The safety of same-day breast reconstructive surgery: An analysis of short-term outcomes

Trends in general surgeon operative practice patterns in a modern cohort

INTRODUCTION

Analyzing general surgeons' operative case mix can provide an update on contemporary practice patterns and inform pragmatic residency training.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of general surgeons in Florida, Iowa, and Maryland, 2016-2020. Cases were identified using billing codes. The Cochran-Armitage test of trends was used to evaluate the proportion of practice devoted to specific case types and operative setting over time.

RESULTS

General surgeons (n ​= ​1300) performed 1,287,745 cases. The mean (±SD) annual volume per surgeon for all procedures was 356 (±250), with 198 (±152) general surgery operations, 57 (±142) endoscopic procedures, and 101 (±109) other cases. On average, surgeons operated on 7.1 (±2.6) different organ systems. Trends toward a lower proportion of general surgery operations, and a greater proportion of subspecialty procedures and surgery in the outpatient setting over time were demonstrated (p ​< ​0.001).

CONCLUSION

The practice pattern of the general surgeon continues to be heterogeneous, reflecting the persistent need for a broad training paradigm that permits specialization.

Remote Symptom Monitoring with Clinical Alerts Following Mastectomy: Do Early Symptoms Predict 30-Day Surgical Complications

BACKGROUND

Electronic patient-reported outcome measures (ePROMs) for real-time remote symptom monitoring facilitate early recognition of postoperative complications. We sought to determine whether remote, electronic, patient-reported symptom-monitoring with Recovery Tracker predicts 30-day readmission or reoperation in outpatient mastectomy patients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of breast cancer patients who underwent outpatient (< 24-h stay) mastectomy with or without reconstruction from April 2017 to January 2022 and who received the Recovery Tracker on Days 1-10 postoperatively. Of 5,130 patients, 3,888 met the inclusion criteria (2,880 mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and 1,008 mastectomy only). We focused on symptoms concerning for surgical complications and assessed if symptoms reaching prespecified alert levels-prompting a nursing call-predicted risk of 30-day readmission or reoperation.

RESULTS

Daily Recovery Tracker response rates ranged from 45% to 70%. Overall, 1,461 of 3,888 patients (38%) triggered at least one alert. Most red (urgent) alerts were triggered by pain and fever; most yellow (less urgent) alerts were triggered by wound redness and pain severity. The 30-day readmission and reoperation rates were low at 3.8% and 2.4%, respectively. There was no statistically significant association between symptom alerts and 30-day reoperation or readmission, and a clinically relevant increase in risk can be excluded (odds ratio 1.08; 95% confidence interval 0.8-1.46; p = 0.6).

CONCLUSIONS

Breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy with or without reconstruction in the ambulatory setting have a low burden of concerning symptoms, even in the first few days after surgery. Patients can be reassured that symptoms that do present resolve quickly thereafter.

Outcomes of a same day discharge protocol in patients undergoing mastectomy and implant reconstruction

BACKGROUND

Finite hospital resources has required a closer look at resource allocation. This has prompted a shift toward same day surgeries and a focus on reducing hospital readmissions. Following the institution of a same day discharge protocol for mastectomy and mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, we sought to assess differences in the length of stay and readmission rates.

METHODS

This retrospective review evaluates all cases of mastectomy with or without immediate reconstruction performed at a single high-volume center between June 2019 and March 2021. Average length of stay, 30-day readmission rates, Anesthesia Society Assessment class, and type of immediate reconstruction were assessed. Autologous reconstructions were excluded.

