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Introduction: We investigated short and long-term remission rates after splenectomy in patients with primary and secondary autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA)., Methods: All adults who underwent splenectomy for primary or secondary AIHA at a single center (2004-2018) were retrospectively reviewed. Short-term response was determined at 30-day postoperatively and long-term at one year. Complete response was defined as hemoglobin > 10 g/dL without hemolysis, transfusions, or need for additional medical therapy for > 6 months., Results: Short-term complete response was attained in 22 of 36 patients (61%), partial response in 3 (8%), no response in 11 (31%). The response rate at 1 year was complete in 14/36 (39%), partial in 14 (39%), and 8 non-response (22%). At last available follow-up (median 33.1 months (IQR 19-59), 16/37 patients had experienced a complete response (43%), 14 partial response (38%), 7 non-response (19%). 80% of partial responders with primary AIHA required maintenance therapy compared to 100% with secondary AIHA., Conclusion: Splenectomy is associated with short- and long-term improvement in anemia and hemolysis in the majority of patients with AIHA. Immunosuppressants remain important supplemental therapy., (© 2022. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Introduction: Collecting accurate operative details remains a limitation of surgical research. Surgeon-entered data in clinical registries offers one solution, but natural language processing (NLP) has emerged as a modality for automating manual chart review (MCR). This study aims to compare the accuracy and efficiency of NLP and MCR with a surgeon-entered, prospective registry data in determining the rate of gross bile spillage (GBS) during cholecystectomy., Methods: Bile spillage rates were abstracted from an institutional, surgeon-entered clinical registry from July 2018 to January 2019. These rates were compared to those documented in the electronic medical record (EMR) using NLP and MCR to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency of each approach., Results: Of the 782 registry entries, 191 cases (24.4%) had surgeon-reported bile spillage. MCR identified bile spillage in 121 cases (15.6%); however, bile spillage information was either missing or ambiguous in 454 cases (58.1%). NLP identified 99 cases (12.7%) of bile spillage. Data abstraction times for the registry, NLP, and MCR were 3 min, 5 min, and 12 h, respectively. When compared to the registry, MCR was 45% sensitive and 94% specific, while NLP was 27.2% sensitive and 92% specific for detecting bile spillage. These differences were significant (X 2  = 19.446, P =  < 0.001)., Conclusion: Operative details, such as GBS, may not be abstracted by NLP or MCR if not clearly documented in the EMR. Clinical registries capture operative details, but they rely on surgeons to input the data., (© 2022. The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.)

Importance: Although multiple versions of polypropylene mesh devices are currently available on the market for hernia repair, few comparisons exist to guide surgeons as to which device may be preferable for certain indications. Mesh density is believed to impact patient outcomes, including rates of chronic pain and perception of mesh in the abdominal wall., Objective: To examine whether medium-weight polypropylene is associated with less pain at 1 year compared with heavy-weight mesh., Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter randomized clinical trial was performed from March 14, 2017, to April 17, 2019, with 1-year follow-up. Patients undergoing clean, open ventral hernia repairs with a width 20 cm or less were studied. Patients were blinded to the intervention., Interventions: Patients were randomized to receive medium-weight or heavy-weight polypropylene mesh during open ventral hernia repair., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was pain measured with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Intensity Short Form 3a. Secondary outcomes included quality of life and pain measured at 30 days, quality of life measured at 1 year, 30-day postoperative morbidity, and 1-year hernia recurrence., Results: A total of 350 patients participated in the study, with 173 randomized to receive heavy-weight polypropylene mesh (84 [48.6%] female; mean [SD] age, 59.2 [11.4] years) and 177 randomized to receive medium-weight polypropylene mesh (91 [51.4%] female; mean [SD] age, 59.3 [11.4] years). No significant differences were found in demographic characteristics (mean [SD] body mass index of 32.0 [5.4] in both groups [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared] and American Society of Anesthesiologists classes of 2-4 in both groups), comorbidities (122 [70.5%] vs 93 [52.5%] with hypertension, 44 [25.4%] vs 43 [24.3%] with diabetes, 17 [9.8%] vs 12 [6.8%] with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), or operative characteristics (modified hernia grade of 2 in 130 [75.1] vs 140 [79.1] in the heavy-weight vs medium-weight mesh groups). Pain scores for patients in the heavy-weight vs medium-weight mesh groups at 30 days (46.3 vs 46.3, P = .89) and 1 year (30.7 vs 30.7, P = .59) were identical. No significant differences in quality of life (median [interquartile range] hernia-specific quality of life score at 1 year of 90.0 [67.9-96.7] vs 86.7 [65.0-93.3]; median [interquartile range] hernia-specific quality of life score at 30 days, 45.0 [24.6-73.8] vs 43.3 [28.3-65.0]) were found for the heavy-weight mesh vs medium-weight mesh groups. Composite 1-year recurrence rates for patients in the heavy-weight vs medium-weight polypropylene groups were similar (8% vs 7%, P = .79)., Conclusions and Relevance: Medium-weight polypropylene did not demonstrate any patient-perceived or clinical benefit over heavy-weight polypropylene after open retromuscular ventral hernia repair. Long-term follow-up of these comparable groups will elucidate any potential differences in durability that have yet to be identified., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03082391.

