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IMPORTANCE: Composite measures may be superior to individual measures for the analysis of hospital performance and quality of surgical care. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of a so-called textbook outcome, a composite measure of the quality of surgical care, among patients undergoing curative-intent resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study involved an analysis of a multinational, multi-institutional cohort of patient from 15 major hepatobiliary centers in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia who underwent curative-intent resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma between 1993 and 2015. Data analysis was conducted from April 2018 to May 2018. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Hospital variation in the composite end point of textbook outcome, defined as negative margins, no perioperative transfusion, no postoperative surgical complications, no prolonged length of stay, no 30-day readmissions, and no 30-day mortality. Secondary end points were factors associated with achieving textbook outcomes. RESULTS: Among 687 patients (of whom 370 [53.9%] were men; median patient age, 61 [range, 18-86] years) undergoing curative-intent resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, a textbook outcome was achieved in 175 patients (25.5%). Being 60 years or younger (odds ratio [OR], 1.61 [95% CI, 1.04-2.49]; P = .03), absence of preoperative jaundice (OR, 4.40 [95% CI, 1.28-15.15]; P = .02), no neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OR, 2.57 [95% CI, 1.05-6.29]; P = .04), T1a/T1b-stage disease (OR, 1.58 [95% CI, 1.01-2.49]; P = .049), N0 status (OR, 3.89 [95% CI, 1.77-8.54]; P = .001), and no bile duct resection (OR, 2.46 [95% CI, 1.25-4.84]; P = .009) were independently associated with achieving a textbook outcome after resection. A prolonged length of stay had the greatest negative association with a textbook outcome. A nomogram to assess the probability of textbook outcome was developed and had good accuracy in both the training data set (area under the curve, 0.755) and validation data set (area under the curve, 0.763). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this study, while hepatic resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma was performed with less than 5% mortality in specialized centers, a textbook outcome was achieved in only approximately 26% of patients. A textbook outcome may be useful for the reporting of patient-level hospital performance and hospital variation, leading to quality improvement efforts after resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Background The objective of the current study was to compare outcomes among patients combined colon (CR) and liver resection (LR) for the treatment of simultaneous colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) versus patients undergoing two-stage CR and LR. Methods Patients undergoing surgery for CRLM between 2004 and 2014 were identified using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). Propensity-score matching was used to compare patients undergoing CR + LR with patients undergoing two-stage CR and LR. Results Among 83,410 patients, CR + LR was performed in 5659 (6.7%), stage C + LR was performed in 5659 (6.7%), while isolated CR and LR was performed in 70,177 (84.0%) and 7574 (9.3%) patients, respectively. The number of patients undergoing CR + LR increased from 423 in 2004 to 580 in 2014 (Δ = +37%). Patients undergoing CR + LR had lower postoperative morbidity (CR + LR vs. two-staged CR and LR: 38.5% vs. 61.2%), shorter LOS (median LOS: 8 days [IQR: 7–12] vs. 14 days [IQR: 10–21]), and lower postoperative mortality (3.1% vs. 5.9%) versus patients undergoing two-stage CR and LR. Compared with patients undergoing two-staged CR and LR, median hospital costs were $13,093 lower for patients undergoing CR + LR (median costs: $36,775 [IQR: 26,416–54,245] vs. $23,682 [IQR: 16,299–32,996]). Conclusion CR + LR was increasingly performed for treatment of CRLM. Compared with two-staged CR and LR, CR + LR was associated with improved outcomes and lower costs.

Background: The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score is a mathematical model including serum albumin and bilirubin, recently proposed as an alternative prognostic tool in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aims of this study were to provide evidence that the ALBI score can identify different prognostic groups in Child-Pugh (CP) class A patients undergoing liver resection with curative intent and to verify the ability of the ALBI score to predict short-term and long-term outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis on patients classified as class A according to the CP score who underwent liver resection with curative intent for HCC between 2006 and 2016 in the Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery at the University of Verona. Patients were divided according to the ALBI score and the presence or absence of preoperative clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). Results: Among the 187 CP class A patients, 125 patients (66.8%) were ALBI 1 and 62 patients (33.2%) were ALBI 2. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 49.2% in the entire cohort and was 57.1% and 33.5% for ALBI 1 and ALBI 2, respectively (P=0.0014). ALBI 2 patients showed a higher rate of post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF), 9.7% vs. 2.4% for ALBI 1 (P=0.027). In the multivariate analysis, the ALBI score [hazard ratio (HR) 1.9, P=0.026], stage of fibrosis (HR 2.0, P=0.02) and vascular invasion (HR 3.1, P

Background Two recent studies based on multi-omics data analysis identified distinct subtypes of bile-duct cancers (BDC) with important implications in terms of disease classification and patients' treatment. Methods Patients with mutations in KRAS, NRAS, TP53, and ARID1A genes were classified in KRAS/TP53 group while patients with mutations in IDH1-2, BAP1, and PBRM1 were classified in IDH1-2/BAP1/PBRM1 group. The aim of this study was to define long-term outcomes among patients stratified by patterns of genes mutated. Results Among 105 patients who underwent surgical resection for BDCs, 71 (68%) patients were classified in two groups based on patterns of genes mutated. While in IDH1-2/BAP1/PBRM1 group there were 58%, 22%, and 10% of patients with intrahepatic-cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), perihilar-cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC), and gallbladder cancer (GBC), in KRAS/TP53 group there were 42%, 78%, and 90% of patients with ICC, PHCC, and GBC (p = 0.003), respectively. Patients in IDH1-2/BAP1/PBRM1 group had a 5-year OS of 40% compared with 13% for KRAS/TP53 group (p = 0.032). In a multivariable model adjusted for margins, lymph-node status, microvascular invasion, and tumor grade, patients in KRAS/TP53 group had a 2.1-fold increased risk of death compared with patients in IDH1-2/BAP1/PBRM1 group (p = 0.028). Conclusions Genetic data were able to overcome the clinical based staging system in predicting patients' prognosis.

