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Across the nation, patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) are managed with modalities including upfront surgery (US) and perioperative chemotherapy (PCT). Preoperative therapies have demonstrated survival benefits over US and thus long-term outcomes are expected to vary between the options. However, as these 2 modalities continue to be regularly employed, we sought to perform a decision analysis comparing the costs and quality-of-life associated with the treatment of patients with LAGC to identify the most cost-effective option. We designed a decision tree model to investigate the survival and costs associated with the most commonly utilized management modalities for LAGC in the United States: US and PCT. The tree described costs and treatment strategies over a 6-month time horizon. Costs were derived from 2022 Medicare reimbursement rates using the third-party payer perspective for physicians and hospitals. Effectiveness was represented using quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). One-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were utilized to test the robustness of our findings. PCT was the most cost-effective treatment modality for patients with LAGC over US with a cost of $40,792.16 yielding 3.11 QALYs. US has a cost of $55,575.57 while yielding 3.15 QALYs; the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was $369,585.25. One-way and two-way sensitivity analyses favored PCT in all variations of variables across their standard deviations. Across 100,000 Monte Carlo simulations, 100% of trials favored PCT. In our model simulating patients with LAGC, the most cost-effective treatment strategy was PCT. While US demonstrated improved QALYs over PCT, the associated cost was too great to justify its use., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose: Disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) trends are linked with socioeconomic status (SES) and race. To better understand the colon cancer trends at our medical center, this study characterizes the racial and socioeconomic profile of the population served by our center to identify modifiable risk factors amenable to interventions., Methods: Colon cancer data from our center as well as New Jersey (NJ) and United States (US) were obtained from National Cancer Database. Demographic data on race and SES for NJ counties were obtained from public databases that sourced data from the American Community Survey and the US census. We compared the odds of being diagnosed with early-onset and late-stage colon cancer (III or IV), respectively in NJ and US, across different racial groups. We also quantified the association between Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and age-adjusted CRC mortality in NJ counties, with and without accounting for the racial composition of each county., Results: In 2015, our center recorded higher proportions of late-stage and early-onset colon cancer diagnoses compared to all hospitals in NJ and US. Trends for stage and patient age at diagnosis of colon cancer for NJ and the US (2010-2019) showed that Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander individuals had greater odds of being diagnosed with early-onset (age<50) and late-stage colon cancer (Stage III/IV) when compared to White population. NJ counties served by our center showed an overrepresentation of either Black or Hispanic-Latino populations and reported significant disadvantage in SES. For NJ counties, each 25 percentile increase in social vulnerability was associated with 1.04 times the rate of age-adjusted colorectal cancer death (95 % CI: 1.00-1.07)., Conclusion: Public data on race and SES of the target population can help identify areas of social disparities at the county-level to guide targeted interventions such as improving healthcare access and screening rates., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Robotic approach in paraesophageal hernia (PEH) repair may improve outcomes over laparoscopic approach, though at additional cost. This study aimed to compare cost-effectiveness of robotic and laparoscopic PEH repair., Methods: A decision tree was created analyzing cost-effectiveness of robotic and laparoscopic PEH repair. Costs were obtained from 2021 Medicare data and were accumulated within 60 months after surgery. Effectiveness was measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Branch-point probabilities and costs of robotic surgery consumables were obtained from published literature. The primary outcome of interest was incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). One-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. A secondary analysis including attributable capital and maintenance costs of robotic surgery was conducted as well., Results: Laparoscopic repair yielded 3.660 QALYs at $35,843.82. Robotic repair yielded 3.661 QALYs at $36,342.57, with an ICER of $779,488.62/QALY. Robotic repair was favored when rates of open conversion and symptom recurrence were low, or with reduced cost of robotic instruments. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis favored laparoscopic repair in 100% of simulations. When accounting for costs of robotic technology, robotic approach was preferred only in unrealistic clinical scenarios., Conclusions: Laparoscopic repair is likely more cost-effective for most institutions, though results were relatively similar. With experienced surgeons who surpass the initial learning curve, robotic surgery may improve outcomes enough to be cost-effective, but only when excluding capital and maintenance fees., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: A laparoscopic approach to bariatric surgeries confers a favorable side-effect profile as compared to an open approach. However, literature regarding the independent association of race with access to and postoperative outcomes in laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (GS) is scarce., Materials and Methods: All RYGB and GS cases recorded in American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program data from 2012 to 2020 were subjected to propensity score matching to assess the independent association between Black self-identified race on access to a laparoscopic approach and postoperative complications. Finally, a series of logistic regressions enabled evaluation of the mediating effect of operative approach on racial disparities in postoperative complications., Results: 55,846 cases of RYGB and 94,209 cases of GS were identified. Following propensity score matching, logistic regression identified Black race as an independent predictor of open approach to RYGB (P < 0.001) and GS (P = 0.019). Black patients had increased incidence of any, minor and severe postoperative complications and unplanned readmissions in both RYGB (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.0412, and P < 0.001, respectively) and GS (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.0037, and P < 0.001, respectively). Open approach to RYGB was identified as a partial mediator of the independent association between Black race and any complication, minor complications, and unplanned readmission., Conclusions: This methodology identified racial disparities in complications following RYGB and GS. Interestingly, reduced access to a laparoscopic approach mediated racial disparities in complications following RYGB but not GS. Further research might elucidate upstream determinants of health that catalyze these disparities., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction. Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is an aggressive and rare malignant neoplasm with a poor prognosis. As its name suggests, this tumor exhibits extensive pleomorphism with features of skeletal muscle differentiation. Due to its rarity, its diagnosis is often a clinical and pathological challenge. Since only small case series and a few scattered case reports exist in the literature, the impact of different demographic features, tumor site, and/or treatment modality on patient outcomes has yet to be extensively studied. Methods. We report a case of a pleomorphic RMS presenting atypically as an abdominal wall mass. We have also analyzed the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database to determine the factors affecting the outcome of this neoplasm. Moreover, we present a review and summary of pleomorphic RMS cases arising from the abdominal wall reported in the English language literature. Results. We found two hundred and forty-two cases of pleomorphic RMS in the SEER database. The majority of the patients were diagnosed after the age of 40, with the age of diagnosis showing a unimodal distribution. The majority of the patients were Caucasian (82%) and male (59%). Age of diagnosis, tumor stage, and surgical management significantly affected the patients' outcome, while patients' ethnicity, sex, or tumor site did not affect the outcome. We only found five previously reported cases of pleomorphic RMS arising from the abdominal wall. Conclusions. Pleomorphic RMS arising from the abdominal wall is extremely rare. Our data sheds light on the factors affecting the outcome of pleomorphic RMS. We have also discussed the challenges involving the histopathological diagnosis of this rare neoplasm and how to best approach this task.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the current standard of care treatment for benign gallbladder disease. Robotic cholecystectomy is another approach for performing cholecystectomy that offers a surgeon better dexterity and visualization. However, robotic cholecystectomy may increase cost without sufficient evidence to suggest an improvement in clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to construct a decision tree model to compare cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and robotic cholecystectomy., Methods: Complication rates and effectiveness associated with robotic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy over a 1-year time frame were compared using a decision tree model populated with data from the published literature. Cost was calculated using Medicare data. Effectiveness was represented by quality-adjusted life-years. The primary outcome of the study was incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, which compares the cost per quality-adjusted life-year of the 2 interventions. The willingness-to-pay threshold was set at $100,000/quality-adjusted life-year. Results were confirmed with 1-way, 2-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses varying branch-point probabilities., Results: The studies used in our analysis included 3,498 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 1,833 patients who underwent robotic cholecystectomy, and 392 patients who required conversion to open cholecystectomy. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy produced 0.9722 quality-adjusted life-years, costing $9,370.06. Robotic cholecystectomy produced an additional 0.0017 quality-adjusted life-years at an additional $3,013.64. These results equate to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $1,795,735.21/quality-adjusted life-year. This exceeds the willingness-to-pay threshold, making laparoscopic cholecystectomy the more cost-effective strategy. Sensitivity analyses did not alter results., Conclusion: Traditional laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the more cost-effective treatment modality for benign gallbladder disease. At present, robotic cholecystectomy is not able to improve clinical outcomes enough to justify its added cost., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Although oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) is a potent tumor-suppressor mechanism, recent studies revealed that cells could escape from OIS with features of transformed cells. However, the mechanisms that promote OIS escape remain unclear, and evidence of post-senescent cells in human cancers is missing. Here, we unravel the regulatory mechanisms underlying OIS escape using dynamic multidimensional profiling. We demonstrate a critical role for AP1 and POU2F2 transcription factors in escape from OIS and identify senescence-associated chromatin scars (SACSs) as an epigenetic memory of OIS detectable during colorectal cancer progression. POU2F2 levels are already elevated in precancerous lesions and as cells escape from OIS, and its expression and binding activity to cis -regulatory elements are associated with decreased patient survival. Our results support a model in which POU2F2 exploits a precoded enhancer landscape necessary for senescence escape and reveal POU2F2 and SACS gene signatures as valuable biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic potential., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023 The Authors.)

