Lost in transition: Impact of interhospital transfer on outcomes after emergency general surgery in the older adult population.

BACKGROUND: Emergency general surgery performed among patients over 65 years of age represents a particularly high-risk population. Although interhospital transfer has been linked to higher mortality in emergency general surgery patients, its impact on outcomes in the geriatric population remains uncertain. We aimed to establish the effect of interhospital transfer on postoperative outcomes in geriatric emergency general surgery patients. METHODS: Emergency general surgery patients 65 years and older were identified with American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program 2013 to 2019. Patients were categorized based on admission source as either directly admitted or transferred from an outside hospital inpatient unit or emergency department. The primary outcomes evaluated were in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, and overall morbidity. Propensity score matching was used to control for confounders, including age, race, comorbidities, and preoperative conditions. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the log-rank test were used to compare 30-day survival in the matched cohort. RESULTS: Among the 88,424 patients identified, 13,872 (15.7%) were transfer patients. The median age was 74, and 53% were of female sex. Transfer patients had higher rates of comorbidities and preoperative conditions, including a higher prevalence of preoperative sepsis (21.8% vs 19.3%, P < .001) and ventilator dependence (6.4% vs 2.6%, P < .001). After propensity score-matched analysis, transferred patients exhibited higher rates of in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, and overall morbidity. Transfer patients were also less likely to be discharged home and more likely to be discharged to an acute care facility. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis confirmed a poorer 30-day survival in transferred patients. CONCLUSION: Interhospital transfer independently contributed to overall mortality and morbidity amongst geriatric emergency general surgery patients. Further investigation into improved coordination between hospitals, tailored care plans, and comprehensive risk assessments are needed to help mitigate the observed differences in outcomes.

Discharge to Skilled Nursing Facility Is a Risk Factor for Readmission: A Nationwide Propensity-Matched Study.

INTRODUCTION: General surgery procedures place stress on geriatric patients, and postdischarge care options should be evaluated. We compared the association of discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) versus home on patient readmission. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the Nationwide Readmission Database (2016-2019) and included patients ≥65 y who underwent a general surgery procedure between January and September. Our primary outcome was 30-d readmissions. Our secondary outcome was predictors of readmission after discharge to an SNF. We performed a 1:1 propensity-matched analysis adjusting for patient demographics and hospital course to compare patients discharged to an SNF with patients discharged home. We performed a sensitivity analysis on patients undergoing emergency procedures and a stepwise regression to identify predictors of readmission. RESULTS: Among 140,056 included patients, 33,916 (24.2%) were discharged to an SNF. In the matched population of 19,763 pairs, 30-d readmission was higher in patients discharged to an SNF. The most common diagnosis at readmission was sepsis, and a greater proportion of patients discharged to an SNF were readmitted for sepsis. In the sensitivity analysis, emergency surgery patients discharged to an SNF had higher 30-d readmission. Higher illness severity during the index admission and living in a small or fringe county of a large metropolitan area were among the predictors of readmission in patients discharged to an SNF, while high household income was protective. CONCLUSIONS: Discharge to an SNF compared to patients discharged home was associated with a higher readmission. Future studies need to identify the patient and facility factors responsible for this disparity.

Two big bones, one big decision: When to fix bilateral femur fractures.