The prevalence of metastatic disease in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is very high (60-80%) and cancer-related death among these patients is generally due to metastatic disease. Numerous treatment options for cure and disease control have been investigated for patients with neuroendocrine liver metastases (NELM). Despite the success of liver directed therapy on slowing tumor progression and palliating symptoms, the chance of being cured by liver resection is 40-50% and only roughly 20% of patients have potentially resectable disease. As such, there has been interest in liver transplantation (LT) as a potentially curative option for patients with unresectable disease. Several criteria have been proposed in order to balance long-term outcomes of patients with NELM and the problem of organ shortage including the Milan-NET criteria, the UNOS criteria and the ENETS guidelines. In the most representative studies, recurrence rate after LT has ranged from 30% to 60% with a 5-year OS ranging from 50% to 97%. This large variability is due to the retrospective nature of the studies available, which used different inclusion criteria. As such, outcomes and the prognostic factors associated with LT for NELM warrant further investigation.

We sought to define the management of mixed hepatocellular carcinoma-intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (HCC-ICC) as well as characterize short- and long-term outcomes of patients with mixed HCC-ICC.Patients diagnosed with HCC-ICC, HCC, or ICC between 2004 and 2015 were identified from the National Cancer Data Base using the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology codes. Short- and long-term outcomes were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses.Among 174 454 patients, 86.8% had HCC, 12.1% ICC, and 1.1% HCC-ICC. The incidence of lymphadenectomy was 55.6% among ICC patients vs 15.1% and 34.2% for HCC and HCC-ICC patients, respectively (P 0.001). A 90-day mortality was comparable among patients with HCC (9.1%), ICC (8.8%), and HCC-ICC (10.5%) (all P 0.2). While 42.0% of ICC patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy among HCC and HCC-ICC patients was 13.1% and 27.4%, respectively (P 0.001). A 5-year survival was 43.5% (95% CI, 42.5-44.5), 33.3% (95% CI, 31.4-35.3), 34.4% (95% CI, 29.1-39.8) for HCC, ICC, and HCC-ICC patients, respectively.Patients who underwent resection of mixed HCC-ICC had a prognosis that was comparable to ICC, yet worse than HCC. Utilization of lymphadenectomy and adjuvant therapy were low. HCC-ICC remains a rare disease with a guarded prognosis that should be treated in a multidisciplinary setting.

Data on predictors of nonroutine discharge among patients undergoing hepatopancreatic surgery remain poorly defined. We sought to define factors associated with nonroutine discharge to home with home health care or to a skilled nursing facility or intermediate care facility and determine the impact of discharge destination on outcomes after hepatopancreatic surgery.The Nationwide Readmissions Database was queried for individuals who underwent hepatopancreatic surgeries 2010-2014 and were discharged home with home health care or to a skilled nursing facility/intermediate care facility.A total of 42,189 patients underwent hepatopancreatic surgery. Of those, 2,825 (6.70%) were discharged to a skilled nursing facility or intermediate care facility, whereas 10,925 (25.9%) were discharged with home health care. A majority of patients underwent major hepatectomy (N = 14,516, 34.4%) or minor pancreatectomy (N = 13,824, 32.8%). Compared with patients discharged home, patients discharged to a skilled nursing facility or intermediate care facility were older (median age: 60 years, interquartile range: 50-68 vs 73, 67-79) and had more comorbidities (median score: 3, interquartile range: 1-8 vs 4, interquartile range: 2-8; P.001). Type of operative procedure was not associated with discharge to a skilled nursing facility versus with home health care. Rather, patients with extreme loss of function, based on preoperative assessment, had 2.76 times higher odds of discharge to a skilled nursing facility or intermediate care facility versus with home health care (odds ratio 2.76, 95% confidence interval 1.98-3.85). Similarly, older (odds ratio 1.06, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.07) and female patients (odds ratio 1.37, 95% confidence interval 1.25-1.51) were more likely to be discharged to a skilled nursing facility or intermediate care facility versus with home health care.One in four patients undergoing hepatopancreatic surgery were readmitted within 90 days of surgery. Age, severity of comorbidities, and perioperative course, including incidence of complications, were associated with nonroutine discharge.

The effect of various hospital characteristics on failure to rescue (FTR) after liver surgery has not been well examined. We sought to examine the relationship between hospital characteristics and FTR after liver surgery. The 2013–2015 Medicare-Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) database was used to identify Medicare beneficiaries who underwent liver surgery. The effect of various hospital characteristics on FTR was compared among the highest mortality hospitals (HMH) and the lowest mortality hospitals (LMH). Among 4902 patients undergoing hepatectomy, patients treated at HMH had a higher risk of FTR (OR 3.08, 95% CI 2.03–4.66). Hospital factors such as total number of beds (OR 0.80, 95% 0.56–1.15), operating rooms (OR 0.81, 95% 0.57–1.14), and overall hospital surgical volume (OR 0.88, 95% 0.61–1.25) were not associated with FTR (all p > 0.05). In contrast, hospitals with a greater nurse-to-patient ratio had a markedly lower risk of FTR following a complication (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.54–0.91; p = 0.007) (Table 3). As volume of liver operations and nurse-to-patient ratio decreased the risk of FTR increased (p > 0.001). After risk-adjusting for patient characteristics, both the effect of surgical volume (adjusted OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.46–0.94; p = 0.022) and nurse-to-patient ratio (adjusted OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51–0.90; p = 0.008) remained strongly associated with FTR. FTR rates varied considerably among hospital performing hepatectomy. Higher procedure-specific hepatectomy volume, as well as a higher nurse-to-patient ratio, accounted for a reduction in the FTR rates. These data highlight the importance of not only procedure volume, but also adequate nurse staffing in reducing FTR and improving mortality following complex procedures such as hepatectomy.