The objective is to determine the cost-effectiveness of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) according to the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) Tumor Staging system. A decision analysis was utilized to examine costs and outcomes associated with the use of SLNB in patients with high-risk head and neck CSCC. Decision tree outcome probabilities were obtained from published literature. Costs were derived from Medicare reimbursement rates (US$) and effectiveness was represented by quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), with a willingness-to-pay set at $100,000 per QALY gained. SLNB was found to be a cost-effective tool for patients with T3 tumors, with an ICER of $18,110.57. Withholding SLNB was the dominant strategy for both T2a and T2b lesions, with ICERs of - $2468.99 and - $16,694.00, respectively. Withholding SLNB remained the dominant strategy when examining immunosuppressed patients with T2a or T2b lesions. In patients with head and neck CSCC, those with T3 or T2b lesions with additional risk factors not accounted for in the staging system alone, may be considered for SLNB, while in other tumor stages it may be impractical. SLNB should only be offered on an individual patient basis., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Pancreatic cancer (PC) has an overall 5-year survival rate of 10%. The use of neoadjuvant chemoradiation is debated in resectable disease. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by pancreaticoduodenectomy (NACRT) versus upfront pancreaticoduodenectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy (USR) in resectable PC., Methods: A decision tree model was used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of NACRT versus USR. Values from the published literature populate the tree: costs from Medicare (FY2021) reimbursements, and morbidity and survival data for quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Patients with resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma who qualified for resection were included. The ICER was the primary outcome. The model was validated using one-way and two-way deterministic, as well as probabilistic sensitivity analyses., Results: The base case was modeled using a 65-year-old male. NACRT yielded 1.61 QALYs at $45,483.52 USD. USR yielded 1.47 QALYs at a discount of $6,840.96 USD. The ICER was $48,130 USD, which favors NACRT. One-way sensitivity analyses upheld these results except when ≤ 21.0% of NACRT patients proceeded to surgery and when ≤ 85.4% of NACRT patients were resectable at surgery. Two-way sensitivity analyses also favored NACRT except in cases when the proportion of resected disease after NACRT decreased. NACRT was favored in 94.3% of 100,000 random-sampling simulations., Conclusion: It is more cost-effective to administer NACRT before surgery for patients with resectable PC. On the basis of sensitivity analyses, USR with adjuvant therapy is only favored if rates of resection and eligibility for resection after NACRT decrease. NACRT should be considered in all patients unless there is an absolute contraindication.