PURPOSE: For polytrauma patients with bilateral femoral shaft fractures (BFSF), there is currently no consensus on the optimal timing of surgery. This study assesses the impact of early (≤ 24 h) versus delayed (>24 h) definitive fixation on clinical outcomes, especially focusing on concomitant versus staged repair. We hypothesized that early definitive fixation leads to lower mortality and morbidity rates. METHODS: The 2017-2020 Trauma Quality Improvement Program was used to identify patients aged ≥16 years with BFSF who underwent definitive fixation. Early definitive fixation (EDF) was defined as fixation of both femoral shaft fractures within 24 h, delayed definitive fixation (DDF) as fixation of both fractures after 24 h, and early staged fixation (ESF) as fixation of one femur within 24 h and the other femur after 24 h. Propensity score matching and multilevel mixed effects regression models were used to compare groups. RESULTS: 1,118 patients were included, of which 62.8% underwent EDF. Following propensity score matching, 279 balanced pairs were formed. EDF was associated with decreased overall morbidity (12.9% vs 22.6%, p = 0.003), lower rate of deep venous thrombosis (2.2% vs 6.5%, p = 0.012), a shorter ICU LOS (5 vs 7 days, p < 0.001) and a shorter hospital LOS (10 vs 15 days, p < 0.001). When compared to DDF, early staged fixation (ESF) was associated with lower rates of ventilator acquired pneumonia (0.0% vs 4.9%, p = 0.007), but a longer ICU LOS (8 vs 6 days, p = 0.004). Using regression analysis, every 24-hour delay to definitive fixation increased the odds of developing complications by 1.05, postoperative LOS by 10 h and total hospital LOS by 27 h. CONCLUSION: Early definitive fixation (≤ 24 h) is preferred over delayed definitive fixation (>24 h) for patients with bilateral femur shaft fractures when accounting for age, sex, injury characteristics, additional fractures and interventions, and hospital level. Although mortality does not differ, overall morbidity and deep venous thrombosis rates, and length of hospital and intensive care unit stay are significantly lower. When early definitive fixation is not possible, early staged repair seems preferable over delayed definitive fixation.

Development of a two-hit lethal liver injury model in swine.

PURPOSE: Noncompressible truncal hemorrhage remains a leading cause of preventable death in the prehospital setting. Standardized and reproducible large animal models are essential to test new therapeutic strategies. However, existing injury models vary significantly in consistency and clinical accuracy. This study aims to develop a lethal porcine model to test hemostatic agents targeting noncompressible abdominal hemorrhages. METHODS: We developed a two-hit injury model in Yorkshire swine, consisting of a grade IV liver injury combined with hemodilution. The hemodilution was induced by controlled exsanguination of 30% of the total blood volume and a 3:1 resuscitation with crystalloids. Subsequently, a grade IV liver injury was performed by sharp transection of both median lobes of the liver, resulting in major bleeding and severe hypotension. The abdominal incision was closed within 60 s from the injury. The endpoints included mortality, survival time, serum lab values, and blood loss within the abdomen. RESULTS: This model was lethal in all animals (5/5), with a mean survival time of 24.4 ± 3.8 min. The standardized liver resection was uniform at 14.4 ± 2.1% of the total liver weight. Following the injury, the MAP dropped by 27 ± 8mmHg within the first 10 min. The use of a mixed injury model (i.e., open injury, closed hemorrhage) was instrumental in creating a standardized injury while allowing for a clinically significant hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: This novel highly lethal, consistent, and clinically relevant translational model can be used to test and develop life-saving interventions for massive noncompressible abdominal hemorrhage.

Analyzing the Impact of Concomitant COVID-19 Infection on Outcomes in Trauma Patients.

BACKGROUND: The impact of COVID-19 infection at the time of traumatic injury remains understudied. Previous studies demonstrate that the rate of COVID-19 vaccination among trauma patients remains lower than in the general population. This study aims to understand the impact of concomitant COVID-19 infection on outcomes in trauma patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients ≥18 years old admitted to a level I trauma center from March 2020 to December 2022. Patients tested for COVID-19 infection using a rapid antigen/PCR test were included. We matched patients using 2:1 propensity accounting for age, gender, race, comorbidities, vaccination status, injury severity score (ISS), type and mechanism of injury, and GCS at arrival. The primary outcome was inpatient mortality. Secondary outcomes included hospital length of stay (LOS), Intensive Care Unit (ICU) LOS, 30-day readmission, and major complications. RESULTS: Of the 4448 patients included, 168 (3.8%) were positive (COV+). Compared with COVID-19-negative (COV-) patients, COV+ patients were similar in age, sex, BMI, ISS, type of injury, and regional AIS. The proportion of White and non-Hispanic patients was higher in COV- patients. Following matching, 154 COV+ and 308 COV- patients were identified. COVID-19-positive patients had a higher rate of mortality (7.8% vs 2.6%; P = .010), major complications (15.6% vs 8.4%; P = .020), and thrombotic complications (3.9% vs .6%; P = .012). Patients also had a longer hospital LOS (median, 9 vs 5 days; P < .001) and ICU LOS (median, 5 vs 3 days; P = .025). CONCLUSIONS: Trauma patients with concomitant COVID-19 infection have higher mortality and morbidity in the matched population. Focused interventions aimed at recognizing this high-risk group and preventing COVID-19 infection within it should be undertaken.