RESULTS

A total of 413 patients underwent mastectomy with or without reconstruction (n = 148 pre protocol and n = 265 during protocol) between June 2019 and March 2021. Of those 413 patients, 180 underwent reconstruction (n = 62 pre protocol and n = 118 during protocol). The average length of stay after mastectomy following the implementation of the same day discharge protocol was decreased at 0.6 days (n = 265) compared to preimplementation at 1.02 days (n = 148), p < 0.001. The 30-day readmission rate was not significant between the groups, p = 0.13. A total of 180 patients underwent immediate reconstruction after mastectomy. The average length of stay after mastectomy with immediate reconstruction following implementation of the same day discharge protocol was shorter than preimplementation at 1.05 days preimplementation (n = 62) versus 0.58 days following implementation (n = 118), p < 0.001; this finding was significant for both prepectoral and subpectoral implants, p < 0.001. There was no significant difference in 30-day readmission rates between the groups with immediate reconstruction, p = 0.34.

CONCLUSION

Same day discharge for mastectomy with reconstruction is as safe as the more widely recognized same day discharge practice for patients with mastectomy alone.

Same-Day Mastectomy and Immediate Prosthetic Breast Reconstruction: A 12-Year National Database Analysis and Early Postoperative Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease of 2019 and rising health care costs have incentivized shorter hospital stays after mastectomies with immediate prosthetic reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative outcomes following same-day and non-same-day mastectomy with immediate prosthetic reconstruction.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2007 to 2019 was performed. Patients who underwent mastectomies and immediate reconstruction with tissue expanders or implants were selected and grouped based on length of stay. Univariate analysis and multivariate regression were performed to compare 30-day postoperative outcomes between length-of-stay groups.

RESULTS

A total of 45,451 patients were included: 1508 had same-day surgery (SDS) and 43,942 were admitted for 1 or more night (non-SDS). There was no significant difference in overall 30-day postoperative complications between SDS and non-SDS following immediate prosthetic reconstruction. SDS was not a predictor of complications (OR, 1.1; P = 0.346), whereas tissue expander reconstruction decreased odds of morbidity compared with direct-to-implant reconstruction (OR, 0.77; P < 0.001). Among patients who had SDS, smoking was significantly associated with early complications on multivariate analysis (OR, 1.85; P = 0.010).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides an up-to-date assessment of the safety of mastectomies with immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction that captures recent advancements. Postoperative complication rates are similar between same-day discharge and at least 1-night stay, suggesting that same-day procedures may be safe for appropriately selected patients.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, III.

Inpatient versus Outpatient Immediate Alloplastic Breast Reconstruction: Recent Trends, Outcomes, and Safety

Background

Immediate alloplastic breast reconstruction was traditionally performed as an inpatient procedure. Despite several reports in the literature demonstrating comparable safety outcomes, there remains hesitancy to accept breast reconstruction performed as an outpatient procedure.

Methods

A retrospective review of National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data from 2014 to 2018 was utilized to evaluate recent trends and 30-day postoperative complication rates for inpatient versus outpatient immediate prosthetic-based breast reconstruction. Propensity score matching was used to obtain comparable groups.

Results

During the study period, 33,587 patients underwent immediate alloplastic breast reconstruction. Of those, 67.5% of patients were discharged within 24 hours, and 32.4% of patients had a hospital stay of more than 24 hours. Immediate alloplastic reconstruction had an overall growth rate of 16.9% from 2014 to 2018. After propensity score matching, intraoperative variables that correlated with significantly increased inpatient status included increased work relative value units (16.3 ± 2.3 versus 16.2 ± 2.6; P < 0.001), longer operative times (228 ± 86 versus 206 ± 77; P < 0.001), and bilateral procedure (44.0% versus 43.5%; P < 0.001). There were higher rates of pulmonary embolism, wound dehiscence, urinary tract infection, transfusions, sepsis, readmissions, and reoperations in the group with the longer hospital stay.

Conclusion

Based on increased complication rates and costs in the inpatient setting, we propose outpatient reconstructive surgery as a safe and cost-effective alternative for immediate alloplastic breast reconstruction.

Same Day Discharge After Mastectomy and Immediate Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction: A Retrospective Cohort Comparison Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database

INTRODUCTION

Currently, overnight admission after immediate implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR) is the standard of care. Our study aims to analyze the safety, feasibility, and outcomes of immediate IBR with same-day discharge as compared with the standard overnight stay.