Importance: Despite rapid adoption of the robotic platform for ventral hernia repair with intraperitoneal mesh in the United States, there is no level I evidence comparing it with the traditional laparoscopic approach. This randomized clinical trial sought to demonstrate a clinical benefit to the robotic approach., Objective: To determine whether robotic approach to ventral hernia repair with intraperitoneal mesh would result in less postoperative pain., Design, Setting, and Participants: A registry-based, single-blinded, prospective randomized clinical trial at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Abdominal Core Health, Cleveland, Ohio, completed between September 2017 and January 2020, with a minimum follow-up duration of 30 days. Two surgeons at 1 academic tertiary care hospital. Patients with primary or incisional midline ventral hernias of an anticipated width of 7 cm or less presenting in the elective setting and able to tolerate a minimally invasive repair., Interventions: Patients were randomized to a standardized laparoscopic or robotic ventral hernia repair with fascial closure and intraperitoneal mesh., Main Outcomes and Measures: The trial was powered to detect a 30% difference in the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-11) on the first postoperative day. Secondary end points included the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pain Intensity short form (3a), hernia-specific quality of life, operative time, wound morbidity, recurrence, length of stay, and cost., Results: Seventy-five patients completed their minimally invasive hernia repair: 36 laparoscopic and 39 robotic. Baseline demographics and hernia characteristics were comparable. Robotic operations had a longer median operative time (146 vs 94 minutes; P < .001). There were 2 visceral injuries in each cohort but no full-thickness enterotomies or unplanned reoperations. There were no significant differences in NRS-11 scores preoperatively or on postoperative days 0, 1, 7, or 30. Specifically, median NRS-11 scores on the first postoperative day were the same (5 vs 5; P = .61). Likewise, postoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 3a and hernia-specific quality-of-life scores, as well as length of stay and complication rates, were similar. The robotic platform adds cost (total cost ratio, 1.13 vs 0.97; P = .03), driven by the cost of additional operating room time (1.25 vs 0.85; P < .001)., Conclusions and Relevance: Laparoscopic and robotic ventral hernia repair with intraperitoneal mesh have comparable outcomes. The increased operative time and proportional cost of the robotic approach are not offset by a measurable clinical benefit., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03283982.