To Resect or Not to Resect: A Nationwide Comparison of Management of Sigmoid Volvulus.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the high recurrence rate of sigmoid volvulus, there is reluctance to perform a prophylactic colectomy in frail patients due to the operation's perceived risks. We used a nationally representative database to compare risk of recurrence in patients undergoing a prophylactic colectomy versus endoscopic detorsion alone. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study using the National Readmission Database (2016-2019) including patients aged ≥18 y who had an emergent admission for sigmoid volvulus and underwent endoscopic detorsion on the day of admission. We performed a 1:1 propensity matching adjusting for patient demographics, frailty score comprising of 109 components, and hospital characteristics. Our primary outcome was readmission due to colonic volvulus and secondary outcomes included mortality, complications, length of stay (LOS), and costs during index admission and readmission. We performed a subgroup analysis in patients with Hospital Frailty Score >5. RESULTS: We included 2113 patients of which 1046 patients (49.5%) underwent a colectomy during the initial admission. In the matched population of 830 pairs, readmission due to colonic volvulus was significantly lower in patients undergoing endoscopy followed by colectomy than endoscopy alone. Patients undergoing a colectomy had higher gastric and renal complications, longer LOS, and higher costs but no difference in mortality. In the subgroup analysis of frail patients, readmission was significantly lower in patients with prophylactic colectomy with no significant difference in mortality in 439 matched patients. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic colectomy was associated with lower readmission, a higher rate of complications, increased LOS, and higher costs compared to sigmoid decompression alone.

The overlooked factor: The impact of disability on postoperative complications after emergency general surgery procedures.

BACKGROUND: Despite more than 61 million people in the United States living with a disability, studies on the impact of disability on health care disparities in surgical patients remain limited. Therefore, we aimed to understand the impact of disability on postoperative outcomes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Readmission Database (2019). We compared patients ≥18 years undergoing emergency general surgery procedures with a disability condition with those without a disability. In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, disability was defined as severe hearing, visual, intellectual, or motor impairment/caregiver dependency. The primary outcome was 30-day readmission rates. Secondary outcomes included hospital length of stay and 30-day complications and mortality. Patients were 1:1 propensity-matched using patient, procedure, and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: Among our population of 378,733 patients, 5,877 (1.6%) patients had at least 1 disability condition. A higher proportion of patients with a disability had low household income, $1 to $45,999, and an Elixhauser Comorbidity score ≥3. Among 5,768 matched pairs, patients with a disability had a significantly higher incidence of 30-day readmission (17.2% vs 12.7%; P < .001), infectious complications (29.8% vs 19.5%; P < .001), and a longer length of stay (8 vs 6 days; P < .001). Motor impairment, the most common disability, was associated with the greatest increase in patient readmission, morbidity, and length of stay. CONCLUSION: Severe intellectual, hearing, visual, or motor impairments were associated with higher readmission, morbidity, and longer length of stay. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms responsible for these disparities and to develop interventions to ameliorate them.

The association of disability conditions with access to minimally invasive general surgery.