Background: Radical resection of pelvic and low rectal malignancies leads to complex reconstructive challenges. Many pelvic reconstruction options have been described including primary closure, omental flaps, and various fasciocutaneous and myocutaneous flaps. Little consensus exists in the literature on which of the various options in the reconstructive armamentarium provides a superior outcome. The authors of this study set out to determine the costs and quality-of-life outcomes of primary closure, vertical rectus abdominus muscle flap, gluteal thigh flap, and gracilis flap to aid surgeons in identifying an optimal reconstructive algorithm., Methods: A decision tree analysis was performed to analyze the cost, complications, and quality-of-life associated with reconstruction by primary closure, gluteal thigh flap, vertical rectus abdominus muscle flap, and gracilis flap. Costs were derived from Medicare reimbursement rates (FY2021), while quality-adjusted life-years were obtained from the literature., Results: Gluteal thigh flap was the most cost-effective treatment strategy with an overall cost of $62,078.28 with 6.54 quality-adjusted life-years and an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $5,649.43. Gluteal thigh flap was always favored as the most cost-effective treatment strategy in our 1-way sensitivity analysis. Gracilis flap became more cost-effective than gluteal thigh flap, in the scenario where gluteal thigh flap complication rates increased by roughly 4% higher than gracilis flap complication rates., Conclusion: Our data suggest that, when available, gluteal thigh flap be the first-line option for reconstruction of pelvic defects as it provides the best quality-of-life at the most cost-effective price point. However, future studies directly comparing outcomes of gluteal thigh flap to vertical rectus abdominus muscle and gracilis flap are needed to further delineate superiority., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Esophageal cancer and gastric cancer are two important causes of upper GI malignancies. Literature has shown that minimally invasive esophagectomies (MIE) and gastrectomies (MIG), have shorter length of stay and fewer complications. However, limited literature exists about the association between race and access to MIE and MIG. This study aims to identify the racial disparities in the different approaches to esophagectomy and gastrectomy. We further evaluate the relationship between the race and postoperative complications., Methods: This IRB-approved retrospective study utilized data from the American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program. All recorded cases of MIE, MIG, open gastrectomy, and esophagectomy between 2012 and 2019 were isolated. Propensity score matching and univariate analysis was performed to assess the independent effect of black self-identified race on access and outcomes. p < 0.05 was required to achieve statistical significance., Results: 7891 cases of esophagectomy and 5,132 cases of gastrectomy cases were identified. Using Propensity and logistic regression, we identified that black self-reported race is an independent predictor of open approach to gastrectomy (OR 1.6871943, 95% CI 1.431464-1.989829, p < 0.001). Black self-reported race was not predictive of operative approach among esophagectomy patients (OR 0.7942576, 95% CI 0.5698645-1.124228, p = 0.183). In contrast, black self-reported is an independent predictor of postoperative complications among esophagectomy patients only. Esophagectomy patients of black self-reported race were more likely to experience any complication (OR 1.4373437, 95% CI 1.1129239-1.8557096, p = 0.00537), severe complications (OR 1.3818966, 95% CI 1.0653087-1.7888454, p = 0.0144), and death (OR 2.00779762, 95% CI 1.08034921-3.56117535, p = 0.0211) within 30 days of their surgeries., Conclusion: Our analysis revealed a significant racial disparity in access to MIG and a higher incidence of post-operative complications amongst esophagectomy patients. Minimally invasive techniques are underutilized in racial minorities. The findings herein warrant further investigation to eliminate barriers and disparities., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Initial staging of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is performed with computed tomography (CT). Laparoscopy with peritoneal cytology at staging can uncover occult disease undetected by CT. This case series assessed clinical course following staging laparoscopy with cytology in patients with PDAC., Methods: This single-center study examined patients with non-metastatic PDAC diagnosed from 2017 to 2020. Patients underwent CT and subsequent laparoscopy with cytology prior to treatment. Demographics, clinicopathologic status, treatment course, and survival were compared., Results: Eight patients were identified. All had negative laparoscopies. Five cytologies were negative, two were atypical, and one was positive. Two patients with negative cytology received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and underwent resection, with an average follow-up time of 32.9 months since diagnosis. Of the three remaining patients with negative cytology, none underwent resection. One received delayed chemotherapy, while the others could not due to medical contraindications. The average survival was 3.5 months (n=2). Of two patients with atypical cytology, neither underwent resection. One could not receive chemotherapy due to medical contraindication, while the other was lost to follow-up shortly after diagnosis. The average survival was 1.3 months (n=1). The patient with positive cytology received definitive chemotherapy without resection and survived for 21.6 months., Conclusions: The patient with positive cytology may have been spared non-therapeutic surgery. Remaining unresected patients showed poor survival, though the lack of immediate chemotherapy may contribute to this finding. Further research is needed to determine optimal candidates for invasive staging and implications of atypical cytology., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Panse et al.)

Purpose: Adrenalectomies performed for the treatment of primary aldosteronism due to unilateral adenoma are traditionally confirmed with, and guided by, results from adrenal vein sampling (AVS). However, the usefulness of AVS at the expense of cost and complications is debated, and many institutions have independent protocols that use AVS to varying degrees., Methods: Cost-effectiveness of AVS- vs computed tomography (CT)-based adrenalectomy was calculated using decision tree models. The tree was populated with values describing biochemical post-operative outcomes from the published literature; patients were placed into AVS- or CT-dependent treatment arms. Biochemical outcomes were defined based on patients' potassium levels and aldosterone-renin ratios. Patients underwent adrenalectomies and received medical management dosed based on surgical outcomes. Costs were represented by Medicare (FY2021) reimbursement rates (US$) and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were calculated using published morbidity and survival data. A willingness-to-pay of $100,000 per QALY gained was set to determine the most cost-effective strategy. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) associated with biochemical outcomes., Results: The base case analyses favored the use of AVS-guided care, which cost $307.65 more but yielded 0.78 more QALYs, resulting in an ICER of $392.57. These results were upheld by all one-way and two-way sensitivity analyses. In 100,000 random-sampling simulations, AVS-guided care was favored 100% of the time., Conclusions: For patients with primary aldosteronism receiving adrenalectomies with curative intent, the more cost-effective method based on biochemical outcomes is AVS-based care. Recent literature suggests biochemical resolution should be favored over clinical resolution, due to long-term detriments of increased aldosterone independent of clinical symptoms., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Italian Society of Endocrinology (SIE).)

Background: Both endoscopic and laparoscopic interventions have a high therapeutic success rate in the management of symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts; however, neither has been established as the gold standard., Methods: A decision tree analysis was performed to examine the costs and outcomes of intervening on pancreatic pseudocysts endoscopically versus laparoscopically. Within the model, a theoretical patient cohort was separated into two treatment arms: endoscopic drainage and laparoscopic drainage. Variables within the model were selected from the published literature. Medicare reimbursements rates (US$) were used to represent costs accumulated during a 3-month perioperative period. Effectiveness was characterized by quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). A willingness-to-pay of $100,000 per 1 year of perfect health (1 QALY) gained was used as the cost-effectiveness threshold. The model was validated using one-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis., Results: Endoscopic management of symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts was the dominant strategy, producing 0.22 QALYs more while saving $23,976.37 in comparison to laparoscopic management. This result was further validated by one-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis., Conclusions: For patients presenting with symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts amenable to either endoscopic or laparoscopic management, endoscopic drainage should be considered first-line therapy., (© 2022. The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.)