Background Multiple tumor foci of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are often considered a contra-indication for resection. We sought to define long-term outcomes after resection of ICC in patients with multiple foci. Methods Patients who underwent resection for ICC between 1990 and 2017 were identified from 12 major HPB centers. Outcomes of patients with solitary lesions, multiple lesions (ML), and oligometastases (OM) were compared. OM were defined as extrahepatic metastases spread to a single organ. Results One thousand thirteen patients underwent resection of ICC. On final pathology, 185 patients (18.4%) had ML and 27 (2.7%) had OM. Median survival of patients with a solitary tumor was 43.2 months, while the median survival of patients with 2 tumors was 21.2 months; the median survival of patients with 3 or more tumors was 15.3 months (p

Background Administration of blood products may be associated with increased morbidity and perioperative mortality in surgical patients. Methods Patients aged 18 + who underwent gastrointestinal surgery at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center 9/10/2015-5/9/2018 were identified. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate impact of blood product use on survival and complications, as well as to identify factors associated with receipt of transfusions. Results Among 10,756 patients, 35,517 units of blood products were transfused. Preoperative nadir hemoglobin was associated with receipt of blood product transfusion (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.53, 0.68). After adjusting for patient and procedural characteristics, patients undergoing transfusion of blood products had an increased risk of perioperative mortality (OR 7.80, 95% CI 6.02, 10.10). Conclusions The use of blood products was associated with increased risk of complication and death. Patient blood management programs should be implemented to provide rational criteria and guidance for the transfusion of blood products.

Background: The role of liver transplant (LT) for neuroendocrine liver metastasis (NELM) has not been completely defined. While international guidelines included LT as a potential treatment for highly selected patients with advanced NELM, recently, LT has been proposed as an alternative curative treatment for NELM for patients meeting restrictive criteria (Milan criteria). Methods: Using a multi-institutional cohort of patients undergoing liver resection for NELM, the long-term outcomes of patients meeting Milan criteria (resected NET drained by the portal system, stable disease/response to therapies for at least 6 months, metastatic diffusion to < 50% of the total liver volume, a confirmed histology of low-grade, and ≤ 60 years) were investigated. Results: Among the 238 patients included in the study, 28 (12%) patients met the Milan criteria for LT with a 5-year OS of 83%. Furthermore, among patients meeting Milan criteria, subsets of patients with favorable clinic-pathological characteristics had 5-year OS rates greater than 90% including G1 patients (5-year OS, 92%), patients undergoing minor liver resection (5-year OS, 94%), patients with low number of NELM (1–2 NELM), and small tumor size (< 3 cm) (for both groups of patients, 5-year OS, 100%). Conclusions: In our series, only 12% of patients met Milan criteria, and the 5-year OS after liver resection for this small selected group of patients was comparable with that reported in the literature for patients undergoing LT for NELM within Milan criteria. While LT might be the optimal treatment for patients with unresectable NELM, surgical resection should be the first option for patients with resectable NELM.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has become standard of care for many gastrointestinal surgical procedures. Despite possible clinical benefits, MIS may be underutilized in some populations. The aim of this study was to access the utilization of MIS among Medicare patients undergoing hepatopancreatic procedures and define clinical outcomes, as well as costs, of minimally invasive techniques compared with the conventional open approach.The Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) Inpatient Files were reviewed to identify Medicare patients who underwent pancreatic and liver procedures between 2013 and 2015. Primary outcomes of the analysis included perioperative clinical outcomes such as rates of complications, index hospitalization length-of-stay (LOS), failure-to-rescue, rates, and causes of 90-day readmission, as well as 90-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were Medicare payments for index hospitalization and readmission. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the impact of MIS on clinical outcomes and health expenditures.A total of 13,716 (90.6%) patients underwent open resection, while MIS was performed in 1424 (9.4%) patients. LOS was shorter among patients undergoing MIS (mean 7.3 ± SD 7.3) versus open (mean 9.3 ± SD 9.1) surgery (p 0.001). The incidence of perioperative complications was lower following MIS (open 25.5%, n = 3492 vs. MIS 17.2%, n = 245) (p 0.001). Rates of failure-to-rescue were similar among patients undergoing an open versus MIS pancreatic procedure (open 19.4%, n = 271 vs. MIS 13.4%, n = 17) (p = 0.09). In contrast, 90-day readmission (open 31.1%, n = 1630 vs. MIS 24.1%, n = 201, p 0.001), as well as 90-day mortality (open 7.7%, n = 404 vs. MIS 4.2%, n = 35, p 0.001) were lower among patients undergoing pancreatic resections via an MIS approach. In contrast, failure-to-rescue and readmission, as well as mortality, were all comparable among patients undergoing a liver resection, regardless as to whether the operation was performed open or via an MIS approach (all p 0.05). Mean total payments for open pancreatic surgery were on average $1421 higher in the open versus MIS pancreatic group (p = 0.01); in contrast, there was no difference in the overall payment for hepatic resection (p 0.05).The MIS approach was underutilized among patients undergoing liver and pancreatic procedures. MIS was associated with lower complication and readmission and shorter LOS, as well as comparable/slightly lower Medicare payments, compared with the open approach. The MIS approach should strongly be considered among older patients undergoing liver and pancreatic procedures.