BACKGROUND: Despite the high prevalence of disability conditions in the US, their association with access to minimally invasive surgery (MIS) remains under-characterized. OBJECTIVE: To understand the association of disability conditions with rates of MIS and describe nationwide temporal trends in MIS in patients with disability conditions. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Readmission Database (2016-2019). We included patients ≥18 years undergoing general surgery procedures. Our primary outcome was the impact of disability conditions on the rate of MIS. We performed 1:1 propensity matching, comparing patients with disability conditions with those without and adjusting for patient, procedure, and hospital characteristics. We performed a subgroup analysis among patients<65 years and with patients with each type of disability. We evaluated temporal trends of MIS in patients with disabilities. We identified predictors of undergoing MIS using mixed effects regression analysis. RESULTS: In the propensity-matched comparison, a lower proportion of patients with disabilities had MIS. In the sub-group analyses, the rate of MIS was significantly lower in patients below 65 years with disabilities and among patients with motor and intellectual impairments. There was an increasing trend in the proportion of patients with disabilities undergoing MIS (p < 0.005). The regression analysis confirmed that the presence of a disability was associated with decreased odds of undergoing MIS. CONCLUSIONS: This study characterizes the negative association of disability conditions with access to MIS. As the healthcare landscape evolves, considerations on how to equitably share new treatment modalities with a wide range of patient populations are necessary.

Does practice make perfect? The impact of hospital and surgeon volume on complications after intra-abdominal procedures.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in the regionalization of surgical procedures. However, evidence on the volume-outcome relationship for emergency intra-abdominal surgery is not well-synthesized. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarize evidence regarding the impact of hospital and surgeon volume on complications. METHODS: We identified cohort studies assessing the impact of hospital/surgeon volume on postoperative complications after emergency intra-abdominal procedures, with data collected after the year 2000 through a literature search without language restriction in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. A weighted overall complication rate was calculated, and a random effect regression model was used for a summary odds ratio. A sensitivity analysis with the removal of studies contributing to heterogeneity was performed (PROSPERO: CRD42022358879). RESULTS: The search yielded 2,153 articles, of which 9 cohort studies were included and determined to be good quality according to the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. These studies reported outcomes for the following procedures: cholecystectomy, colectomy, appendectomy, small bowel resection, peptic ulcer repair, adhesiolysis, laparotomy, and hernia repair. Eight studies (2,358,093 patients) with available data were included in the meta-analysis. Low hospital volume was not significantly associated with higher complications. In the sensitivity analysis, low hospital volume was significantly associated with higher complications when appropriate heterogeneity was achieved. Low surgeon volume was associated with higher complications, and these findings remained consistent in the sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSION: We found that hospital and surgeon volume was significantly associated with higher complications in patients undergoing emergency intra-abdominal surgery when appropriate heterogeneity was achieved.

Traumatic lower extremity amputation as a risk factor for venous thromboembolism.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate whether lower extremity (LE) amputation among civilian casualties is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism. METHODS: All patients with severe LE injuries (AIS ≥3) derived from the ACS-TQIP (2013-2020) were divided into those who underwent trauma-associated amputation and those with limb salvage. Propensity score matching was used to mitigate selection bias and confounding and compare the rates of pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). RESULTS: A total of 145,667 patients with severe LE injuries were included, with 3443 patients requiring LE amputation. After successful matching, patients sustaining LE amputation still experienced significantly higher rates of PE (4.2% vs. 2.5%, p â€‹< â€‹0.001) and DVT (6.5% vs. 3.4%, p â€‹< â€‹0.001). A sensitivity analysis examining patients with isolated major LE trauma similarly showed a higher rate of thromboembolic complications, including higher incidences of PE (3.2% vs. 2.0%, p â€‹= â€‹0.015) and DVT (4.7% vs. 2.6%, p â€‹< â€‹0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide analysis, traumatic lower extremity amputation is associated with a significantly higher risk of VTE events, including PE and DVT.

Timing matters: Early versus late rib fixation in patients with multiple rib fractures and pulmonary contusion.

