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Background The 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines added thyroid lobectomy (TL) as the appropriate treatment for low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). We aimed to investigate the population-level factors that influence the utilization of TL. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database was queried for all DTC patients fitting low-risk criteria as defined by the ATA. Trends in total thyroidectomy (TT) and TL were identified using a Cochrane–Armitage test. Multivariable logistic regression identified patient and socioeconomic characteristics associated with TL, and difference-in-difference analysis was used to control for secular trends over time. Results A total of 43,526 patients with low-risk DTC were identified in the SEER database; 39,411 pre-2015 and 4115 post-2015. After 2015, TT continued to outnumber TL (76.2% vs 23.8%), although the rate of TL increased significantly (11.6% to 23.8%, P < 0.001). However, difference-in-difference analysis found that age > 55 (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01–1.19, P < 0.001) and rurality (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.05–1.28, P < 0.001) were independently associated with TT. TL was associated with T1 disease (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.04–1.19, P = 0.001). Conclusion Although the 2015 ATA guideline update led to an increase in TL for low-risk DTC, most patients still underwent TT. Age and neighborhood significantly impact the odds of receiving guideline-appropriate TL for low-risk DTC, especially for T2 disease.

BACKGROUND: Functional gallbladder disorder is most commonly defined by biliary colic and low ejection fraction (EF) on cholescintigraphy. Biliary hyperkinesia is a controversial type of functional gallbladder disorder, and its definition and the role of cholecystectomy in treating functional gallbladder disorder remains unclear. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent cholecystokinin-stimulated cholescintigraphy and cholecystectomy at 3 Mayo Clinic sites between 2007 and 2020. Eligible patients were 18 years or older, presented with symptoms of biliary disease, had an EF greater than 50%, underwent cholecystectomy, and had no evidence of acute cholecystitis or cholelithiasis on imaging. We used receiver operating characteristics curve analysis to identify the optimal cutoff value that predicted symptom resolution within 30 days of cholecystectomy. RESULTS: A total of 2,929 cholecystokinin-stimulated cholescintigraphy scans were performed during the study period; the average EF was 67.5% and the median EF was 77%. Analyzing those with EFs greater than or equal to 50% yielded 1,596 patients with 141 (8.8%) going on to have cholecystectomy. No significant differences were found in age, sex, BMI, final pathology between patients with and without pain resolution. Using a cutoff EF of 81% was significantly associated with pain resolution after cholecystectomy (78.2% for EF greater than or equal to 81% vs 60.0% for EF less than 81%, p = 0.03). Chronic cholecystitis was found in 61.7% of the patients on final pathology. CONCLUSIONS: We determined that an EF cutoff of 81% is a reasonable upper limit of normal gallbladder EF. Patients with biliary symptoms and an EF greater than 81% but no evidence of biliary disease on ultrasound or scintigraphy can be classified as having biliary hyperkinesia. Based on our findings, we recommend cholecystectomy for this patient population.

Objectives: We aimed to quantify the contributions of patient characteristics (PC), hospital structural characteristics (HC), and hospital operative volumes (HOV) to in-hospital mortality (IHM) after major surgery in the United States (US). Background: The volume-outcome relationship correlates higher HOV with decreased IHM. However, IHM after major surgery is multifactorial, and the relative contribution of PC, HC, and HOV to IHM after major surgery is unknown. Study Design: Patients undergoing major pancreatic, esophageal, lung, bladder, and rectal operations between 2006 and 2011 were identified from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample linked to the American Hospital Association survey. Multilevel logistic regression models were constructed using PC, HC, and HOV to calculate attributable variability in IHM for each. Results: Eighty thousand nine hundred sixty-nine patients across 1025 hospitals were included. Postoperative IHM ranged from 0.9% for rectal to 3.9% for esophageal surgery. Patient characteristics contributed most of the variability in IHM for esophageal (63%), pancreatic (62.9%), rectal (41.2%), and lung (44.4%) operations. HOV explained < 25% of variability for pancreatic, esophageal, lung, and rectal surgery. HC accounted for 16.9% and 17.4% of the variability in IHM for esophageal and rectal surgery. Unexplained variability in IHM was high in the lung (44.3%), bladder (39.3%), and rectal (33.7%) surgery subgroups. Conclusions: Despite recent policy focus on the volume-outcome relationship, HOV was not the most important contributor to IHM for the major organ surgeries studied. PC remains the largest identifiable contributor to hospital mortality. Quality improvement initiatives should emphasize patient optimization and structural improvements, in addition to investigating the yet unexplained sources contributing to IHM.