Objectives were to determine the causes of readmission and assess the cost-effectiveness of high (HQ) and low quality (LQ) hospitals in performing pancreatic resection, by using readmission rates as the measure of quality.We identified 53,572 pancreatic resection cases from National Readmission Database from 2010 through 2014. Hospitals were risk adjusted and ranked based on readmission. Top 20% HQ hospitals having the lowest readmission rates were compared to the bottom 20% LQ hospitals with the highest readmission rates.The 90-day readmission rate was 27.2% (HQ: 25.7%, LQ: 30.9%, p0.001). Compared to LQ, HQ hospitals had lower mortality (2.1% vs 10.2%, p0.001) and major complication (10.5% vs 53%, p 0.001). Major complication during index operation was a major predictor of readmission (RR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.6-1.7, p0.001). The optimal cut point of hospital volume associated with low mortality was 70 or more cases/year. Per year of survival benefit at HQ hospitals, the costs were lower by $9,293 with cost-savings of $6.98 million/year.HQ hospitals were cost-effective at performing pancreatic resection and achieved substantial cost-savings by avoiding major complications during index operation and having lower rates of readmissions. Hospital readmission rate is a strong marker of quality of care.

The association of hospital teaching status and overall expenditures has not been studied among patients undergoing hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery. We sought to define the impact of hospital teaching intensity on payments and charges associated with (HPB) surgery from the payer perspective. Surgical patients undergoing HPB procedures were identified using 2013–2015 Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) data. Hospital teaching intensity was categorized based on hospital resident-to-bed ratio: non-teaching (NTH: 0), minor teaching (minor-TH: 0–0.363), and major teaching (major-TH: > 0.363). Risk-adjusted price-standardized Medicare payments were assessed and compared among HPB surgical patients at NTH versus major-TH. A total of 8863 patients underwent HPB (NTH: n = 1239, 14.0%; minor-TH: n = 3202, 36.1%; major-TH: n = 4422, 49.9%). Patient comorbidities did not vary across hospital according to teaching intensity (p = 0.27). Mean risk-adjusted Medicare payment at a major-TH was $29,541 versus $19,345 at a NTH (Δ-payment: + $10,195; p

Background Hepatic resection is considered the optimal potentially curative treatment for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Following resection, up to two-thirds of patients will develop recurrence within 5-years. Genetic mutation analysis of CRLM, especially KRAS status, has been proposed as a means to guide treatment, as well as identifying patients who can derive the most survival benefit from hepatic resection. Methods A systematic review of the literature was conducted the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane library through February 8th, 2018. The following algorithm was applied: “(colorectal OR rectal OR colon OR colonic) AND (liver OR hepatic) AND (metastasis OR metastases) AND (gene OR mutation OR KRAS OR BRAF OR SMAD4 OR RAS OR TP53 OR P53 OR APC OR PI3K OR MSI OR EGFR OR MACC1 OR microsatellite).” Results From the 2404 records retrieved, 78 studies were finally deemed eligible; 47 studies reported mutational data on patients with resectable CRLM, whereas 31 studies reported on patients with unresectable CRLM. Mutational analyses were mostly performed on the CRLM specimen rather than the primary CRC. The vast majority of studies reported on the KRAS mutational status (88.5%, n = 69/78). Prevalence of KRAS mutations ranged from 25% to 52%. Most studies reported that RAS mutation was a negative prognostic factor for overall (OS) (n = 24) and recurrence-free (RFS) (n = 9) survival; a few reports noted no effect of RAS mutational status on OS (n = 4) or RFS (n = 6). Twelve studies reported on BRAF mutations with a prevalence of BRAF mutation ranging from 0 to 9.1% in resected CRLM specimens. BRAF mutation was strongly associated with a worse prognosis. TP53 and PIK3CA gene mutations did not affect long-term outcomes. Conclusions The biological status of each tumor provides the basis for individualized cancer therapeutics. Data on the mutational status on CRLM should be a part of multidisciplinary discussions to help inform the therapeutic approach, type of chemotherapy, as well as timing and approach of surgical resection.

Background Little is known regarding postoperative outcomes of elderly patients undergoing liver surgery for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Methods Five hundred and eighty-four patients undergoing liver resection for ICC between 1990 and 2015 were identified. Perioperative morbidity, mortality, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between elderly (>70 year, n = 129) and non-elderly (≤70 years, n = 455) patients. Results Older patients had a higher incidence of complications (elderly vs. non-elderly; 52.7% vs. 42.6%; P = 0.03), as well as major complications (elderly vs. non-elderly; 24.0% vs. 14.9%; P = 0.01); 30-day (0.1% vs. 3.3%; P > 0.05), and 90-day mortality (2.3% vs. 5.5%; P > 0.05) were comparable. Five-year OS and DFS were comparable between the elderly and non-elderly patients (OS, 13.3% vs. 24.4%; and DFS; 7.3% vs. 12.0%; P > 0.05). On propensity score matching, DFS and OS were also comparable among non-elderly versus elderly patients. Poor tumor grade was associated with worse DFS among elderly patients (HR = 1.6, 95%CI 1.0–2.6; P = 0.04), whereas periductal invasion (HR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.1–3.5; P = 0.03) and nodal disease (HR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.3–3.9; P = 0.003) were predictive of shorter DFS among non-elderly patients. Conclusion Elderly patients undergoing liver surgery for ICC demonstrated an increased risk of perioperative complications, but comparable long-term DFS and OS compared with younger patients. Rather, tumor characteristics were more predictive of worse long-term outcomes. J. Surg. Oncol. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pancreatic resection has become a feasible treatment of pancreatic neoplasms, and with improvements in surgical techniques and perioperative management, mortality associated with pancreatic surgery has decreased considerably. Despite this improvement, a high rate of complications is still associated with these procedures. Among these complications, delayed gastric emptying (DGE) and postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) have a substantial impact on patient outcomes and burden our healthcare system. Technical modifications and postoperative approaches have been proposed to reduce rates of both POPF and DGE in patients undergoing pancreatectomy; however, to date, their rates have remained unchanged. In the present study, we summarize the findings of the most significant studies that have investigated these complications. In particular, several studies focused on technical modifications including extent of dissection, stent placement, nature of anastomosis, type of reconstruction, and application of biological or non-biological agents to site of anastomosis. Moreover, postoperatively, drain placement, duration of drain usage, postoperative feeding, and use of pharmacological agents were studied to reduce rates of POPF and DGE. In this review, we summarize the most relevant literature on this fundamental aspect of pancreatic surgery. Despite studies identifying the potential benefit of technical modifications and postoperative approaches, these findings remain controversial and suggest need for further extensive investigation. Most importantly, we recommend that all surgeons performing these procedures base their practice on the most updated and highest available level of evidence.