Background and Aims: Traditional management for infected necrotizing pancreatitis (INP) often utilizes open necrosectomy, which carries high morbidity and complication rates. Thus, minimally invasive strategies have gained favor, specifically step-up approaches utilizing endoscopic or minimally-invasive surgery (MIS); however, the ideal management modality for INP has not been identified., Methods: A decision tree model was designed to analyze costs and survival associated with open necrosectomy, endoscopic step-up, and MIS step-up protocols for management of INP after 4 weeks of necrosis development with adequate retroperitoneal access. Costs were based on a third-party payer perspective using Medicare reimbursement rates. The model's effectiveness was represented by quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Sensitivity analyses were performed to validate results., Results: Endoscopic step-up was the dominant economic strategy with 7.92 QALYs for $90,864.09. Surgical step-up resulted in a decrease of 0.09 QALYs and a cost increase of $10,067.89 while open necrosectomy resulted in a decrease of 0.4 QALYs and an increased cost of $18,407.52 over endoscopic step-up. In 100,000 random-sampling simulations, 65.5% of simulations favored endoscopic step-up. MIS step-up was favored when MIS acute mortality rates fell and when MIS drainage success rates rose., Conclusions: In our simulated patients with INP, the most cost-effective management strategy is endoscopic step-up. Cost-effectiveness varies with changes in acute mortality and drainage success, which will depend on local expertise., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Vishnu Prasath, Dr. Patrick L. Quinn, Dr. Joseph B. Oliver, Simran Arjani, Dr. Sushil K. Ahlawat, and Dr. Ravi J. Chokshi have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 IAP and EPC. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this report is to present a rare case of a recurrence after 20 years of retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma after surgical resection and to discuss the lessons learned from this rare phenomenon for patients management and understanding the behavior of these aggressive tumors.  A 75-year-old woman presented with recurrent retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma who had undergone a surgical resection 20 years earlier and had no evidence of disease on frequent follow-ups during that period. The histopathologic examination revealed different morphologic characteristics between the initial and recurrent presentations. The fluorescence in situ hybridization showed amplification of the mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2), a regulator of p53 gene on chromosome 12q15, and positive cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) immunostain. Liposarcoma long-term recurrence is a challenging surgical disease to provide the best survival outcome. Incomplete resection could explain the recurrence in anatomic locations where the lesions are intermixed with the neighboring adipose tissue. However, dedifferentiated liposarcoma can rarely recur after 20 years. The molecular transformation and the survival analysis of these tumors predict certain behaviors. The refraction for radiation therapy in our case and the mixed morphology provide some insight into the biology and the clinical management for these aggressive tumors., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2021, Patel et al.)

Objective: To perform a comparative analysis of postthyroidectomy radioactive iodine ablation dosing with or without the implementation of a diagnostic whole-body scan in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer., Study Design: Decision analysis model., Setting: Hospital or ambulatory center., Methods: A decision tree model was created to determine the cost-effectiveness of radioactive iodine ablation dosed with diagnostic whole-body scans versus empiric radioactive iodine ablation in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer undergoing postthyroidectomy ablation. The decision tree was populated with values from the published literature. Costs were represented by 2020 Medicare reimbursement rates (US dollars), and morbidity and survival data were used to calculate quality-adjusted life-years. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was the primary outcome., Results: Empiric radioactive iodine dosing was the dominant economic strategy, producing 0.94 more quality-adjusted life-years while costing $1250.07 less than management with a diagnostic whole-body scan. Sensitivity analyses upheld these results except in cases involving a large discrepancy in successful ablation rates between the diagnostic and empiric treatment arms., Conclusion: For patients with differentiated thyroid cancer requiring postthyroidectomy ablation, it is more cost-effective to administer radioactive iodine empirically.

We investigatd the influence of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) status on mortality of hospital inpatients who died of COVID-19. This is a retrospective, observational cohort study of all patients admitted to two New Jersey hospitals between March 15 and May 15, 2020, who had, or developed, COVID-19 (1270 patients). Of these, 640 patients died (570 [89.1%] with and 70 [10.9%] without a DNR order at the time of admission) and 630 survived (180 [28.6%] with and 450 [71.4%] without a DNR order when admitted). Among the 120 patients without COVID-19 who died during this interval, 110 (91.7%) had a DNR order when admitted. Deceased positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) patients were significantly more likely to have a DNR order on admission compared with recovered positive SARS-CoV-2 patients (P < 0.05), similar to those who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 DNR patients had a higher mortality compared with COVID-19 non-DNR patients (log rank P < 0.001). DNR patients had a significantly increased hazard ratio of dying (HR 2.2 [1.5-3.2], P < 0.001) compared with non-DNR patients, a finding that remained significant in the multivariate model. The risk of death from COVID-19 was significantly influenced by the patients' DNR status., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Endoscopic stenting has demonstrated value over emergent surgery as a palliative intervention for patients with acute large bowel obstruction due to advanced colorectal cancer. However, concerns regarding high reintervention rates and the risk of perforation have brought into question its cost-effectiveness., Methods: A decision tree analysis was performed to analyze costs and survival in patients with unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer who present with acute large bowel obstruction. The model was designed with two treatment arms: self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) placement and emergent surgery. Costs were derived from medicare reimbursement rates (US$), while effectiveness was represented by quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). The primary outcome measure was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The model was tested for validation using one-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses., Results: Endoscopic stenting resulted in an average cost of $43,798.06 and 0.68 QALYs. Emergent surgery cost $5865.30 more, while only yielding 0.58 QALYs. This resulted in an ICER of - $58,653.00, indicating that SEMS placement is the dominant strategy. One-way and two-way sensitivity analyses demonstrated that emergent surgery would require an improved survival rate in comparison to endoscopic stenting to become the favored treatment modality. In 100,000 probabilistic simulations, endoscopic stenting was favored 96.3% of the time., Conclusions: In patients with acute colonic obstruction in the presence of unresectable or metastatic disease, endoscopic stenting is a more cost-effective palliative intervention than emergent surgery. This recommendation would favor surgery over SEMS placement with improved surgical survival, or if the majority of patients undergoing stenting required reintervention.

Background: Pancreatic carcinosarcomas (PCS) are rare aggressive biphasic malignancies with a poor prognosis. We aimed to improve the understanding of PCS by analyzing variables that influence the mortality of PCS patients., Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for cases of PCS from 1973 to 2016. Cases were analyzed for patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and surgical intervention. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were applied to investigate the overall survival (OS) and prognostic factors., Results: Thirty-nine cases of PCS were identified along with the disease demographics and characteristics. The majority of patients had a regionally invasive or metastatic disease. There was a significant decrease in OS with the increase of the tumor extension. Conversely, surgery showed to improve OS in the crude analysis, including patients that underwent lymphadenectomy. In addition, the unadjusted Cox regression results showed decreased hazard ratios with a local disease versus distant metastasis and with cancer-directed surgery versus no surgery. Nevertheless, the adjusted Cox regression results revealed that metastatic disease was the only significant predictor of survival., Conclusions: This population-based study provides some insight to a very rare disease by analyzing 39 cases of PCS. Our finding suggests considering PCS as a nonsurgical disease and reserving surgery solely for patients with a localized disease in combination or after neoadjuvant therapy. Consequently, there is a need to further investigate novel therapies for this aggressive malignancy., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The impact of insurance status on oncological outcome in patients undergoing cytoreduction and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) is poorly understood., Methods: Retrospective study on 31 patients having undergone 36 CRS-HIPEC at a single institution (safety-net hospital) between 2012 and 2018. Patients were categorized as insured or underinsured. Demographics and perioperative events were compared. Primary outcome was overall survival (OS)., Results: A total of 20 patients were underinsured and 11 were insured. There were less gynecologic malignancies in the underinsured (p=0.02). On univariate analysis, factors linked to poor survival included gastrointestinal (p=0.01) and gynecologic malignancies (p=0.046), treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p=0.03), CC1 (p=0.02), abdominal wall resection (p=0.01) and Clavien-Dindo 3-4 (p=0.01). Treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and abdominal wall resections, but not insurance status, were independently associated with OS (p=0.01, p=0.02 respectively). However, at the end of follow-up, six patients were alive in the insured group vs. zero in the underinsured group., Conclusions: In this small, exploratory study, there was no statistical difference in OS between insured and underinsured patients after CRS-HIPEC. However, long-term survivors were observed only in the insured group., Competing Interests: Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest., (© 2020 Ravi J. Chokshi et al., published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston.)