Background: Chronic postoperative inguinodynia is a challenging long-term complication after inguinal hernia repair. Surgery may be an option for patients who are refractory to non-operative measures. We aim to evaluate the short-term outcomes of surgical treatment for chronic inguinodynia at our institution., Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing surgical treatment for chronic groin pain were identified in a prospectively maintained database. Outcomes included operative details, intra- and postoperative complications, pain scores, and patient satisfaction., Results: 29 patients were included in the study. All patients were refractory to multimodal pain management. The median pain score on presentation was 8 (IQR 7-10), and after a median follow-up of 6 months (IQR 4-11), there was a statistically significant reduction in pain scores (median 2, IQR 2-6, p < 0.001). Fifty-five percent of patient were pain free or almost pain free and 93 percent reported they would undergo the same operation again., Conclusions: Chronic groin pain is a complex problem with no universal solution. In our experience, surgical treatment significantly decreased short-term pain scores., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Aldo Fafaj and Luciano Tastaldi have received resident research grants from the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative that is not related to the submitted work David Krpata, Clayton Petro, Steven Rosenblatt, Diya Alaedeen, Samuel Zolin and Hemasat Alkhatib have nothing to disclose Michael J. Rosen: receives salary support for his role as the medical director of the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative. He is a board member of Ariste Medical Inc. and has stocks from Ariste Medical.He has ongoing research grants from Pacira Pharmaceuticals and Intuitive Inc. None of these conflicts of interest are related to the submitted work. Ajita S. Prabhu: receives compensation for consulting for Medtronic and has an ongoing research grant from Intuitive Inc. None of these conflicts of interest are related to the submitted work., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Current guidelines increasingly suggest the use of thyroid lobectomy for indeterminate (Bethesda 3 and 4) and high-risk (Bethesda 5 and 6) thyroid nodules; however, the clinical reality is often very different., Materials and Methods: The aim of this study was to determine the rate of completion thyroidectomy (CTx) for indeterminate and high-risk thyroid nodules which are pre-operatively classified as suitable for unilateral resection (lobe eligible) based on current guidelines. Seven hundred consecutive patients with thyroid nodules and FNA cytology over four years (2015-2018) were reviewed., Results: Distribution of the dominant nodules by Bethesda was: non-diagnostic 3.9%, benign 28.1%, atypia of unknown significance 19.0%, follicular neoplasm 23.6%, suspicious for malignancy 6.1% and malignancy 19.3%. Of 298 indeterminate nodules, 68.8% (205/298) had relative but independent indications for a total thyroidectomy (TTx) and the remainder were candidates for lobectomy. For these lobe eligible patients, the overall risk of ultimately needing a TTx was 19.4% (18/93), comprising 4.3% (4/93) from intra-operative findings and 15.7% (14/89) from final pathology. Similarly, of 170 high-risk nodules, 63.5% (108/170) had upfront indications for a TTx and the remaining 62 nodules were lobe eligible. Of the patients taken to the operating room for a lobectomy, 21.0% (13/62) were upgraded to a TTx intra-operatively and 26.5% (13/49) post-operatively. The lobe success rate for indeterminate nodules was 25.2% and for high-risk nodules was 21.2%. The rate of CTx, or the proportion of patients needing a second operation was 15.7% (14/89) and 26.5% (13/49), respectively., Conclusions: In counselling a patient for surgery, the risk of needing a more radical initial procedure or second surgery needs to be accurately explained. There are three points of care that can influence operative strategy, pre-operatively by way of high-risk clinical factors, intra-operatively via anatomical findings and post-operatively in response to unrecognized pathological features. Additionally, the patient's personal value judgment and level of risk aversion should be taken into consideration.