Background The systemic inflammatory response may be associated with tumor progression. We sought to analyze the impact of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) among patients who underwent surgery for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC).

The relationship between the post-discharge settings and the risk of readmission has not been well examined. We sought to identify the association between discharge destinations and readmission rates after liver and pancreas surgery. The 2013–2015 Medicare-Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) database was reviewed to identify liver and pancreas surgical patients. Patients were subdivided into three groups based on discharge destination: home/self-care (HSC), home with home health assistance (HHA), and skilled nursing facility (SNF). The association between post-acute settings, readmission rates, and readmission causes was assessed. Among 15,141 liver or pancreas surgical patients, 60% (n = 9046) were HSC, 26.9% (n = 4071) were HHA, and 13.4% (n = 2024) were SNF. Older, female patients and patients with ≥ 2 comorbidities, ≥ 2 previous admissions, an emergent index admission, an index complication, and ≥ 5-day length of stay were more likely to be discharged to HHA or SNF compared to HSC (all P

Introduction The Affordable Care Act established a Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services based 10% reimbursement bonus for general surgeons in Health Professional Shortage Areas. We sought to assess the impact of the Affordable Care Act Surgery Incentive Payment on surgical procedures performed in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Methods Hospital utilization data from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2015, were used to categorize hospitals according to Health Professional Shortage Area location. A difference-in-differences analysis measured the effect of the Surgery Incentive Payment on year-to-year differences for inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures by hospital type pre- (2006–2010) versus post- (2011–2015) Surgery Incentive Payment implementation. Results Among 409 unique hospitals that performed surgical procedures for at least 1 year of the study period, 2 performed surgery in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area. The two Health Professional Shortage Area -designated hospitals were located in a rural area, were non-teaching hospitals, and had 196 and 202 hospital beds, respectively. After the enactment of the Surgery Incentive Payment, while non- Health Professional Shortage Areas had only a modest relative decrease in total inpatient procedures (Pre-Surgery Incentive Payment: 4,666,938 versus Post-Surgery Incentive Payment: 4,451,612; Δ−4.6%), the proportional decrease in inpatient surgical procedures at Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals was more marked (Pre-Surgery Incentive Payment: 25,830 versus Post-Surgery Incentive Payment: 21,503; Δ−16.7%). In contrast, Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals proportionally had a greater increase in total outpatient procedures (Pre-Surgery Incentive Payment: 17,840 versus Post-Surgery Incentive Payment: 22,375: Δ+25.4%) versus non- Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals (Pre-Surgery Incentive Payment: 5,863,300 versus Post-Surgery Incentive Payment: 6,156,138; Δ+4.9%). Based on the difference-in-differences analysis, the increase in the trend of surgical procedures at Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals was much more notable after Surgery Incentive Payment implementation (Δ+75.2%). Conclusion The Medicare Surgery Incentive Payment program was associated with an increase in the number of surgical procedures performed at Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals relative to non-Health Professional Shortage Area hospitals during the study period, reversing the trend from negative to positive.

Decreasing hospital length-of-stay (LOS) may be an effective strategy to reduce costs while also improving outcomes through earlier discharge to the non-hospital setting. The objective of the current study was to define the impact of discharge timing on readmission, mortality, and charges following hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery. The Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) was used to identify patients undergoing HPB procedures between 2010 and 2014. Length of stay (LOS) was categorized as early discharge (4–5 days), routine discharge (6–9 days), and late discharge (10–14 days). Univariable and multivariable analyses were utilized to identify factors associated with 90-day readmission. A total of 28,114 patients underwent HPB procedures. Overall median LOS was 7 days (IQR 5–11); 10,438 (37.1%) patients had an early discharge, while 13,665 (48.6%) and 4011 (14.3%) patients had a routine or late discharge. The probability of early discharge increased over time (referent 2010: 2011–4% (OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.96–1.15) vs. 2012–10% (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01–1.20) vs. 2013–21% (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.11–1.32) vs. 2014–32% (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.21–1.44)) (p

Background: Intraductal-growth (IG) type of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) may be associated with a favorable prognosis compared with mass-forming (MF) and periductal-infiltrating (PI) ICC. Methods: The clinico-pathological characteristics and long-term outcomes of 1206 patients undergoing liver resection for ICC were compared based on the ICC morphological classification. Results: Compared with MF patients, IG patients had a higher incidence of poor/un-differentiated tumor, lympho-vascular, and perineural invasion (poor/un-differentiated: MF, 18% vs. IG, 24%; lympho-vascular invasion: MF, 30% vs. IG, 35%; perineural invasion: MF, 17% vs. IG, 33%; all p > 0.05). The pattern of recurrence was different among MF patients (intrahepatic only: 63%; extrahepatic only: 22%; both intra- and extrahepatic: 16%) versus IG patients (intrahepatic only: 46%; extrahepatic: 25%; both intra- and extrahepatic: 29%) (p < 0.001). Moreover, while 78% of patients with MF had an early recurrence (< 18 months from surgery), 59% of IG patients had and early recurrence (p = 0.039). On multivariable analysis, after controlling for competing risk factors, IG patients had a similar prognosis as MF patients (HR 0.90, p = 0.69). Conclusion: While IG patients more frequently presented with more adverse pathological characteristics, the prognosis of IG patients was comparable with MF patients after controlling for all these adverse factors.