METHODS

The 2015-2020 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was reviewed to identify all patients undergoing mastectomy with immediate IBR for malignant breast disease. Patients were stratified into study (patients discharged day of surgery) and control (patients admitted after surgery) groups. Patient demographics, comorbidities, surgical characteristics, implant type, wound complications, readmission, and reoperation rates were collected and analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine independent predictors of same-day discharge versus admission. In addition, Pearson χ2 test was used for comparison of proportions and t test was used for continuous variables unless distributions required subsequent nonparametric analyses. Statistical significance was defined as a P value less than 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 21,923 cases were identified. The study group included 1361 patients discharged same day and the control group included 20,562 patient s admitted for average of 1.4 days (range, 1-86). Average age was 51 years for both groups. Average body mass index for the study group 27 and 28 kg/m2 for the control group, respectively. Total wound complication rates were similar (4.5% study, 4.3% control, P = 0.72). Reoperation rates were lower with same-day discharge (5.7% study, 6.8% control, P = 0.105), though not statistically significant. However, same-day discharge patients had a significantly lower readmission rate compared with the control (2.3% study, 4.2% control, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data analysis over a 6-year period reveals that immediate IBR with same-day discharge is associated with a significantly lower readmission rate when compared with the standard overnight stay. The comparable complication profiles show that immediate IBR with same-day discharge is safe, potentially benefiting both patients and hospitals.

Outcomes of the same-day discharge following mastectomy before, during and after COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The majority of patients undergoing mastectomy before the COVID-19 pandemic were admitted for 23-h observation to the hospital. Indications for observation included drain care education, pain control and observation for possible early surgical complications. This study compared the rates of outpatient mastectomy before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic and indirectly evaluated the safety of same-day discharge.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed patients undergoing mastectomy using Current Procedural Terminology code 19303.

RESULTS

A total of 357 patients were included: 113 were treated pre-COVID-19, 82 patients during COVID-19 and 162 post-COVID-19. The rate of outpatient mastectomies tripled during the pandemic from 17% to 51% (p < 0.001); after the pandemic remain high at 48%. The rate of bilateral mastectomies decreased during the pandemic to 30% from 48% prepandemic (p = 0.015). Pectoralis muscle block utilization increased during the COVID-19 period from 36% to 59% (p = 0.002). No difference in complication rates, including surgical site infections, hematomas, and readmissions, pre and during COVID.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of outpatient mastectomy increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this timeframe, perioperative complications did not increase, suggesting the safety of this practice. After the pandemic, the rate of outpatient mastectomy continued to be significantly higher than pre-COVID.

Performance of General Surgical Procedures in Outpatient Settings Before and After Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

IMPORTANCE

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has advocated for the expansion of outpatient surgery to conserve limited hospital resources and bed capacity, while maintaining surgical throughput, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of the COVID-19 pandemic with outpatient scheduled general surgery procedures.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This multicenter, retrospective cohort study analyzed data from hospitals participating in the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2019 (before COVID-19), and from January 1 to December 31, 2020 (during COVID-19). Adult patients (≥18 years of age) who underwent any 1 of the 16 most frequently performed scheduled general surgery operations in the ACS-NSQIP database were included.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was the percentage of outpatient cases (length of stay, 0 days) for each procedure. To determine the rate of change over time, multiple multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the independent association of year with the odds of outpatient surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 988 436 patients were identified (mean [SD] age, 54.5 [16.1] years; 574 683 women [58.1%]), of whom 823 746 underwent scheduled surgery before COVID-19 and 164 690 had surgery during COVID-19. On multivariable analysis, the odds of outpatient surgery during COVID-19 (vs 2019) were higher in patients who underwent mastectomy for cancer (odds ratio [OR], 2.49 [95% CI, 2.33-2.67]), minimally invasive adrenalectomy (OR, 1.93 [95% CI, 1.34-2.77]), thyroid lobectomy (OR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.32-1.54]), breast lumpectomy (OR, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.23-1.46]), minimally invasive ventral hernia repair (OR, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.15-1.27]), minimally invasive sleeve gastrectomy (OR, 2.56 [95% CI, 1.89-3.48]), parathyroidectomy (OR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.14-1.34]), and total thyroidectomy (OR, 1.53 [95% CI, 1.42-1.65]). These odds were all greater than those observed for 2019 vs 2018, 2018 vs 2017, and 2017 vs 2016, suggesting that an accelerated increase in outpatient surgery rates in 2020 occurred as a consequence of COVID-19, rather than a continuation of secular trends. Despite these findings, only 4 procedures had a clinically meaningful (≥10%) overall increase in outpatient surgery rates during the study period: mastectomy for cancer (+19.4%), thyroid lobectomy (+14.7%), minimally invasive ventral hernia repair (+10.6%), and parathyroidectomy (+10.0%).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this cohort study, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with an accelerated transition to outpatient surgery for many scheduled general surgical operations; however, the magnitude of percentage increase was small for all but 4 procedure types. Further studies should explore potential barriers to the uptake of this approach, particularly for procedures that have been shown to be safe when performed in an outpatient setting.

