedures performed between 2010 and 2011 and evaluates the resident surgeon participation effect. METHODS: Basic laparoscopic procedures (BL), appendectomy (LA), cholecystectomy (LC), and advanced Nissen fundoplication (LN) were queried from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Cases were identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes. Analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics v.22, α-level = 0.05. Multiple logistic regression was used, accounting for age, race, gender, admission status, wound classification, and ASA classification. RESULTS: In total, 71,819 surgeries were reviewed, 66,327 BL (37,636 LC and 28,691 LA) and 5492 LN. Median age was 48 years for LC and 37 years for LA. In sum, 72.2 % of LC and 49.5 % of LA patients were female. LN median age was 59 years, and 67.7 % of patients were female. For BL, resident involvement was not significantly associated with mortality, morbidity, and return to the OR. Readmission was not related to resident involvement in LC. In LA, resident-involved surgeries had increased readmission and longer OR time, but decreased LOS. In LC, resident involvement was associated with longer LOS and OR time. Resident involvement was not a significant factor in the odds of mortality, morbidity, return to OR, or readmission in LN. Surgeries involving residents had increased odds of having longer LOS, and of lengthier surgery time. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate resident involvement is safe and does not result in poorer patient outcomes. Readmissions and LOS were higher in BL, and operative times were longer in all surgeries. Resident operations do appear to have real consequences for patients and may impact the healthcare system financially.

Paraesophageal hernia repair in the emergency setting: is laparoscopy with the addition of a fundoplication the new gold standard?

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic repair of paraesophageal hernia (PEH) with fundoplication is currently the preferred elective strategy, but emergent cases are often done open without an anti-reflux (AR) procedure. This study examined PEH repair in elective and urgent/emergent settings and investigated patient characteristic influence on the use of adjunctive techniques, such as AR procedures or gastrostomy tube (GT) placement. METHODS: Utilizing the University HealthSystem Consortium Clinical Database Resource Manager, selected discharge data were retrieved using International Classification of Disease 9 diagnosis codes for PEH and procedure specific codes. Chi-squared and paired t tests were applied (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Discharge data from October 2010 through June 2014 indicated 7950 patients (≥18 years) underwent PEH surgery, 84.7 % were performed laparoscopically and 15.3 % open. 24.6 % of cases were classified urgent/emergent upon admission, and almost 70 % of these were completed laparoscopically. Open paraesophageal hernia repairs (OHR) represented a higher proportion of urgent/emergent cases but were only 30 % of this total. Laparoscopic paraesophageal hernia repair (LHR) patients were more likely to receive an AR procedure in all situations (54.9 % LHR vs. 26.3 % OHR). Almost 90 % of elective PEH repairs in this cohort were laparoscopic. Elective cases were more commonly associated with AR procedures than emergent cases which frequently incorporated GT placement. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that laparoscopic PEH repair has become accepted in emergent cases. Open PEH repair is often reserved for emergent surgeries and less commonly includes an AR procedure. Laparoscopy with an AR procedure is clearly the standard of care in elective surgery. The decision to perform an open or laparoscopic surgery, with or without adjunctive techniques, may be based more on the physician's comfort with laparoscopic surgery and surgical practices than the patient's condition. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to determine the functional outcomes of these strategies.

The Time to Weight-Loss Steady State After Gastric Bypass Predicts Weight-Loss Success.

BACKGROUND: There is marked variability in weight loss achieved after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) with little ability to predict pre-operatively poor weight-loss outcomes. In this study, we categorize the patterns of post-operative weight loss after LRYGB by using a novel method of measurement based on the time to weight-loss steady state (SS). METHODS: A bariatric database was retrospectively reviewed for patients who underwent a LRYGB from 01/2001-12/2010. SS was defined as the month when the patient had ≤3% excess weight loss (%EWL) or weight gain from the prior visit. Percent total weight loss (%TWL) and %EWL were compared based on time to SS. RESULTS: The average time to SS was 15.5 months (n = 178). A percentage of 7.3 of patients lost >5%EWL after achieving their SS weight. Patients with SS <12 months (n = 47) had a significantly lower %TWL and %EWL at SS and a 3-4-year follow-up compared to SS ≥12 months (n = 131, p < 0.05 for all). Initial weight loss velocity (IWLV) and body mass index (BMI) were not significantly associated with the time to SS. Patients with a SS <12 months were significantly older than patients with SS ≥months (42.7 ± 10.5 versus 46.5 ± 11.8 years, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Few patients achieve meaningful weight loss after SS. The time to SS varies significantly among LRYGB patients and is not predicted by the IWLV or BMI. Achievement of SS within the first year after surgery is more common with increasing age and may represent rapid physiologic adaptation with significantly lower %TWL and %EWL.

