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Prolonged operative duration has been associated with increased post-operative morbidity in numerous surgical subspecialties; however, data are limited in operations for colon cancer specifically and existing literature makes unwarranted methodological assumptions of linearity. We sought to assess the effects of extended operative duration on perioperative outcomes in those undergoing segmental colectomy for cancer using a methodologically sound approach.We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing segmental colectomy for cancer between 2014 and 2018, logged in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program datasets. Our primary outcome was a composite of any complication within 30 days; secondary outcomes included length of stay and discharge disposition. Our main factor of interest was operative duration.We analyzed 26,380 segmental colectomy cases, the majority of which were approached laparoscopically (64.95%) and were right sided (62.93%). Median operative duration was 152 (95% CI 112-206) minutes. On multivariable regression, increased operative duration was linearly associated with any complication (OR = 1.003, 95% CI 1.003-1.003, p 0.0001) in the overall cohort, as was length of stay (p 0.0001). All subgroups except for the laparoscopic left colectomy group were linearly associated with operative duration. In the laparoscopic left colectomy group, an inflection point in the odds of any complication was found at 176 min (OR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.20-1.61, p 0.0001).This study suggests that the risk of perioperative complications increases linearly with increasing operative duration, where each additional 30 min increases the odds of complication by 10%. In those undergoing laparoscopic left colectomy, the risk of complications sharply increases after ~ 3 h, suggesting that surgeons should aim to complete these procedures within 3 h where possible.

There is controversy surrounding the safety and feasibility of next-day discharge following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) for morbid obesity. The objective of this study was to determine if next-day discharge following LRYGB is comparable to standard discharge (i.e. postoperative day two) with respect to 30-day patient outcomes.A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using data from the American College of Surgeons' National Surgery Quality Improvement Program participant use files. The study population consisted of patients discharged on either postoperative day (POD) 1 or 2 that underwent an elective LRYGB for morbid obesity between 2005 and 2012. Patients were excluded if they had recent surgery, any relative contraindication to bariatric surgery, or any recorded complication/death during their principal admission. The primary outcome was 30-day overall complications and secondary outcomes were 30-day major complications and reoperations. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate each outcome based on discharge day.The study population consisted of 6,166 and 30,966 patients discharged on POD 1 and 2, respectively. No major clinical differences were found between the two groups with respect to relevant patient and operative characteristics. After adjustment, the odds ratios for 30-day overall complications, major complications, and reoperations with next-day discharge were 0.98 (p = 0.870, 95% CI [0.81-1.19]), 0.81 (p = 0.204, 95% CI [0.58-1.12]) and 1.06 (p = 0.717, 95% CI [0.79-1.41]), respectively. Body mass index ≥50, operative time ≥3 h, diabetes, dyspnea and hypertension were significant predictors for complications in patients discharged the next day.Using this large national surgical database, LRYGB patients discharged on POD 1 did not have a significantly higher rate of adverse events compared to patients discharged on POD 2. Understanding the important predictors of adverse events following LRYGB will help bariatric surgeons implement next-day discharge protocols based on the appropriate perioperative evaluation.

Morbid obesity is strongly associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. However, the effect of underlying liver disease on clinical outcomes following bariatric surgery has not been well studied. This study aims to determine the effect of underlying liver disease on short-term outcomes in bariatric patients using the model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) scoring system as a practical measure of hepatic dysfunction. A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using data from the American College of Surgeons’ National surgery quality improvement program participant use files. The study population consisted of patients that underwent elective laparoscopic-stapled bariatric surgery for morbid obesity between 2005 and 2012. Patients were excluded if they had a bleeding disorder or renal failure requiring dialysis. The optimal MELD cut-off score to predict 30-day adverse events was determined and used to stratify patients into two groups. The primary outcome was 30-day adverse events, defined as a postoperative complication or reoperation. The secondary outcome was 30-day mortality. A multiple logistic regression was performed to adjust the odds ratio (OR) estimate for 30-day adverse events based on the MELD cut-off score. 38,875 patients were included in the study population. A MELD score of 7.9 was determined to be the optimal cut-off to predict 30-day adverse events based on the maximized linear combination of specificity and sensitivity. After adjusting for confounding, the OR estimates for 30-day adverse events and mortality using the cut-off score as the key predictor were 1.22 [95 % CI 1.06–1.41] and 2.33 [95 % CI 1.19–4.56], respectively. Using this large national surgical registry, bariatric patients with MELD scores ≥7.9 had a significant but marginal risk of 30-day adverse events and mortality. This suggests that severity of liver disease may affect bariatric surgery outcomes and should be considered during preoperative evaluations.