BACKGROUND: Recent literature has shown that surgical stabilization of rib fractures benefits patients with rib fractures accompanied by pulmonary contusion; however, the impact of timing on surgical stabilization of rib fractures in this patient population remains unexplored. We aimed to compare early versus late surgical stabilization of rib fractures in patients with traumatic rib fractures and concurrent pulmonary contusion. METHODS: We selected all adult patients with isolated blunt chest trauma, multiple rib fractures, and pulmonary contusion undergoing early (<72 hours) versus late surgical stabilization of rib fractures (≥72 hours) using the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program 2016 to 2020. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for patient, injury, and hospital characteristics. Our outcomes were hospital length of stay, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unplanned intubation, ventilator days, unplanned intensive care unit admission, intensive care unit length of stay, tracheostomy rates, and mortality. We then performed sub-group analyses for patients with major or minor pulmonary contusion. RESULTS: We included 2,839 patients, of whom 1,520 (53.5%) underwent early surgical stabilization of rib fractures. After propensity score matching, 1,096 well-balanced pairs were formed. Early surgical stabilization of rib fractures was associated with a decrease in hospital length of stay (9 vs 13 days; P < .001), decreased intensive care unit length of stay (5 vs 7 days; P < .001), and lower rates of unplanned intubation (7.4% vs 11.4%; P = .001), unplanned intensive care unit admission (4.2% vs 105%, P < .001), and tracheostomy (8.4% vs 12.4%; P = .002). Similar results were also found in the subgroup analyses for patients with major or minor pulmonary contusion. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that in patients with multiple rib fractures and pulmonary contusion, the early implementation of surgical stabilization of rib fractures could be beneficial regardless of the severity of pulmonary contusion.

Patience is key: Association of surgical timing with clinical outcomes in elderly patients with sigmoid volvulus.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines for sigmoid volvulus recommend endoscopy as a first line of treatment for decompression, followed by colectomy as early as possible. Timing of the latter varies greatly. This study compared early (≤2 days) versus delayed (>2 days) sigmoid colectomy. METHODS: 2016-2019 NRD database was queried to identify patients aged ≥65 years admitted for sigmoid volvulus who underwent sequential endoscopic decompression and sigmoid colectomy. Outcomes included mortality, complications, hospital length of stay, readmissions, and hospital costs. RESULTS: 842 patients were included, of which 409 (48.6 â€‹%) underwent delayed sigmoid colectomy. Delayed sigmoid colectomy was associated with reduced cardiac complications (1.1 â€‹% vs 0.0 â€‹%, p â€‹= â€‹0.045), reduced ostomy rate (38.3 â€‹% vs 29.4 â€‹%, p â€‹= â€‹0.013), an increased overall length of stay (12 days vs 8 days, p â€‹< â€‹0.001) and increased overall costs (27,764 dollar vs. 24,472 dollar, p â€‹< â€‹0.001). CONCLUSION: In geriatric patient with sigmoid volvulus, delayed surgical resection after decompression is associated with reduced cardiac complications and reduced ostomy rate, while increasing overall hospital length of stay and costs.

The invisible scars: Unseen financial complications worsen every aspect of long-term health in trauma survivors.

BACKGROUND: Trauma survivors are susceptible to experiencing financial toxicity (FT). Studies have shown the negative impact of FT on chronic illness outcomes. However, there is a notable lack of data on FT in the context of trauma. We aimed to better understand prevalence, risk factors, and impact of FT on trauma long-term outcomes. METHODS: Adult trauma patients with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥9 treated at Level I trauma centers were interviewed 6 months to 14 months after discharge. Financial toxicity was considered positive if patients reported any of the following due to the injury: income loss, lack of care, newly applied/qualified for governmental assistance, new financial problems, or work loss. The Impact of FT on Patient Reported Outcome Measure Index System (PROMIS) health domains was investigated. RESULTS: Of 577 total patients, 44% (254/567) suffered some form of FT. In the adjusted model, older age (odds ratio [OR], 0.4; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.2-0.81) and stronger social support networks (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.26-0.74) were protective against FT. In contrast, having two or more comorbidities (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.01-3.28), lower education levels (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 95%, 1.26-3.03), and injury mechanisms, including road accidents (OR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.51-4.77) and intentional injuries (OR, 4.31; 95% CI, 1.44-12.86) were associated with higher toxicity. No significant relationship was found with ISS, sex, or single-family household. Patients with FT had worse outcomes across all domains of health. There was a negative linear relationship between the severity of FT and worse mental and physical health scores. CONCLUSION: Financial toxicity is associated with long-term outcomes. Incorporating FT risk assessment into recovery care planning may help to identify patients most in need of mitigative interventions across the trauma care continuum to improve trauma recovery. Further investigations to better understand, define, and address FT in trauma care are warranted. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and Epidemiological; Level III.