Consumer Opinions of Health Information Exchange, e-Prescribing, and Personal Health Records.

BACKGROUND: Consumer satisfaction is a crucial component of health information technology (HIT) utilization, as high satisfaction is expected to increase HIT utilization among providers and to allow consumers to become full participants in their own healthcare management. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this pilot study was to identify consumer perspectives on health information technologies including health information exchange (HIE), e-prescribing (e-Rx), and personal health records (PHRs). METHODS: Eight focus groups were conducted in seven towns and cities across Nebraska in 2013. Each group consisted of 10-12 participants. Discussions were organized topically in the following categories: HIE, e-Rx, and PHR. The qualitative analysis consisted of immersion and crystallization to develop a coding scheme that included both preconceived and emergent themes. Common themes across focus groups were identified and compiled for each discussion category. RESULTS: The study had 67 participants, of which 18 (27 percent) were male. Focus group findings revealed both perceived barriers and benefits to the adoption of HIT. Common HIT concerns expressed across focus groups included privacy and security of medical information, decreases in quality of care, inconsistent provider participation, and the potential cost of implementation. Positive expectations regarding HIT included better accuracy and completeness of information, and improved communication and coordination between healthcare providers. Improvements in patient care were expected as a result of easy physician access to consolidated information across providers as well as the speed of sharing and availability of information in an emergency. In addition, participants were optimistic about patient empowerment and convenient access to and control of personal health data. CONCLUSION: Consumer concerns focused on privacy and security of the health information, as well as the cost of implementing the technologies and the possibility of an unintended negative impact on the quality of care. While negative perceptions present barriers for potential patient acceptance, benefits such as speed and convenience, patient oversight of health data, and safety improvements may counterbalance these concerns.

Health care provider perceptions of a query-based health information exchange: barriers and benefits.

BACKGROUND: Health information exchange (HIE) systems are implemented nationwide to integrate health information and facilitate communication among providers. The Nebraska Health Information Initiative is a state-wide HIE launched in 2009. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of health care providers' perspectives on a query-based HIE, including barriers to adoption and important functionality for continued utilization. METHODS: We surveyed 5618 Nebraska health care providers in 2013. Reminder letters were sent 30 days after the initial mailing. RESULTS: A total of 615 questionnaires (11%) were completed. Of the 100 current users, 63 (63%) indicated satisfaction with HIE. The most common reasons for adoption among current or previous users of an HIE (N = 198) were improvement in patient care (N = 111, 56%) as well as receiving (N = 95, 48%) and sending information (N = 80, 40%) in the referral network. Cost (N = 233, 38%) and loss of productivity (N = 220, 36%) were indicated as the 'major barriers' to adoption by all respondents. Accessing a comprehensive patient medication list was identified as the most important feature of the HIE (N = 422, 69%). CONCLUSIONS: The cost of HIE access and workflow integration are significant concerns of health care providers. Additional resources to assist practices plan the integration of the HIE into a sustainable workflow may be required before widespread adoption occurs. The clinical information sought by providers must also be readily available for continued utilization. Query-based HIEs must ensure that medication history, laboratory results and other desired clinical information be present, or long-term utilization of the HIE is unlikely.

Acute acalculous cholecystitis in the critically ill: risk factors and surgical strategies.

PURPOSE: Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) is characterized by severe gallbladder inflammation without cystic duct obstruction. Critical illness and neurological deficits are often associated with AAC, and early radiologic imaging is necessary for the detection and timely treatment of AAC. In critically ill patients, effective surgical management is difficult. This review examines the three common surgical treatments for AAC (open cholecystectomy (OC), laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), or percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC)), their prevalence in current literature, and the perioperative outcomes of these different approaches using a large retrospective database. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This review examined literature gathered from PubMed and Google Scholar to select more than 50 sources with data pertinent to AAC; of which 20 are described in a summary table. Outcomes from our previous research and several updated results were obtained from the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) database. RESULTS: LC has proven effective in treating AAC when the risks of general anesthesia and the chance for conversion to OC are low. In critically ill patients with multiple comorbidities, PC or OC may be the only available options. Data in the literature and an examination of outcomes within a national database indicate that for severely ill patients, PC may be safer and met with better outcomes than OC for the healthier set of AAC patients. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest a three-pronged approach to surgical resolution of AAC. Patients that are healthy enough to tolerate LC should undergo LC early in the course of the disease. In critically ill patients, patients with multiple comorbidities, a high conversion risk, or who are poor surgical candidates, PC may be the safest and most successful intervention.

Long-term outcomes of radiologic recurrence after paraesophageal hernia repair with mesh.