A 42-year-old African American woman presented with 4 days of worsening midepigastric pain that radiated to her back. Computed tomography confirmed a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and revealed a mass within the distal body and tail of the pancreas. After an endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration yielding atypical cells suspicious for adenocarcinoma, the patient underwent an en bloc resection of the intra-abdominal mass with subtotal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, left colectomy, and left partial adrenalectomy. Histopathologic examination findings, in addition to immunohistochemical staining, revealed a diagnosis of pancreatic carcinosarcoma. Postoperatively, the patient has undergone 20 cycles of chemotherapy and has been transitioned to comfort measures at 16 months postoperatively because of progressive disease., (© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Background: Challenges still exist in differentiating pancreatic adenocarcinoma from benign disease. The use of adjuvant testing of tissue biopsies has demonstrated potential diagnostic value. We designed a proof of concept study to first validate four individual immunohistochemistry biomarkers and then combine them into a panel to boost overall diagnostic sensitivity., Methods: Malignant and benign pancreas from 27 pancreaticoduodenectomy specimens underwent immunohistochemistry staining with VHL, IMP3, S100A4, S100P. Using ROC curve analysis, threshold criteria for number of cells staining were chosen for each biomarker. Biomarkers were then evaluated as a panel for their ability to discriminate malignant from benign specimens., Results: Diagnostic sensitivity of VHL, IMP3, S100A4, and S100P were 75.0%, 79.2%, 45.8%, and 0%. When VHL, IMP3, and S100A4 were grouped into a panel, they were able to distinguish cancer from normal tissue with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 96%., Conclusions: The high diagnostic value of an IHC panel consisting of VHL, IMP3, and S100A4 on surgical specimens suggests the need for future prospective studies of these biomarkers on biopsy specimens., (Copyright © 2019 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has shown promise in identifying subclinical nodal metastasis in patients with high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. However, low metastasis rates may indicate that performing such a procedure in all patients may be unnecessary and costly., Materials and Methods: A decision model was developed to analyze costs and survival in patients with head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma based on their tumor and nodal metastasis staging and whether or not they received an SLNB. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated based on the change in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and costs (US$) between the different options, with a threshold of $100,000 to determine the most cost-effective strategy. One-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to validate the results., Results: Not performing an SLNB results in 12.26 QALYs and a cost of $3712.98. Performing an SLNB resulted in a 0.59 decrease in QALYs and an increase in cost of $1379.58 for an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of -2338.27. This trend remained the same across all tumor stages and remained consistent within most sensitivity analyses., Conclusions: In patients with head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, the most cost-effective strategy is to not perform SLNBs, regardless of the patient's stage. Low rates of nodal metastasis in addition to low disease-specific death rates were the significant factors in this outcome. Increasing the sensitivity of SLNB would not impact this recommendation unless the rate of nodal metastasis was significantly higher., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 56-year-old man presented to the emergency department with painless jaundice and weight loss. Abdominal ultrasound detected dilation of the common bile duct and the intrahepatic bile ducts. Follow-up with endoscopic retrograde cholangiography exposed a stricture of the common hepatic duct, with cholangioscopy identifying an infiltrating tumor. Biopsy revealed a granular cell tumor, which was confirmed by positive S-100 immunohistochemical staining. Surgical excision confirmed granular cell tumor of the bile duct with morphological features suggestive of malignancy., (© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American College of Gastroenterology.)

In today's medical community, when people say the name Herman Boerhaave, most assimilate it to Boerhaave syndrome. His influence on medicine is seen every day in hospitals around the world. His methodologies revolutionized medical education and the way physicians approach the examination of patients. It has been said that during the Age of Reason, he was the "Bearer of the Enlightenment of Medicine." He is a forgotten father of medicine. To preserve medical history, educators should give students a brief summary of the contributors to medicine to remind us how much of their lives they gave to further medical knowledge.