Extranodal extension (ENE) of nodal metastasis is defined as the extension of metastatic cells through the nodal capsule into the perinodal tissue. This morphological parameter, recently proposed as an important prognostic factor in different types of malignancy, has not been included in the TNM staging system for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this systematic review with meta-analysis, we weighted the prognostic role of ENE in patients with lymph node-positive NSCLC. Two independent authors searched SCOPUS and PubMed through 28 February 2017. Prospective and retrospective studies on NSCLC, comparing patients with presence of ENE (ENE+) ENE+) vs. only intranodal extension (ENE–) and including data regarding prognosis, were considered as eligible. Data were summarized using risk ratios (RR) for the number of deaths/recurrences, and hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for time-dependent risk related to ENE+, adjusted for potential confounders. We identified 13 studies, including 1709 patients (573 ENE+ and 1136 ENE–) with a median follow-up of 60months. ENE was associated with a significantly increased risk of mortality of all causes (RR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.18–1.65, P < 0.0001, I2= 70%; HR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.01–1.67, P = 0.04, I2= 0%) and of disease recurrence (RR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.04–1.68, P = 0.02, I2= 42%; HR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.53–2.44, P < 0.0001, I2= 0%). We conclude that in NSCLC, requirements for assessment of ENE should be included in gross sampling and ENE status should be included in the pathology report. Inclusion of ENE status in oncology staging systems will allow further assessment of its role as prognostic parameter. © 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Objective: We aimed to compare the clinicopathological features and survival after surgery of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) according to the patterns of distribution of hepatic nodules. Methods: A retrospective analysis of a multi-institutional series of 259 patients with resected ICC was carried out. Patients were further classified according to the pattern of distribution of hepatic nodules: single tumors (type I), single tumors with satellites in the same liver segment (type II), or multifocal tumors (type III). Results: Overall, 64.5% of patients had type I, 21.9% had type II, and 13.5% had type III. The 5-year overall survival rate was 49.4, 34.2, and 9.9% for types I, II, and III, respectively (p < 0.001). A multivariate survival analysis identified the following independent prognostic factors: pattern types II and III (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively), size ≥ 50 mm (p = 0.021), lymph node (LN) metastases (p = 0.005), and R1 resections (p = 0.019). We stratified survival for each type of pattern according to the other prognostic factors identified in the multivariate analysis. N0 and R0 patients with type II and III tumors had encouraging long-term results. Conversely, patients with LN metastases and R1 resections had poor prognosis, particularly patients with type III tumors. Conclusion: ICC has distinct patterns of distribution with different prognoses that should be considered when making therapeutic decisions. Patients with type III tumors had a significantly worse prognosis, and the benefits of upfront surgery should be carefully evaluated.

Background and purpose The nomogram is an important component of modern medical decision-making, which calculates the probability of an event entirely based on individual characteristics. We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for individualized prediction of the probability of unfavorable outcome in intravenous thrombolysis-treated stroke patients included in the large multicenter Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke-International Stroke Thrombolysis Register. Methods All patients registered in the Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke-International Stroke Thrombolysis Register by 179 Italian centers between May 2001 and March 2016 were originally included. The main outcome measure was three-month unfavorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale 3–6). Four non-categorical predictors of unfavorable outcome (baseline National Institutes of Health (NIH) Stroke Scale score: 0–25, age ≥18 years, pre-stroke modified Rankin Scale score: 0–2, and onset-to-treatment time: 0–270 min) were identified a-priori by three neurologists with expertise in the management of stroke. To generate the NIHSS STroke Scale score, Age, pre-stroke mRS score, onset-to-treatment Time (START), the pre-established predictors were entered into a logistic regression model. The discriminative performance of the model was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results A total of 15,862 patients with complete data for generating the START was randomly dichotomized into training (2/3, n = 10,574) and test (1/3, n = 5288) sets. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of START was 0.800 (95% confidence interval: 0.792–0.809) in the training set and 0.815 (95% confidence interval: 0.804–0.822) in the test set. Conclusions By using a limited number of non-categorical predictors, the START is the first nomogram developed and validated in a large Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke-International Stroke Thrombolysis Register cohort, which reliably calculates the probability of unfavorable outcome in intravenous thrombolysis-treated stroke patients.

Background The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics, treatment and prognosis of early versus late recurrence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after hepatic resection. Methods Patients who underwent resection with curative intent for ICC were identified from a multi-institutional database. Data on clinicopathological characteristics, initial operative details, timing and sites of recurrence, recurrence management and long-term outcomes were analysed. Results A total of 933 patients were included. With a median follow-up of 22 months, 685 patients (73·4 per cent) experienced recurrence of ICC; 406 of these (59·3 per cent) developed only intrahepatic disease recurrence. The optimal cutoff value to differentiate early (540 patients, 78·8 per cent) versus late (145, 21·2 per cent) recurrence was defined as 24 months. Patients with early recurrence had extrahepatic disease more often (44·1 per cent versus 28·3 per cent in those with late recurrence; P < 0·001), whereas late recurrence was more often only intrahepatic (71·7 per cent versus 55·9 per cent for early recurrence; P < 0·001). From time of recurrence, overall survival was worse among patients who had early versus late recurrence (median 10 versus 18 months respectively; P = 0·029). In multivariable analysis, tumour characteristics including tumour size, number of lesions and satellite lesions were associated with an increased risk of early intrahepatic recurrence. In contrast, only the presence of liver cirrhosis was independently associated with an increased likelihood of late intrahepatic recurrence (hazard ratio 1·99, 95 per cent c.i. 1·11 to 3·56; P = 0·019). Conclusion Early and late recurrence after curative resection for ICC are associated with different risk factors and prognosis. Data on the timing of recurrence may inform decisions about the degree of postoperative surveillance, as well as help counsel patients with regard to their risk of recurrence.