Negative pressure wound therapy for emergency laparotomy incisions: A national database propensity matched study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSI) are a common complication of laparotomy incisions. The role of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) in preventing SSIs has not yet been explored in a nationwide analysis. We aimed to evaluate the association of the prophylactic use of NPWT with SSIs in patients undergoing an emergency laparotomy procedure. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Surgery Quality Initiative Program (NSQIP) database from 2013 to 2020. We included patients ≥18 years undergoing an emergency laparotomy. We performed a 1:1 propensity matching adjusting for patient age, sex, race, ethnicity, BMI, comorbid conditions, ASA status, diagnosis, preoperative factors and laboratory variables, procedure type, wound class, and intraoperative variables. We compared NPWT with standard dressings in two patient populations: 1. patients with completely closed (skin and fascia) laparotomy incisions and 2. patients with partially closed (fascia only) laparotomy incisions. Our primary outcome was the rate of incisional SSI. Secondary outcomes included the type of SSI, postoperative 30-day complications, postoperative hospital length of stay, and discharge disposition. RESULTS: We included 65,803 patients with completely closed incisions of whom 387 patients received NPWT. There was no significant difference in the rate of total SSIs (13.4 â€‹% vs. 11.9 â€‹%; p â€‹= â€‹0.52) in the matched population of 387 pairs. We included 7285 patients with partially closed incisions of whom 477 patients received NPWT. There was no significant difference in the rate of total SSIs (3.6 â€‹% vs. 4.4 â€‹%; p â€‹= â€‹0.51) in the matched population of 477 pairs. Secondary outcomes did not differ significantly in either group. CONCLUSION: The rate of SSIs was not significantly different when prophylactic NPWT was used compared to standard dressings for patients with a closed or partially closed laparotomy incision.

From admission to vaccination: COVID-19 vaccination patterns and their relationship with hospitalization in trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccination rates in the hospitalized trauma population are not fully characterized and may lag behind the general population. This study aimed to outline COVID-19 vaccination trends in hospitalized trauma patients and examine how hospitalization influences COVID-19 vaccination rates. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective institutional study using our trauma registry paired with the COVID-19 vaccination ENCLAVE registry. We included patients ≥18 years admitted between April 21, 2021 and November 30, 2022. Our primary outcome was the change in vaccination posthospitalization, and secondary analyzed outcomes included temporal trends of vaccination in trauma patients and predictors of non-vaccination. We compared pre and posthospitalization weekly vaccination rates. We performed joinpoint regression to depict temporal trends and multivariate regression for predictors of nonvaccination. RESULTS: The rate of administration of the first vaccine dose increased in the week after hospitalization (P = .018); however, this increase was not sustained in the following weeks. The percentage of unvaccinated patients declined faster in the general population in Massachusetts compared to the hospitalized trauma population. By the conclusion of the study, 27.1% of the trauma population was unvaccinated, whereas <5% of the Massachusetts population was unvaccinated. Urban residence, having multiple hospitalizations, and experiencing moderate to severe frailty were associated with vaccination. Conversely, being in the age groups 18 to 45 years and 46 to 64 years, as well as having Medicaid or self-pay insurance, were linked to being unvaccinated. CONCLUSION: Hospitalization initially increased the rate of administration of the first vaccine dose in trauma patients, but the effect was not sustained. By the conclusion of the study period, a greater percentage of trauma patients were unvaccinated compared to the general population of Massachusetts. Strategies for sustained health care integration need to be developed to address this ongoing challenge in the high-risk trauma population.