Background: Cytoreduction surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) improve survival and decrease recurrence of peritoneal metastasis in a select population of patients. Abdominal wall resection is often needed to achieve complete CRS and the extent of abdominal wall resection may necessitate abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR). We sought to investigate if postoperative morbidity and mortality was increased in patients who underwent AWR with CRS-HIPEC (AWR group) compared to CRS-HIPEC without AWR (non-AWR group) and to identify if patient, tumor, and operative risk factors were associated with poor outcomes following AWR. We postulate that AWR is a safe and viable treatment option in appropriately selected patients with peritoneal disease., Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted from 2012 to 2015. Demographics, comorbidities, intraoperative variables, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed and compared between the non-AWR group and the AWR group., Results: A total of 30 patients underwent CRS-HIPEC at our institution; 19 recruited in non-AWR group and 11 in the AWR arm. Median follow-up was 19.1 mo for the non-AWR group and 15.6 mo for AWR. Overall survival and complications were not significantly different between groups. Six patients in the non-AWR group and three patients in AWR group died during the follow-up period (32% versus 27%, P = 0.75). Grade III/IV Clavien-Dindo complications were similar in AWR compared to non-AWR group (64% versus 50%, P = 0.46) however estimated blood loss (1000 mL versus 450 mL, P = 0.01) and operative time (663 min versus 510 min, P = 0.02) were significantly increased in the AWR group., Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that AWR is a safe and viable option and can improve wound closure and strength in select patient populations undergoing CRS-HIPEC. AWR is not associated with an increase in mortality or complication rate. Future studies will need larger sample sizes and randomization to identify patient and operative factors that increase morbidity with AWR and identify the ideal timing of AWR., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: Due to its increasing incidence and its major contribution to healthcare costs, cancer is a major public health problem in the United States. The impact across different services is not well documented and utilization of emergency departments (ED) by cancer patients is not well characterized. The aim of our study was to identify factors that can be addressed to improve the appropriate delivery of quality cancer care thereby reducing ED utilization, decreasing hospitalizations and reducing the related healthcare costs., Methods: The New Jersey State Inpatient and Emergency Department Databases were used to identify the primary outcome variables; patient disposition and readmission rates. The independent variables were demographics, payer and clinical characteristics. Multivariable unconditional logistic regression models using clinical and demographic data were used to predict hospital admission or emergency department return., Results: A total of 37,080 emergency department visits were cancer related with the most common diagnosis attributed to lung cancer (30.0%) and the most common presentation was pain. The disposition of patients who visit the ED due to cancer related issues is significantly affected by the factors of race (African American OR=0.6, p value=0.02 and Hispanic OR=0.5, p value=0.02, respectively), age aged 65 to 75years (SNF/ICF OR 2.35, p value=0.00 and Home Healthcare Service OR 5.15, p value=0.01, respectively), number of diagnoses (OR 1.26, p value=0.00), insurance payer (SNF/ICF OR 2.2, p value=0.02 and Home Healthcare Services OR 2.85, p value=0.07, respectively) and type of cancer (breast OR 0.54, p value=0.01, prostate OR 0.56, p value=0.01, uterine OR 0.37, p value=0.02, and other OR 0.62, p value=0.05, respectively). In addition, comorbidities increased the likelihood of death, being transferred to SNF/ICF, or utilization of home healthcare services (OR 1.6, p value=0.00, OR 1.18, p value=0.00, and OR 1.16, p value=0.04, respectively). Readmission is significantly affected by race (American Americans OR 0.41, standard error 0.08, p value=0.001 and Hispanics OR 0.29, standard error 0.11, p value=0.01, respectively), income (Quartile 2 OR 0.98, standard error 0.14, p value 0.01, Quartile 3 OR 1.07, standard error 0.13, p value 0.01, and Quartile 4 OR 0.88, standard error 0.12, p value 0.01, respectively), and type of cancer (prostate OR 0.25, standard error 0.09, p value=0.001)., Conclusion: Web based symptom questionnaires, patient navigators, end of life nursing and clinical cancer pathways can identify, guide and prompt early initiation of treat before progression of symptoms in cancer patients most likely to visit the ED. Thus, improving cancer patient satisfaction, outcomes and reduce health care costs., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Medical malpractice is a growing concern for physicians in all fields. Surgical fields have some of the highest malpractice premiums and litigation rates. Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has become a popular procedure; however, it is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This study is the first to analyze factors involved in litigation regarding PD cases., Methods: The Westlaw database was searched for jury verdicts and settlements using the terms "medical malpractice" and "pancreaticoduodenectomy". Twenty-nine cases from 1991 to 2012 were initially collected. Seven entries not involving PD and three duplicate cases were excluded. Nineteen cases were included for analysis., Results: Of the 19 cases included in the analysis, three (15.8%) reached a settlement, three (15.8%) were ruled in favor of the plaintiff, and 13 (68.4%) were ruled in favor of the physician. The average settlement award was $398,333 (range, $195,000-500,000), and the average plaintiff award was $4,288,869 (range, $1,066,608-10,300,000). The most common factors raised in litigation included PD being allegedly unnecessary (47.4%), followed by postoperative negligence and misdiagnosis (36.8% each)., Conclusions: The most common factors present in litigation included the allegation that PD was unnecessarily performed. The cases that are awarded large monetary sums are those that involve continued medical care. Ways to improve patient safety and limit litigation include increasing transparency and communication with a thorough discussion between surgeon and patient of the most common topics of litigation discussed., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The goal of this review was to compare long-term oncologic outcomes of robotic versus laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer. A literature search was performed using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Medline (2002-2014). Search terms: laparoscopic, robotic, rectal, colon, surgery, oncologic, and outcomes. Studies comparing overall and disease free survival of robotic versus laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer were included. Meta-analysis was performed using OpenMeta[Analyst] for Windows 8. Five studies were identified reporting on overall survival, disease free survival, lymph node extraction, and distal and circumferential resection margin. Three hundred and seventeen patients underwent robotic resection and 368 underwent laparoscopic resection, with similar demographics. Operative times were longer with robotic resections, with no difference in estimated blood loss (EBL) or length of stay. The disease stage was distributed similarly in both groups. Similar numbers underwent neo-adjuvant therapy. Laparoscopic resection was associated with 3.2 mm larger distal resection margins (p = 0.04) and 2.2 more lymph nodes removed (p = 0.001), but with equivalent circumferential resection margin status. Disease-free and overall survival was equivalent. Robotic and laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer offer comparable overall and disease free survival. Laparoscopic surgery offered a slight advantage in operative time, distal margin, and lymph node yield. Larger, prospective trials are needed to confirm the equivalence of these approaches.

