Most risk assessment tools assume that the impact of risk factors is linear and cumulative. Using novel machine-learning techniques, we sought to design an interactive, nonlinear risk calculator for ...Emergency Surgery (ES).
All ES patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) 2007 to 2013 database were included (derivation cohort). Optimal Classification Trees (OCT) were leveraged to train machine-learning algorithms to predict postoperative mortality, morbidity, and 18 specific complications (eg, sepsis, surgical site infection). Unlike classic heuristics (eg, logistic regression), OCT is adaptive and reboots itself with each variable, thus accounting for nonlinear interactions among variables. An application Predictive OpTimal Trees in Emergency Surgery Risk (POTTER) was then designed as the algorithms' interactive and user-friendly interface. POTTER performance was measured (c-statistic) using the 2014 ACS-NSQIP database (validation cohort) and compared with the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), Emergency Surgery Score (ESS), and ACS-NSQIP calculators' performance.
Based on 382,960 ES patients, comprehensive decision-making algorithms were derived, and POTTER was created where the provider's answer to a question interactively dictates the subsequent question. For any specific patient, the number of questions needed to predict mortality ranged from 4 to 11. The mortality c-statistic was 0.9162, higher than ASA (0.8743), ESS (0.8910), and ACS (0.8975). The morbidity c-statistics was similarly the highest (0.8414).
POTTER is a highly accurate and user-friendly ES risk calculator with the potential to continuously improve accuracy with ongoing machine-learning. POTTER might prove useful as a tool for bedside preoperative counseling of ES patients and families.
Manuka honey (MH) is currently used as a wound treatment and suggested to be effective in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) elimination. We sought to optimize the synthesis of MH ...microneedles (MHMs) while maintaining the MH therapeutic effects. MHMs were synthesized using multiple methods and evaluated with in vitro assays. MHMs demonstrated excellent bactericidal activity against MRSA at concentrations ≥ 10% of honey, with vacuum-prepared honey appearing to be the most bactericidal, killing bacterial concentrations as high as 8 × 10
CFU/mL. The wound-healing assay demonstrated that, at concentrations of 0.1%, while the cooked honey had incomplete wound closure, the vacuum-treated honey trended towards faster wound closure. In this study, we demonstrate that the method of MHM synthesis is crucial to maintaining MH properties. We optimized the synthesis of MHMs and demonstrated their potential utility in the treatment of MRSA infections as well as in wound healing. This is the first report of using MH as a substrate for the formation of dissolvable microneedles. This data supports the need for further exploration of this new approach in a wound-healing model and opens the door for the future use of MH as a component of microneedle scaffolds.
Abstract Background An intraoperative adverse event (iAE) is often directly attributable to the surgeon’s technical error and/or suboptimal intraoperative judgment. We aimed to examine the ...psychological impact of iAEs on surgeons as well as the surgeons’ attitude regarding iAE reporting. Study Design We conducted a web-based cross-sectional survey of all surgeons at three major teaching hospitals of the same university. The 29-item questionnaire was developed using a systematic closed and open approach focused on assessing the surgeons’ 1) personal account of iAE incidence, 2) emotional response to iAEs, 3) available support systems and 4) perspective regarding the barriers to iAE reporting. Results The response rate was 44.8% (n=126). The mean respondents’ age was 49 years, 77% were male, and 83% performed >150 procedures/year. Over the last year, 32% recalled 1 iAE, 39% 2-5 iAEs, and 9% >6 iAEs. The emotional toll of iAEs was significant, with 84% of respondents reporting a combination of anxiety (66%), guilt (60%), sadness (52%), shame/embarrassment (42%) and anger (29%). Colleagues constituted the most helpful support system (42%), rather than friends or family; a few surgeons needed psychological therapy/counseling. Regarding reporting, 26% preferred not to see their individual iAE rates, while 38% wanted it reported in comparison to their aggregate colleagues’ rate. The most common barriers to reporting iAEs were fear of litigation (50%), lack of a standardized reporting system (49%), and the absence of a clear iAE definition (48%). Conclusion iAEs occur often, have a significant negative impact on surgeons’ wellbeing, and barriers to transparency are fear of litigation and absence of a well-defined reporting system. Efforts should be made to support surgeons and standardize reporting when iAEs occur.
The familial aspect of acute appendicitis (AA) has been proposed, but its hereditary basis remains undetermined.
To identify genomic variants associated with AA.
This genome-wide association study, ...conducted from June 21, 2019, to February 4, 2020, used a multi-institutional biobank to retrospectively identify patients with AA across 8 single-nucleotide variation (SNV) genotyping batches. The study also examined differential gene expression in appendiceal tissue samples between patients with AA and controls using the GSE9579 data set in the National Institutes of Health's Gene Expression Omnibus repository. Statistical analysis was conducted from October 1, 2019, to February 4, 2020.
Single-nucleotide variations with a minor allele frequency of 5% or higher were tested for association with AA using a linear mixed model. The significance threshold was set at P = 5 × 10-8.