Background In response to the opioid epidemic, the United States declared a public health emergency in 2017. We evaluated pain medication prescribing practices among plastic and reconstructive surgeons, assessing pain medication prescription rates and opioid-related mortality both nationally and regionally within the United States. Methods A retrospective analysis of Medicare Part D prescriber data among plastic surgeons from 2013 through 2017 was conducted. Pain medications were categorized as opioid and nonopioid medications. Trends in surgeon prescribing habits were evaluated using the Cochrane-Armitage trend test. Results A total of 708,817 pain medication claims were identified: 612,123 claims (86%) were for opioid pain medications and 96,694 claims (14%) were for nonopioid pain medications. Total pain medication claims decreased from 44% of all medications in 2013 to 37% in 2017 (P < 0.001). Opioid medications decreased from 37% of total medication claims to 32% (P < 0.001). The overall opioid prescription rate fell from 1.53 claims per beneficiary in 2013 to 1.32 in 2017 (P < 0.001). Nonopioid pain medications decreased from 7% in 2013 to 6% in 2017 (P < 0.001); nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug claims increased by 44%. The prescription rate of nonopioid medications decreased from 2.40 claims per beneficiary in 2013 to 2.32 in 2017 (P < 0.001). An overall increase in opioid-related mortality was observed. Trends in pain medication prescriptions varied significantly among US regions and divisions. Conclusions Plastic surgeons are prescribing less opioids and relying more on nonopioid pain medications. Increased adoption of multimodal pain treatment approaches among surgeons is a likely explanation for this trend in face of the current opioid crisis.

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesSerum tumor markers are widely used for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment response, and surveillance. Our study evaluated cancer embryonic antigen (CEA) in patients with appendiceal adenocarcinoma.MethodsThe National Cancer Database was reviewed (2004–2011) for patients with surgical treatment for appendiceal adenocarcinoma. Patients were stratified into two groups: normal and elevated CEA. Multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to determine the independent effect of CEA on survival.ResultsOur study consisted of 2867 patients, 54.0% having elevated CEA. Patients with elevated CEA were more likely to have Stage IV disease, be female, and African American; all p < 0.001. Three‐year overall survival (OS) was significantly higher with normal CEA (75.5% vs. 62.8%, p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, elevated CEA was associated with worse survival (hazard ratio 1.49, 95% confidence interval 1.23–1.80). Patients with elevated CEA had improved 3‐year OS with neo‐adjuvant compared to adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.004), while those with normal CEA showed no difference.ConclusionsIn patients with surgically treated appendiceal adenocarcinoma, preoperative elevation in CEA independently predicts decreased 3‐year survival and correlates with improved OS with neo‐adjuvant therapy. CEA levels should be considered in clinical decision‐making regarding neo‐adjuvant therapy in patients with appendiceal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Current literature has identified textbook outcome (TO) as a quality metric after cancer surgery. We studied whether TO after pancreatic resection has a stronger association with long-term survival than individual hospital case volume. STUDY DESIGN: Patients undergoing surgery for pancreatic adenocarcinoma from 2010 to 2015 were identified from the National Cancer Database. Hospitals were stratified by volume (low less than 6, medium 6 to 19, and high 20 cases or more per year), and overall survival data were abstracted. We defined TO as adequate lymph node count, negative margins, length of stay less than the 75th percentile, appropriate systemic therapy, timely systemic therapy, and without a mortality event or readmission within 30 days. The association of TO and case volume was assessed using a multivariable Cox regression model for survival. RESULTS: Overall, 7270 patients underwent surgery, with 30.7%, 48.7%, and 20.6% performed at low-, medium-, and high-volume hospitals, respectively. Patients treated at low-volume hospitals were more likely to be Black, be uninsured or on Medicaid, have higher Charlson comorbidity scores, and be less likely to achieve TO (23.4% TO achievement vs 37.5% achievement at high-volume hospitals). However, high hospital volume was no longer associated with overall survival once TO was added to the multivariable model stratified by volume status. Achievement of TO corresponded to a 31% decrease in mortality (hazard ratio 0.69; p < 0.001), independent of hospital volume. CONCLUSIONS: Improved long-term survival after pancreatic resection was associated with TO rather than high hospital volume. Quality improvement efforts focused on TO criteria have the potential to improve outcomes irrespective of case volume.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy allows a minimally invasive approach for interval debulking in patients with ovarian cancer considered unresectable to no residual disease by laparotomy at diagnosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the type of surgical approach at interval debulking (ID) after three courses of carboplatin and taxol in patients with unresectable ovarian cancer at diagnosis compared with the type of surgical approach at primary debulking (PD). A secondary objective was to compare the perioperative outcomes of MIS vs. laparotomy at ID. A retrospective review of the type of surgical approach at ID following three courses of carboplatin and taxol was compared with the surgical approach at PD, and a review of the perioperative outcomes of MIS vs. open at ID was performed during the period from 21 January 2012, through 21 February 2013, for stage IIIC > 2 cm or IV epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) unresectable at diagnosis and the surgical approach at PD. During the study period, 127 patients with stage IIIC or IV EOC met the inclusion criteria. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS), laparoscopic or robotic, was used in 21.6% of patients at ID and in 23.3% of patients at PD. At ID, MIS patients had a shorter hospital stay as compared to laparotomy (2 vs. 8 days; p < 0.001). At 5 year follow-up, 31.5% of EOC patients were alive (ID MIS: 47.5% vs. ID open: 30%; PD MIS: 41% vs. PD open: 28%), while 24.4% had no evidence of disease (ID MIS: 39% vs. ID open: 19.5%; PD MIS: 32% vs. PD open: 22%). Among living patients, 22% had evidence of disease. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a form of chemo-debulking and allows a minimally invasive approach at interval debulking in about one-fifth of the patients, with initial disease deemed unresectable to no residual tumor at initial diagnosis.