INTRODUCTION: Paraesophageal hernia (PEH) repair has a high radiologic recurrence rate, even with the use of biologic mesh as a prosthetic buttress to reinforce the primary crural repair. This review was done to evaluate outcomes after PEH repair with mesh. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was done of all patients who underwent PEH repair with mesh at our institution between December 2004 and March 2013. Patients were reviewed for evidence of recurrence on upper gastrointestinal studies (UGI). Time-specific, mesh-specific, and size-specific recurrence was analyzed as well as pre- and postoperative symptom scores. RESULTS: A total of 209 patients underwent PEH repair with mesh. Mean follow-up was 25 months (range 0-101). In all cases, an absorbable mesh was used (159 Alloderm, 35 BioA, 15 Strattice). One hundred and fifty-six (75 %) were 5 cm or larger. Of the patients, 166 (79 %) had UGIs available to review for radiologic recurrence. Total recurrence was 21 % (n = 35). No mesh erosions were seen. Recurrence rates increased over time from 16 % (n = 23) at 1 year up to 39 % after 5-year follow-up (n = 11). Recurrence rates were higher for large hernias (23 vs. 16 %). The median size of the recurrence was 4 cm (range 2-7 cm). Overall, patients showed significant improvement in their symptom scores. At long-term follow-up, heartburn had 70.6 % reduction (p < 0.05) and regurgitation had 76.5 % reduction (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in postoperative symptom scores between patients with or without radiologic recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, PEH repair with mesh was safe and effective at controlling symptoms over the long term. Radiologic recurrence rate increased over time and was highest in patients with hernias >5 cm. Therefore, in our experience, PEH repair with mesh is a safe therapy and though radiologic recurrence does increase with time, symptom resolution is maintained.

From physician intent to the pharmacy label: prevalence and description of discrepancies from a cross-sectional evaluation of electronic prescriptions.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to estimate the prevalence of unintended discrepancies between three sources of prescription information and to describe the types of electronic prescribing system vulnerabilities identified. METHODS: Staff from community pharmacies identified approximately 200 new prescriptions written at three participating ambulatory care clinics (2 adult, 1 paediatric). Unintended discrepancies were identified by comparing three sources of prescription information: (1) the prescriber's note as documented in the patient's chart; (2) the electronic prescription (e-prescription) entered into the clinic's electronic prescribing software; (3) the medication that was ultimately dispensed by the pharmacy as indicated on the prescription label. The discrepancy rate was calculated by dividing the number of discrepancies identified by the number of prescriptions evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 602 prescriptions written by 33 prescribers were evaluated from the 3 ambulatory care clinics. The discrepancy rate between the prescriber's note and the e-prescription was 1.7%, 0.6% and 3.9% for the three clinics. The discrepancy rate between the e-prescription (clinic) and the prescription label (pharmacy) was 4.2%, 0.9% and 1.5%. Differences between directions for administration was the most common type of discrepancy identified. CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancy rates between the prescriber's note and the e-prescription were similar to the discrepancy rates between the e-prescription and pharmacy label. To reduce outpatient medication errors, a better understanding is needed of the sources of discrepancies that occur within the prescriber's clinic, and those that occur between the clinic and pharmacy.

Barriers to electronic prescribing: Nebraska pharmacists' perspective.

PURPOSE: Electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) and its accompanying clinical decision support capabilities have been promoted as means for reducing medication errors and improving efficiency. The objectives of this study were to identify the barriers to adoption of e-prescribing among nonparticipating Nebraska pharmacies and to describe how the lack of pharmacy participation impacts the ability of physicians to meet meaningful use criteria. METHODS: We interviewed pharmacists and/or managers from nonparticipating pharmacies to determine barriers to the adoption of e-prescribing. We used open-ended questions and a structured questionnaire to capture participants' responses. FINDINGS: Of the 23 participants, 10 (43%) reported plans to implement e-prescribing sometime in the future but delayed participation due to transaction fees and maintenance costs, as well as lack of demand from customers and prescribers to implement e-prescribing. Nine participants (39%) reported no intention to e-prescribe in the future, citing start-up costs for implementing e-prescribing, transaction fees and maintenance costs, happiness with the current system, and lack of understanding about e-prescribing's benefits and how to implement e-prescribing. CONCLUSIONS: The barriers to e-prescribing identified by both late adopters and those not willing to accept e-prescriptions were similar and were mainly initial costs and transaction fees associated with each new prescription. For some rural pharmacies, not participating in e-prescribing may be a rational business decision. To increase participation, waiving or reimbursing transaction fees, based on demographic or financial characteristics of the pharmacy, may be warranted.