A total of 29 706 patients (15 088 women 50.8%; mean SD age at enrollment, 60.1 17.0 years) were included, 1743 of whom had a history of AA. The genomic inflation factor for the cohort was 1.003. A previously unknown SNV at chromosome 18q was found to be associated with AA (rs9953918: odds ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.98-1.00; P = 4.48 × 10-8). This SNV is located in an intron of the NEDD4L gene. The heritability of appendicitis was estimated at 30.1%. Gene expression data from appendiceal tissue donors identified NEDD4L to be among the most differentially expressed genes (14 of 22 216 genes; β SE = -2.71 0.44; log fold change = -1.69; adjusted P = .04).
This study identified SNVs within the NEDD4L gene as being associated with AA. Nedd4l is involved in the ubiquitination of intestinal ion channels and decreased Nedd4l activity may be implicated in the pathogenesis of AA. These findings can improve the understanding of the genetic predisposition to and pathogenesis of AA.
Much work on reducing ED utilization has focused on primary care practices, but few studies have examined ED visits from patients followed by specialists, especially when the ED visit is related to ...the specialist's clinical practice.
To determine the proportion and characteristics of patients that utilized the ED for specialty-related diagnosis.
Retrospective, population-based, cohort study was conducted using information from electronic health records and billing database between January 2016 and December 2016. Patients who had seen a specialist during the last five years from the index ED visit date were included. The identification of ED visits attributable to specialists was based on the primary diagnosis of ED visits and the frequency of visit with specialists within a given timeframe.
Approximately 28% of ED visits analyzed were attributable to specialists. ED visits attributed specialists were represented by older patients and occurred more during working hours and early days of week. The most common diagnoses related to ED visits attributed to specialists were Circulatory, Musculoskeletal, Skin, Breast and Mental. Multiple departments, subdivisions and specialists were involved with each ED visit. The number of specialists following the patients who visited the ED ranged from one to six and the number of departments/subdivisions ranged from one to four. Patients that used the ED often were more likely to belong to departments (OR = 1.53) and specialists (OR = 1.18) associated with high ED utilization patterns.
Patients coming to the ED with specialty-related complaints are unique and require full engagement of the specialist and the specialty group. This study offers a new view of connections patients have with their specialists and engaging specialists both at department level and individual specialist level may be an important factor to reduce ED overcrowding.
The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with patient-reported outcomes, 6 to 12 months after moderate to severe injury.
Due to limitations of trauma registries, we have an ...incomplete understanding of factors that impact long-term patient-reported outcomes after injury. As 96% of patients survive their injuries, several entities including the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine have called for a mechanism to routinely follow trauma patients and determine factors associated with survival, patient-reported outcomes, and reintegration into society after trauma.
Over 30 months, major trauma patients Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥9 admitted to 3 Level-I trauma centers in Boston were assessed via telephone between 6 and 12 months after injury. Outcome measures evaluated long-term functional, physical, and mental-health outcomes. Multiple regression models were utilized to identify patient and injury factors associated with outcomes.
We successfully followed 1736 patients (65% of patients contacted). More than half (62%) reported current physical limitations, 37% needed help for at least 1 activity of daily living, 20% screened positive for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), all SF-12 physical health subdomain scores were significantly below US norms, and 41% of patients who were working previously were unable to return to work. Age, sex, and education were associated with long-term outcomes, while almost none of the traditional measures of injury severity were.
The long-term sequelae of trauma are more significant than previously expected. Collection of postdischarge outcomes identified patient factors, such as female sex and low education, associated with worse recovery. This suggests that social support systems are potentially at the core of recovery rather than traditional measures of injury severity.
•Following blunt pelvic trauma, REBOA was associated with increased mortality compared to pre- peritoneal packing (PPP).•Patients undergoing REBOA placement had a shorter ICU and hospital length of ...stay compared to PPP.•There was no difference in major postoperative complications between the two procedures.
Early hemorrhage control after severe blunt pelvic trauma is life-saving. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and outcomes of pre-peritoneal packing (PPP) and Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) with a subsequent hemorrhage control procedure to control life-threatening pelvic hemorrhage in trauma patients.
A 3-year (2015–2017) retrospective analysis of the Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) was performed. All blunt trauma patients (aged ≥15 years) who underwent PPP or Zone 3 REBOA placement were included while deaths on arrival and transfers were excluded. Patients were matched on clinical characteristics using propensity score matching (PSM). Univariate analysis was performed to compare mortality, time to procedure, time in ED, transfusion requirements, complications rates, and ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS) amongst patient groups.
Of 420 trauma patients, 307 underwent PPP and 113 REBOA. Patients had similar hemodynamics and ISS upon presentation, but PPP patients had a higher GCS (P = 0.037) and more blunt kidney injuries (P = 0.015). After PSM, 206 trauma patients were included in the analysis. There were no significant differences in blood transfusion, LOS, or major complications. Time to REBOA was shorter than time to PPP (52 vs 77.5 min; P<0.001) with longer time in ED (65 vs 51 min; p = 0.023). The 24-hour (32.4 vs 17.7%; P = 0.23) and in-hospital mortality (52.0 vs 37.3%; P = 0.048) were higher after REBOA.
PPP is associated with improved survival compared to REBOA placement. Delay in definitive hemorrhage control may provide a potential explanation, but causation remains unresolved. This data suggests that early PPP may offer a benefit over REBOA in the setting of hemorrhage after blunt pelvic trauma. Further, large, multi-institutional studies are warranted to support these findings.
Prognostic study, level III.
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