Background: Pathways of enhanced recovery after surgery represent a standardized, multimodal approach to postoperative care with the goal of accelerating recovery without increasing morbidity. We hypothesized that implementation of an enhanced recovery after surgery pathway for abdominal wall reconstruction would result in a decreased duration of stay., Methods: We compared 100 historic controls to 100 consecutive patients undergoing abdominal wall reconstruction with use of a newly implemented, enhanced recovery after surgery pathway to detect a difference in duration of stay of 1 day. Groups were compared on demographics and clinical characteristics using χ 2 , Fisher exact, Mann-Whitney U test, and 2 sample t tests as appropriate for the data., Results: There was no change in duration of stay with the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol (median 5 vs 5 days, P = .78). There was no difference in time to regular diet (median 3 vs 3 days, P = .14). There was a trend toward decreased time epidurals or patient-controlled analgesia used (median 3 vs 3 day, P = .01). There was no increase in readmission rates. In a subgroup analysis, factors associated with a duration of stay <4 days were hernia width 9.5 ± 7.2 cm (P = .009), operative time 2.5 ± 0.9 hours (P = .001), and preoperative quality-of-life scores (HerQles) 59.5 ± 11.7 (P = .008)., Conclusion: Our enhanced recovery after surgery study group did not show a decrease in duration of stay. Although smaller hernia defects, lesser operative times, and better baseline quality-of-life scores were associated with shorter duration of stay, the benefits of enhanced recovery after surgery seem limited in patients with the more complex hernia repairs., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Pancreatic trauma results in high morbidity and mortality, in part caused by the delay in diagnosis and subsequent organ dysfunction. Optimal operative management strategies remain unclear. We therefore sought to determine CT accuracy in diagnosing pancreatic injury and the morbidity and mortality associated with varying operative strategies., Methods: We created a multicenter, pancreatic trauma registry from 18 Level 1 and 2 trauma centers. Adult, blunt or penetrating injured patients from 2005 to 2012 were analyzed. Sensitivity and specificity of CT scan identification of main pancreatic duct injury was calculated against operative findings. Independent predictors for mortality, adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and pancreatic fistula and/or pseudocyst were identified through multivariate regression analysis. The association between outcomes and operative management was measured., Results: We identified 704 pancreatic injury patients of whom 584 (83%) underwent a pancreas-related procedure. CT grade modestly correlated with OR grade (r 0.39) missing 10 ductal injuries (9 grade III, 1 grade IV) providing 78.7% sensitivity and 61.6% specificity. Independent predictors of mortality were age, Injury Severity Score (ISS), lactate, and number of packed red blood cells transfused. Independent predictors of ARDS were ISS, Glasgow Coma Scale score, and pancreatic fistula (OR 5.2, 2.6-10.1). Among grade III injuries (n = 158, 22.4%), the risk of pancreatic fistula/pseudocyst was reduced when the end of the pancreas was stapled (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.05-0.9) compared with sewn and was not affected by duct stitch placement. Drainage alone in grades IV (n = 25) and V (n = 24) injuries carried increased risk of pancreatic fistula/pseudocyst (OR 8.3, 95% CI 2.2-32.9)., Conclusion: CT is insufficiently sensitive to reliably identify pancreatic duct injury. Patients with grade III injuries should have their resection site stapled instead of sewn and a duct stitch is unnecessary. Further study is needed to determine if drainage alone should be employed in grades IV and V injuries., Level of Evidence: Epidemiologic/Diagnostic study, level III.

Objective(s): Clinical research characterizing the mechanisms responsible for sex-based outcome differences postinjury remain conflicting. We sought to characterize an X chromosome-linked IRAK-1 (IL-1 receptor-associated kinase) polymorphism as an alternative mechanism responsible for sex differences postinjury. IRAK-1 is key intermediate in the toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway thought to drive inflammation postinjury., Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed over a 24-month period. Bluntly injured patients requiring intensive care unit admission were enrolled, whereas patients with isolated brain and spinal cord injuries were excluded. Outcomes of interest included multiple organ failure (MOF, Marshall MOD score > 5) and mortality. Logistic regression was utilized to determine the independent risk of poor outcome associated with the IRAK-1 variant after controlling for important differences., Results: In an enrolled cohort of 321 patients, the IRAK-1 variant was common (12.5%). Patients with and without the variant were similar in age, injury severity, and 24hr blood transfusion. After controlling for important confounders, the IRAK1 variant was independently associated with more than eightfold (OR = 8.4, P = 0.005, 95% CI: 1.9-37.1) and 11-fold (OR = 11.8, P = 0.037, 95% CI: 1.1-121) greater risk of MOF and mortality, respectively. These differences were most prominent in men, whereas women heterozygous for the variant demonstrated worse outcome in a dose-dependent fashion., Conclusions: The IRAK1 polymorphism is a strong independent predictor of MOF and mortality postinjury and represents a common variant with prognostic potential. These data demonstrate the importance of TLR signaling postinjury and supports that a genetic mechanism may drive sex outcome differences postinjury.