Background: Medical malpractice has become a rising concern for physicians, affecting the cost and delivery of health care. Colorectal procedures account for 24% of all general surgery cases, a high-risk specialty, with 15% of its physicians facing malpractice suit annually., Methods: The Westlaw legal database was used to identify colorectal malpractice cases., Results: In all, 122 of 230 lawsuits were included in this study. A majority of 65.6% were physician verdicts, 19.7% plaintiff verdicts, and 14.8% reached a settlement. Plaintiff payments were found to be significantly higher than settlement awards. The most common cause of alleged malpractice was failure to recognize a complication in a timely manner (45.1%), followed by damage to surrounding tissues (36.1%)., Conclusions: The most common cause of alleged malpractice was failure to recognize a complication in a timely manner, followed by damage to surrounding tissue. Plaintiff awards were significantly higher than settlement payments. It is important to understand the mechanism of malpractice allegations to better prevent litigation and improve patient care., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Biliary stricture without mass presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges because the poor sensitivity of the available tests and significant mortality and cost with operation., Methods: A decision model was developed to analyze costs and survival for 1) investigation first with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and fine needle aspiration, 2) investigation first with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and brushing, or 3) surgery on every patient. The average age of someone with a biliary stricture was found to be 62-y-old and the rate of cancer was 55%. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) were calculated based on the change in quality adjusted life years (QALYs) and costs (US$) between the different options, with a threshold of $150,000 to determine the most cost-effective strategy. One-way, two-way, and probabilistic-sensitivity analysis were performed to validate the model., Results: ERCP results in 9.05 QALYs and a cost of $34,685.11 for a cost-effectiveness ratio of $3832.33. EUS results in an incremental increase in 0.13 QALYs and $2773.69 for an ICER of $20,840.28 per QALY gained. Surgery resulted in a decrease of 1.37 QALYs and increased cost of $14,323.94 (ICER-$10,490.53). These trends remained within most sensitivity analyses; however, ERCP and EUS were dependent on the test sensitivity., Conclusions: In patients with a biliary stricture with no mass, the most cost-effective strategy is to investigate the patient before operation. The choice between EUS and ERCP should be institutionally dependent, with EUS being more cost-effective in our base case analysis., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Biliary strictures present a diagnostic challenge to differentiate benign disease from hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) malignancies. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography cytology is commonly performed in these patients; however, its sensitivity for diagnosis of HPB malignancy is poor (41.6%). Many adjunctive tests have been investigated to improve the sensitivity of HPB biopsies. To determine the best tests available, however, we reviewed the literature and performed a comparative analysis of all recently investigated tests and their sensitivities., Methods: A PubMed search identified articles published between 2003 and 2014, describing alternate methods for diagnosing HPB malignancies, reported sensitivity, final pathology, and had data available online. Meta-analysis was conducted for tests with multiple articles. Tests with the highest sensitivity and specificities were reported., Results: A total of 77 studies were identified. Meta-analysis was performed on the sensitivity of EUS-FNA (74.2%), fluorescence in situ hybridization (54.2%), immunostain of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding Protein 3 (IMP3; 80.4%), IMP3 + cytology (86.4%), K homology domain containing protein overexpressed in cancer (KOC; 85.9%), S100P (77.8%), serum CA19-9 (69.3%), and K-ras mutations (47.0%) to detect malignancy. Ultimately, 12 tests were identified with superior sensitivity (85.3%-100%) and specificities (81.6%-100%) including stricture scrapping, brush sectioning, IMP3 stain + cytology, IMP3+S100A4, bile carcinoembryonic cell adhesion molecule 6 protein (±CA19-9), bile micro RNA (miRNA)-135b, serum miRNA-RNU2-1f, serum miRNA-21 (+CA19-9), peripheral blood mononuclear cells miRNA-27a-3p (+CA19-9), serum miRNA-16 + miRNA-196a (+CA19-9), peripheral blood mononuclear cells mRNAs h-TERT + CK20 + CEA + C-MET., Conclusions: We recommend immunostaining with a panel of IMP3+KOC + S100A4 + cytology to achieve maximum sensitivity and specificity from HPB biopsies. One biliary protein (carcinoembryonic cell adhesion molecule 6) and several RNAs (bile and blood) offer exceptional sensitivity and specificity and should be tested prospectively in larger populations. Overall, this review identifies several tests to improve the sensitivity of diagnostic algorithms to identify HPB malignancies., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: General surgery is a "high-risk specialty" with respect to medical malpractice rates, and appendicitis is one of the most common diagnoses encountered by practitioners. Our objectives were to detail issues affecting malpractice litigation regarding appendicitis and appendectomies, including outcomes, awards, alleged causes of malpractice, and other factors instrumental in determining legal responsibility and increasing patient safety., Study Design: Publically available federal and state court records were examined for pertinent jury verdict and settlement reports. Information from 234 pertinent cases was collected, including alleged causes of malpractice and outcomes., Results: Of the 234 cases included in this study, the most common factor noted was an alleged delay in diagnosis (67.1%), followed by intraoperative negligence (16.2%). Alleged deficits in informed consent, although only specifically cited as a cause of malpractice in 1.3% of cases, were found to be an important aspect of many cases. In total, 59.8% of cases were ruled in favor of the physician, 23.7% in favor of the plaintiff, and 5.5% reached a settlement. The average plaintiff award was US $794,152, and the average settlement award was US $1,434,286., Conclusion: An important strategy to decrease liability in a physician's practice is prompt evaluation of an appendicitis patient. An integral part of this is efficient communication between physicians practicing a wide variety of specialties, especially including practitioners in emergency medicine and general surgery. Additionally, completing a thorough informed consent explaining all aspects of the procedure including the factors we outline will not only increase patient awareness of potential risks but also protect the physician in the face of litigation.

Background: Consequences accompanying esophageal perforation make this complication a prime litigation target. We characterize factors in jury verdicts and settlements regarding esophageal perforation, including operative procedure, patient demographics, alleged cause(s) of malpractice, outcome, and other factors., Methods: Pertinent court records were examined for the aforementioned factors., Results: Gastroenterologists, general surgeons, and anesthesiologists were the most commonly named defendants. Two thirds of outcomes were for the defendant, and 11.9 % were settled (median--$650,000); 20.3% resulted in awarded damages (median--$1.2 M). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was the most commonly litigated procedure, followed by intubation and Nissen fundoplication. Necessity of repair, delayed diagnosis, death, and inadequate consent were the most frequently cited factors in litigation., Conclusions: An understanding of the factors important in determining legal responsibility is of great interest for practitioners in multiple specialties. The requirement of surgical repair and a delay in diagnosis are two of the most common factors present in litigated cases resulting in a payment. The importance of explicitly listing esophageal perforation in the informed consent for esophagogastroduodenoscopy, abdominal surgery, and any patients at risk of intubation injury needs to be emphasized.

Background: Biliary strictures present a unique diagnostic challenge to clinicians as they can be caused by both benign and malignant conditions. With the high mortalities associated with hepatopancreaticobiliary malignancies, accurate and rapid tissue diagnosis is imperative and typically done before initiation of treatment. However, the exact sensitivity of standard cytology from endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to diagnose malignancy remains unclear because of wide distribution of reported values in the literature. Furthermore, the use of radical surgery to obtain tissue when cytology is indeterminate has led to questions about the role of ERCP in patients with biliary strictures., Methods: A PubMed search was conducted using the terms ERCP, cytology, and brushings. Articles reviewed were published between 2002 and 2012, had patient population with biliary stricture, and had ERCP brushing results and final pathology available for review. The cytology and pathology data were abstracted from each study, and the combined overall sensitivity was calculated., Results: Sixteen studies were identified, with sensitivities ranging from 6%-64% and 99% confidence intervals (CIs) ranging from ±6% to ±32%. A combined total of 1556 patients were included, with positive ERCP cytology results in 358 cases. On final pathology, however, 861 patients were positive for malignancy. When the data were combined, we found an overall sensitivity of 41.6% ± 3.2% (99% CI) with a negative predictive value of 58.0% ± 3.2% (99% CI)., Conclusions: ERCP brushings suffer from low sensitivity and negative predictive value. This study questions the utility of ERCP to change the surgical management of these diseases in patients with radiographic evidence of a neoplasm or high suspicion of a malignancy., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Sebaceous Carcinoma is a rare and aggressive malignant tumor. We present a case report of a large truncal tumor with multicentricity and aggressive locoregional recurrence that required trapezius myocutaneous flap reconstruction. Examining patterns of multicentricity, metastasis, and recurrence of sebaceous carcinoma in the literature we sought to explore potential reasons behind the aggressive behavior., Methods: Retrospective chart review was used to analyze the case in detail. Preoperative workup, intraoperative details, pathology, and follow-up visits were reviewed. Selected literature was considered with series of 5 or more patients., Results: The recurrent tumor was resected with negative margins leaving a defect of 14 × 7 cm(2) that was covered with a trapezius myocutaneous flap. Postoperative hospital course was uneventful with no further local recurrence. On follow-up visits, tumors at other sites have been discovered. Reported rates of multicentricity, metastasis, and recurrence vary widely in the literature, but both subtypes of sebaceous carcinoma behave aggressively., Conclusions: A combination of genetic predisposition, delayed definitive care, and inherent tumor biology led to the aggressive locoregional disease in this case.