INTRODUCTION: We sought to validate the commonly used prognostic models and staging systems for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in a large multi-center patient cohort. METHODS: The overall (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) prognostic discriminatory ability of various commonly used models were assessed in a large retrospective cohort. Harrell's concordance index (c-index) was used to determine accuracy of model prediction. RESULTS: Among 1054 ICC patients, median OS was 37.7 months and 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival, were 78.8%, 51.5%, and 39.3%, respectively. Recurrence of disease occurred in 454 (43.0%) patients with a median DFS of 29.6 months. One-, 3- and 5- year DFS were 64.6%, 46.5 % and 44.4%, respectively. The prognostic models associated with the best OS prediction were the Wang nomogram (c-index 0.668) and the Nathan staging system (c-index 0.639). No model was proficient in predicting DFS. Only the Wang nomogram exceeded a c-index of 0.6 for DFS (c-index 0.602). The c-index for the AJCC staging system was 0.637 for OS and 0.582 for DFS. CONCLUSIONS: While the Wang nomogram had the best discriminatory ability relative to OS and DFS, no ICC staging system or nomogram demonstrated excellent prognostic discrimination. The AJCC staging for ICC performed reasonably, although its overall discrimination was only modest-to-good. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

It is unclear how either the successful or failed rescue of hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) patients from complications impacts costs.A retrospective cohort study of HPB surgical patients was performed using claims data from 2013 to 2015 in the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) database. Patient demographics, characteristics, outcomes and risk-adjusted Medicare payments were compared.11,596 patients were identified. Over half of the patients (n = 5,810, 50.1%) underwent liver surgery, while 42% (n = 4892) had pancreatic and 8% (n = 894) had biliary operations. The overall complication rate varied (liver: 19.6%; pancreas: 20.3%; biliary: 25.2%, p = 0.001). In general, both minor and serious complications resulted in higher Medicare payments. Failed rescue led to higher average Medicare payments during index hospitalization compared to successful rescue ($53,476 versus $44,636, p 0.001). The reverse was true on readmission; successful rescue was associated with higher average Medicare payments ($25,746 versus $15,654, p 0.001). Taken together (index plus readmission), total hospitalization payments were higher for failed compared to successful rescue ($66,604 versus $52,143, p 0.001).Following HPB surgery, there is a significant cost associated with both rescue and failure-to-rescue from perioperative complications. Total hospitalization cost was highest for patients who experienced failure-to-rescue.

Background The performances of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging systems of the 7th and 8th edition were compared using a cohort of patients undergoing surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma at 2 tertiary referral Italian hepatobiliary centers. Methods The American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th and 8th edition staging systems were used to classify 214 patients who underwent surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. The performances of the 2 staging systems were compared using the concordance index. Results Using the American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition staging system, we found that the 5-year overall survival for stages I, II, and IVa was 71%, 34%, and 34%, while no patients in stages IIIa, IIIb, and IVb survived 5 years. In comparison, when the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition staging system was used, the 5-year overall survival was 71% and 35% in stages I and II, resulting in 23%, 19%, and 22% in stages IIIa, IIIb, and IIIc, respectively. Of note, no patients in stages IVa and IVb survived 5 years. The American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition staging system had a slightly better discriminatory ability with a concordance index of 0.624 compared with 0.619 for the American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition. Conclusion The newly released classification American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition staging system demonstrated a poor to moderate ability to predict prognosis of patients undergoing liver resection for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, which was only slightly better than the previous edition. Further refinements are needed to improve the prognostic ability of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Among postoperative complications associated with liver surgery, such as infections, fluid collections, deep venous thrombosis, bleeding, and bile leak, liver insufficiency/failure is typically the most life-threatening condition. In fact, post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) can be the cause of serious morbidity and mortality after liver resection, especially among patients with fibrosis or cirrhosis of the underlying liver. Several risk factors for PHLF have been described, including patient characteristics, liver quality and volume, as well as intraoperative variables.

BACKGROUND: Early tumor recurrence after curative resection typically indicates a poor prognosis. The objective of the current study was to investigate the risk factors, treatment, and prognosis of early recurrence of neuroendocrine tumor (NET) liver metastasis (NELM) after hepatic resection. METHODS: A total of 481 patients who underwent curative-intent resection for NELM were identified from a multi-institutional database. Data on clinicopathological characteristics, intraoperative details, and outcomes were documented. The optimal cutoff value to differentiate early and late recurrence was determined to be 3 years based on linear regression. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 60 months, 223 (46.4%) patients developed a recurrence, including 158 (70.9%) early and 65 (29.1%) late recurrences. On multivariable analysis, pancreatic NET, primary tumor lymph node metastasis, and a microscopic positive surgical margin were independent risk factors for early intrahepatic recurrence. While recurrence patterns and treatments were comparable among patients with early and late recurrences, early recurrence was associated with worse disease-specific survival than late recurrences (10-year NELM-specific survival, 44.5 vs 75.8%, p < 0.001). Among the 34 (21.5%) patients who underwent curative treatment for early recurrence, post-recurrence disease-specific survival was better than non-curatively treated patients (10-year NELM-specific survival, 54.2 vs 26.3%, p = 0.028), yet similar to patients with late recurrences treated with curative intent (10-year NELM-specific survival, 54.2 vs 37.4%, p = 0.519). CONCLUSIONS: Early recurrence after surgery for NELM was associated with the pancreatic type, primary lymph node metastasis, and extrahepatic disease. Re-treatment with curative intent prolonged survival after recurrence, and therefore, operative intervention even for early recurrences of NELM should be considered. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