Missing Narrative: Examining the Impact of Disability on Post-Operative Infectious Complications.

Background: More than 20% of the population in the United States suffers from a disability, yet the impact of disability on post-operative outcomes remains understudied. This analysis aims to characterize post-operative infectious complications in patients with disability. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective review of the National Readmission Database (2019) among patients undergoing common general surgery procedures. As per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), disability was defined as severe hearing, visual, intellectual, or motor impairment/caregiver dependency. A propensity-matched analysis comparing patients with and without a disability was performed to compare outcomes, including post-operative septic shock, sepsis, bacteremia, pneumonia, catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), urinary tract infection (UTI), catheter-associated blood stream infection, Clostridioides Difficile infection, and superficial, deep, and organ/space surgical site infections during index hospitalization. Patients were matched using age, gender, comorbidities, illness severity, income, neighborhood, insurance, elective procedure, and the hospital's bed size and type. Results: A total of 710,548 patients were analysed, of whom 9,451(1.3%) had at least one disability. Motor disability was the most common (3,762; 40.5%), followed by visual, intellectual, and hearing impairment. Patients with disability were older (64 vs. 57 years; p < 0.001), more often insured under Medicare (65.2% vs. 37.3% p < 0.001) and had more medical comorbidities (Elixhauser comorbidity score ≥3; 69.2% vs. 41.9%; p < 0.001). After matching, 9,292 pairs were formed. Patients with a disability had a higher incidence of pneumonia (10.1% vs. 6.5%; p < 0.001), aspiration pneumonia (5.2% vs. 1.4%; p < 0.001), CAUTI (1.0% vs. 0.4%; p < 0.001), UTI (10.4% vs. 6.2%; p < 0.001), and overall infectious complications (21.8% vs. 14.5%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Severe intellectual, hearing, visual, or motor impairments were associated with a higher incidence of infectious complications. Further investigation is needed to develop interventions to reduce disparities among this high-risk population.

Burden of Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health on Infectious Complications in Emergency General Surgery.

Background: Infectious complications lead to worse post-operative outcomes and are used to compare hospital performance in pay-for-performance programs. However, the impact of social and behavioral determinants of health on infectious complication rates after emergency general surgery (EGS) remains unclear. Patients and Methods: All patients undergoing EGS in the 2019 Nationwide Readmissions Database were included. The primary outcome of the study was the rate of infectious complications within 30 days, defined as a composite outcome including all infectious complications occurring during the index hospitalization or 30-day re-admission. Secondary outcomes included specific infectious complication rates. Multivariable regression analyses were used to study the impact of patient characteristics, social determinants of health (insurance status, median household income in the patient's residential zip code), and behavioral determinants of health (substance use disorders, neuropsychiatric comorbidities) on post-operative infection rates. Results: Of 367,917 patients included in this study, 20.53% had infectious complications. Medicare (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-1.34; p < 0.001), Medicaid (aOR, 1.24; 95% CI,1.19-1.29; p < 0.001), lowest zip code income quartile (aOR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.13-1.22; p < 0.001), opioid use disorder (aOR,1.18; 95% CI,1.10-1.29; p < 0.001), and neurodevelopmental disorders (aOR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.90-2.45; p < 0.001) were identified as independent predictors of 30-day infectious complications. A similar association between determinants of health and infectious complications was also seen for pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTI), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sepsis, and catheter-association urinary tract infection (CAUTI). Conclusions: Social and behavioral determinants of health are associated with a higher risk of developing post-operative infectious complications in EGS. Accounting for these factors in pay-for-performance programs and public reporting could promote fairer comparisons of hospital performance.