Background: Total pelvic exenteration (TPE) is reserved for patients with locally invasive and recurrent pelvic malignancies. Complications such as wound infections, dehiscence, hernias, abscesses, and fistulas are common after this procedure. The purpose of this study was to determine whether tissue transfer to the pelvis after TPE decreases wound complications., Methods: Fifty-three patients who underwent TPE between 2004 and 2010 were reviewed. Two groups were identified, those who underwent pelvic reconstruction with a vertical rectus abdominus myocutaneous flap (n = 17) and those who underwent primary closure (n = 36). Demographics, clinicopathologic characteristics, and outcomes were compared., Results: The 2 groups were similar in demographics and histopathologic characteristics. Preoperative and surgical factors including comorbidities, nutrition, radiation, surgical times, blood loss, length of stay, and complications were similar between the groups. Of the 17 patients undergoing vertical rectus abdominus myocutaneous flap placement, complications were seen in 11 patients (65%), with most of them stemming from flap dehiscence (n = 7)., Conclusions: In our study, the transfer of tissue into the pelvis did not increase surgical times, blood loss, length of stay, or wound complications., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In patients with locally advanced or recurrent pelvic malignancies, total pelvic exenteration (TPE) may be necessary for curative treatment. Despite improvements in mortality rates since TPE was first described, morbidity rates remain high due to the extensive resection and the aggressiveness of these tumors. We have studied the outcomes of TPE surgery performed at our institution., Methods: Fifty-three patients with various pelvic pathologies underwent TPE between 2004 and 2010. Patients were divided into two groups based on pathology: colorectal (n = 36) versus non-colorectal (n = 17) malignancies. Demographics, operative reports, pathology reports, periprocedural events, and outcomes were analyzed. Comparison of the two groups was performed using student's t-test and Fisher's exact test. Survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log rank test., Results: The colorectal and non-colorectal groups were similar in demographics, operative times, length of stay, estimated blood loss, and rates of preoperative and intraoperative radiation use. Chemotherapy use was increased in the colorectal group compared with the non-colorectal group (55.6% vs. 23.5%, P = 0.04). Complication rates were similar: 86% in the colorectal group and 76% in the non-colorectal group. In the colorectal group, 27.8% of patients developed perineal abscesses, whereas no patients developed these complications in the non-colorectal group (P = 0.02). No survival difference was seen in primary versus recurrent colorectal tumors; however, within the colorectal group there was a survival advantage when comparing R0 resection to R1 and R2 resection combined. Median survival rates were 27.3 months for R0 resection and 10.7 months for R1 and R2 resection combined. The median survival was 21.4 months for the colorectal group and 6.9 months for the non-colorectal group (P = 0.002)., Conclusions: Patients undergoing TPE for colorectal tumors have improved survival when compared with patients undergoing exenteration for pelvic malignancies of other origins. Within the colorectal group, the extent of resection demonstrated a significant survival benefit of an R0 resection compared with R1 and R2 resections. Despite TPE carrying a high morbidity rate, mortality rates have improved and careful patient selection can optimize outcomes.

Background: Pancreatic fistula is a significant problem for patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy with fistula rates up to 61%. Fistulas lead to substantial morbidity. The study objective was to compare radiofrequency dissector closure with traditional stump closure for distal pancreatectomy., Methods: Sixty-two patients underwent distal pancreatectomy at our institution between 2002 and 2011. Thirty-three patients had traditional stump closure compared with 29 patients who had radiofrequency closure. Fistula rates, operative times, and blood loss were compared. The control patients underwent open operation in 20 (60%) cases and laparoscopic operation in the remaining 13 (40%). Of the patients that underwent radiofrequency closure, 10 (35%) underwent open operation, and the remaining 19 (65%) patients underwent laparoscopic operation., Results: Fistula occurred in 12 of 33 (36%) patients with traditional stump closure compared to 3 of 29 (10%) patients with radiofrequency closure (p<0.02). Operative time (307 vs. 231 min [p<0.002]) and blood loss (364-200 mL [p<0.02]) were decreased in the radiofrequency closure group. Length of stay decreased from 7.8 to 6.6 days; however, this was not statistically significant., Conclusions: The use of radiofrequency dissector in distal pancreatectomy is effective with low rates of fistula formation. Radiofrequency closure should be studied further in prospective trials.

The objective of this study was to describe in detail the technique of total pelvic exenteration. Total pelvic exenteration (TPE) was first described in 1948 by Brunschwig. Since its description, complications of the procedure and surgical innovations have changed the approach to this radical surgery. We have described our institutional approach and outcomes of TPE. Fifty-four patients underwent TPE between 2004 and 2010 by the Division of Surgical Oncology at the Ohio State University Medical Center. Fifty-three patients have complete medical records available for review. Outcomes are described and have shaped these techniques. Patients were divided into various groups based on their histology: colorectal (n = 36), gynecologic (n = 6), urologic (n = 5), squamous cell (n = 2), sarcomatous disease (n = 3), and severe infections (n = 1). These were divided into two groups-colorectal (n = 36) and noncolorectal (n = 17)-for analysis. Demographics, operative time, length of stay, and complication rates were similar between the two groups. The median survival was 21.4 months for the colorectal group and 6.9 months for the noncolorectal group. Total pelvic exenteration for colorectal tumors has improved survival when compared with patients undergoing exenteration for pelvic malignancies of other origins. Total pelvic exenteration continues to be associated with high morbidity; however, with appropriate patient selection and proper operative technique, a perioperative mortality of 0 per cent can be achieved.