BACKGROUND: Neuroendocrine tumors typically arise from pancreatic (PNET) vs. gastrointestinal or thoracic origins (non-PNET). The impact of primary tumor site on long-term prognosis following resection of neuroendocrine liver metastasis (NELM) remains poorly defined. The objective of the current study was to define the association of primary tumor location on prognosis of patients undergoing curative intent liver resection for NELM. METHODS: Between 1990 and 2014, 421 patients who underwent resection of NELM were identified from a multi-institutional database. Clinicopathological characteristics, operative details, and outcomes were stratified and analyzed by location of the primary tumor (PNET vs. non-PNET). A propensity score-matched analysis was utilized to assess the impact of primary tumor location on long-term survival. RESULTS: Among the 421 patients, 197 (46.8%) patients had NELM from a PNET primary while 224 (53.2%) had a non-PNET primary (small bowel, n = 145; rectal, n = 10; bronchial, n = 22; other, n = 47). There were no differences in tumor burden and tumor site, while presence of extrahepatic disease was more common among patients with non-PNET NELM (extrahepatic disease, PNET NELM, n = 11 27.5% vs. non-PNET NELM, n = 29 72.5%; p = 0.010). Patients with PNET NELM were more likely to have non-functional disease compared with patients who had non-PNET NELM (non-functional, PNET NELM, n = 117 54.9% vs. non-PNET NELM, n = 96 45.1%; p = 0.011). On the final pathological specimen of the resected NELM, patients with PNET NELM were more likely to have a moderately differentiated tumor (59.3%), while patients with non-PNET NELM were more likely to have a poorly differentiated tumor (67.8%) (p = 0.005). Patients with PNET NELM had a worse 5-year DFS and 5-year OS compared with patients who had non-PNET NELM (DFS, PNET 36.2% vs. non-PNET 55.2%; p = 0.001 and OS, PNET 79.5% vs. non-PNET 83.4%; p = 0.008). After propensity score matching, both 5-year DFS and 5-year OS of the PNET and non-PNET groups were comparable (DFS, PNET 46.2% vs. non-PNET 55.9%; p = 0.22 and OS, PNET 81.5% vs. non-PNET 84.3%; p = 0.19). CONCLUSION: PNET patients more often present with non-functional NELM and moderately differentiated tumors. On propensity-matched analysis, factors such as extrahepatic disease and tumor grade, but not primary tumor location, were associated with prognosis of patients undergoing curative intent liver surgery for NELM. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Caroli’s disease is a rare hepatobiliary disorder characterized by malformations of the intrahepatic medium and large bile ducts, resulting in non-obstructive ductal dilatation, with focal or multifocal segmental involvement of the liver. It is often associated with hepatolithiasis and acute cholangitis. The curative treatment of the localized form is surgical liver resection involving any pathologic bile duct tissue, in order to avoid the development of recurrent disease and life-threatening complications. We have reviewed the literature during the period 2005–2018 concerning the surgical treatment of Caroli’s disease (including 243 liver resections), in order to evaluate the impact of laparoscopic surgery, its technical aspects, feasibility, safety, short- and long-term outcomes. Only 6 reports describing 16 cases available in the most recent literature (years 2009–2018) reported laparoscopic liver resections (7 left lateral hepatic sectionectomies, 7 left hepatectomies, 1 segmentectomy, 1 right anterior sectionectomy). Only 1 conversion to open surgery and 1 complication (a fluid collection) treated conservatively were described. Few data have been reported about the long-term post-operative follow-up. Caroli’s disease is a rare condition with variable clinical complexity, due to the extension of the disease, the localization of pathological bile ducts and the presence of complications. Radical surgery is the treatment of choice for localized disease and in these cases minimally invasive liver resection can have an important therapeutic role, particularly for left located Caroli’s disease. Minimally invasive approach to Caroli’s disease requires high expertise in liver surgery and in complex biliary procedures. Data of the literature are still lacking in long term results and more studies are necessary to confirm the short and long-term results.

Aims: Few papers focused on association between hepatolithiasis (HL) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) in Western countries. The aims of this paper are to describe the clinical presentation, treatment, and postoperative outcomes of CCC with HL in a cohort of Western patients and to compare the surgical outcomes of these patients with patients with CCC without HL. Materials and methods: Among 161 patients with HL from five Italian tertiary hepato-biliary centers, 23 (14.3%) patients with concomitant CCC were analyzed. The results of surgery in these patients were compared with patients with CCC without HL. Results: The 60.9% of patients with HL received the diagnosis of CCC intra- or postoperatively, with a resectability rate of 91.3%. The postoperative morbidity was 61.6%. The 1- and 3-year survival rates were 78.6% and 21.0%, respectively. The recurrence rate was 44.4% and the 3-year disease-free survival rates were 18.8%. The comparison with patients with CCC without HL showed a higher resectability rate (p ¼ 0.02) and a higher frequency of earlier stage (p ¼ 0.04) in CCC with HL. Biliary leakage was more frequent in CCC with HL group (p ¼ 0.01) compared to CCC without HL group. We found no differences in overall and disease-free survival between the two groups. Conclusions: Patients with HL and CCC showed a high resectability rate but a higher morbidity. Nevertheless, overall and disease-free survival of patients with CCC and HL showed no differences compared to those of patients with CCC without HL. Also in Western countries, HL needs a careful management for the possible presence of CCC. 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.