One-Year Experience of Same-Day Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Protocol

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of same-day mastectomy with reconstruction has continued to increase across the United States in recent years. Prior studies have shown that same-day mastectomy with reconstruction leads to increased patient satisfaction and allows hospitals to use resources better. This study sought to evaluate the implementation of same-day mastectomy with a reconstruction recovery protocol for patients undergoing mastectomy at our institution.

METHODS

Under an institutional review board-approved protocol, a retrospective cohort analysis compared patients who underwent mastectomy April 2016 through April 2017 with those who had mastectomy March 2020 through March 2021. Length of stay, postoperative intravenous (IV) opioid administration, safety end points, and cost were the main variables examined.

RESULTS

The study compared 457 patients in 2016-2017 with 428 patients in 2020-2021. The median hospital length of stay decreased from 24.6 h in 2016-2017 to 5.5 h in 2020-2021 (p < 0.001). The percentage of patients requiring postoperative IV opioids decreased from 69.1 % in 2016-2017 to 50 % in 2020-2021 (p < 0.001). The rates of unplanned readmissions within 30 days after mastectomy did not differ between the two groups, with a rate of 3.7 % in 2016-2017 and a rate of 5.1 % in 2020-2021 (p = 0.30). Reducing the rate of overnight admissions after mastectomy by 65.8 % resulted in a cost reduction of 65.8 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of same-day mastectomy with a reconstruction protocol across a large academic center and two satellite sites was a safe alternative to conventional mastectomy recovery plans.

Plastic Surgery in the Time of COVID-19

BACKGROUND

 The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has swept the world in the last several months, causing massive disruption to existing social, economic, and health care systems. As with all medical fields, plastic and reconstructive surgery has been profoundly impacted across the entire spectrum of practice from academic medical centers to solo private practice. The decision to preserve vital life-saving equipment and cancel elective procedures to protect patients and medical staff has been extremely challenging on multiple levels. Frequent and inconsistent messaging disseminated by many voices on the national stage often conflicts and serves only to exacerbate an already difficult decision-making process.

METHODS

 A survey of relevant COVID-19 literature is presented, and bioethical principles are utilized to generate guidelines for plastic surgeons in patient care through this pandemic.

RESULTS

 A cohesive framework based upon core bioethical values is presented here to assist plastic surgeons in navigating this rapidly evolving global pandemic.

CONCLUSION

 Plastic surgeons around the world have been affected by COVID-19 and will adapt to continue serving their patients. The lessons learned in this present pandemic will undoubtedly prove useful in future challenges to come.

High-Efficiency Same-Day Approach to Breast Reconstruction During the COVID-19 Crisis

PURPOSE

As our hospitals conserve and re-allocate resources during the COVID-19 crisis, there is urgent need to determine how best to continue caring for breast cancer patients. During the time window before the COVID-19 critical peak and particularly thereafter, as hospitals are able to resume cancer operations, we anticipate that there will be great need to maximize efficiency to treat breast cancer. The goal of this study is to present a same-day protocol that minimizes resource utilization to enable hospitals to increase inpatient capacity, while providing care for breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction during the COVID-19 crisis.

METHODS

IRB exempt patient quality improvement initiative was conducted to detail the operationalization of a novel same-day breast reconstruction protocol. Consecutive patients having undergone immediate breast reconstruction were prospectively enrolled between February and March of 2020 at Massachusetts General Hospital during the COVID-19 crisis. Peri-operative results and postoperative complications were summarized.

RESULTS

Time interval from surgical closure to patient discharge was 5.02 ± 1.29 h. All patients were discharged home, with no re-admissions or emergency department visits. No postoperative complications were observed.

CONCLUSION

This report provides an instruction manual to operationalize a same-day breast reconstruction protocol, to meet demands of providing appropriate cancer treatment during times of unprecedented resource limitations. Pre-pectoral implant-based breast reconstruction can be the definitive procedure or be used as a bridge to autologous reconstruction. Importantly, we hope this work will be helpful to our patients and community as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Major ambulatory surgery in breast diseases

INTRODUCTION

The use of ambulatory surgery (AS) for breast pathology (BP) has increased. The objective of this study is to analyse a group of patients treated surgically for breast pathology in order to evaluate its quality and security in a MAS setting in 2017.

METHODS

A retrospective review of all patients undergoing breast surgery was conducted within an AS programme from January to December 2017 in Consorcio Hospital General Universitario of Valencia (CHGUV). The study analysed the number of patients, exclusion reasons, type of surgical procedures, evolution of substitution rate (SR), rate and causes of conversion to admission, postoperative complications, motives for not being included in the ambulatory programme and the satisfaction rate of the patients treated with ambulatory surgery. This has been compared with a 2013 group.

RESULTS

In 2017, 396 procedures for BP were performed: 170 for benign and 226 for malignant disease. The SR for the global mammary pathology was 72.8%. The SR for benign pathology was 93.4% and the SR for malignant pathology was 57.2%, which has increased in recent years from 45.4% in 2013. The unexpected hospitalization rate (HR) of malignant pathologies was 14.1%, while the HR in benign pathologies was 0.6%. Patients hospitalized for malignant pathologies presented higher complications (17%) than ambulatory patients (8.5%) and benign pathologies (6.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

At the CHGUV, the SR has steadily increased in malignant pathologies. The unexpected hospitalization rate is determined by perioperative sentinel lymph node biopsy results. AS for the treatment of mammary pathology is efficient and safe.

Scoping Review of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program in Plastic Surgery Research

BACKGROUND

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) is a robust, high-quality surgical outcomes database that measures risk-adjusted 30-day outcomes of surgical interventions. The purpose of this scoping review is to describe how the NSQIP is being used in plastic surgery research.

METHODS

A comprehensive electronic literature search was completed in PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and CINAHL. Two reviewers independently reviewed articles to determine their relevance using predefined inclusion criteria. Articles were included if they utilized NSQIP data to conduct research in a domain of plastic surgery or analyzed surgical procedures completed by plastic surgeons. Extracted information included the domain of plastic surgery, country of origin, journal, and year of publication.

RESULTS

A total of 106 articles met the inclusion criteria. The most common domain of plastic surgery was breast reconstruction representing 35% of the articles. Of the 106 articles, 95% were published within the last 5 years. The Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal published most of the (59%) NSQIP-related articles. All of the studies were retrospective. Of note, there were no articles on burns and only one study on trauma as the domain of plastic surgery.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review describes how NSQIP data are being used to analyze plastic surgery interventions and outcomes in order to guide quality improvement in 106 articles. It demonstrates the utility of NSQIP in the literature, however also identifies some limitations of the program as it applies to plastic surgery.