Impact of Volume on Mortality and Hospital Stay After Lung Cancer Surgery in a Single-Payer System

Survival Analysis of Early-Stage NSCLC Patients Following Lobectomy: Impact of Surgical Techniques and Other Variables on Long-Term Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Surgical resection is a frontline management option for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Evolving techniques may be refining patient outcomes. This study compares the long-term survival of patients undergoing lobectomy for a primary NSCLC between video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and open thoracotomy (OT). The secondary aim of this study is to identify the variables that influence immediate and long-term patient outcomes.

METHOD

This is a single-centre retrospective cohort analysis spanning 20 years. The study reports on the outcomes of 743 patients who underwent lobectomy for primary NSCLC. There are 598 VATS cases and 145 OT cases. Variables likely to influence long-term survival were assessed with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The effect of VATS on long-term survival was assessed using a propensity-adjusted analysis.

RESULTS

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of other cancers, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, and emphysema were the most common comorbidities reported in this cohort. The VATS technique showed shorter postoperative length of stay and fewer surgical complications compared with OT. There were no differences between VATS and OT in early mortality or completeness of the resection. Additionally, 32% of patients showed variable visceral pleural invasion (P1-P2), and their 5-year survival was significantly worse compared with P0 patients (18.75% and 36.85%, respectively). Major pulmonary complications were responsible for prolonging the length of hospital stay after index surgery and it was inversely related to the survival at 5 and 10 years (p<0.0004). Lymph node involvement was an important predictor for long-term survival (50% overall survival rate was 9.4 years, 4.5 years and 4.2 years for N0, N1, and N2, respectively). We observed longer median survival in the VATS group (10.04 years vs 8.99 years) and a lower risk of mortality after propensity analysis (odds ratio 0.86; 95% confidence interval 0.67-1.11), but neither observation was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Early surgical outcomes were significantly better in the VATS group, whereas long-term outcomes were not notably different between the groups. Regardless of the surgical techniques used, positive surgical margins, visceral pleural invasion, larger tumours, positive lymph nodes, age >70 years, and prolonged hospital stay were common variables responsible for the poor overall long-term survival.

Mortality index is more accurate than volume in predicting outcome and failure to rescue in Medicare beneficiaries undergoing robotic right upper lobectomy

Background

Surgical volume is known to influence failure to rescue (FTR), defined as death following a complication. Robotic lung surgery continues to expand and there is variability in outcomes among hospitals. We sought to estimate the contribution of hospital-based factors on outcomes and FTR following robotic right upper lobectomy (RRUL).

Methods

Using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services inpatient claims database, we evaluated all patients age ≥65 years with a diagnosis of lung cancer who underwent RRUL between January 2018 and December 2020. We excluded patients who had undergone segmentectomy, sublobar, wedge, or bronchoplastic resection; had metastatic or nonmalignant disease; or had a history of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Primary outcomes included FTR rate, length of stay (LOS), readmissions, conversion to open surgery, complications, and costs. We analyzed hospitals by tertiles of volume and Medicare Mortality Index (MMI). Defined as the institutional number of deaths per number of survivors, MMI is a marker of overall hospital performance and quality. Propensity score models were adjusted for confounding using goodness of fit.

Results

Data for 4317 patients who underwent robotic right upper lobectomy were analyzed. Hospitals were categorized by volume of cases (low, <9; medium, 9-20; high, >20) and MMI (low, <0.04; medium, 0.04-0.13; high, >0.13). After propensity score balancing, patients from tertiles of lowest volume and highest MMI had higher costs ($34,222 vs $30,316; P = .006), as well as higher mortality (odds ratio, 7.46; 95% confidence interval, 2.67-28.2; P < .001). Compared to high-volume centers, low-volume centers had higher rates of conversion to open surgery, respiratory failure, hemorrhagic anemia, and death; longer LOS; and greater cost (P < .001 for all). The C-statistic for volume as a predictor of overall mortality was 0.6, and the FTR was 0.8. Hospitals in the highest tertile of MMI had the highest rates of conversion to open surgery (P = .01), pneumothorax (P = .02), and respiratory failure (P < .001). They also had the highest mortality and rate of readmission, longest LOS, and greatest costs (P < .001 for all) and the shortest survival (P < .001). The C-statistic for MMI as a predictor of overall mortality was 0.8, and FTR was 0.9.

Conclusions

The MMI incorporates hospital-based factors in the adjudication of outcomes and is a more sensitive predictor of FTR rates than volume alone. Combining MMI and volume may provide a metric that can guide quality improvement and cost-effectiveness measures in hospitals seeking to implement robotic lung surgery programs.

Comprehensive value implications of surgeon volume for lung cancer surgery: Use of an analytic framework within a regional health system

Objective

We used a framework to assess the value implications of thoracic surgeon operative volume within an 8-hospital health system.

Methods

Surgical cases for non-small cell lung cancer were assessed from March 2015 to March 2021. High-volume (HV) surgeons performed >25 pulmonary resections annually. Metrics include length of stay, infection rates, 30-day readmission, in-hospital mortality, median 30-day charges and direct costs, and 3-year recurrence-free and overall survival. Multivariate regression-based propensity scores matched patients between groups. Metrics were graphed on radar charts to conceptualize total value.

Results

All 638 lung resections were performed by 12 surgeons across 6 hospitals. Two HV surgeons performed 51% (n = 324) of operations, and 10 low-volume surgeons performed 49% (n = 314). Median follow-up was 28.8 months (14.0-42.3 months). Lobectomy was performed in 71% (n = 450) of cases. HV surgeons performed more segmentectomies (33% [n = 107] vs 3% [n = 8]; P < .001). Patients of HV surgeons had a lower length of stay (3 [2-4] vs 5 [3-7]; P < .001) and infection rates (0.6% [n = 1] vs 4% [n = 7]; P = .03). Low-volume and HV surgeons had similar 30-day readmission rates (14% [n = 23] vs 7% [n = 12]; P = .12), in-hospital mortality (0% [n = 0] vs 0.6% [n = 1]; P = .33), and oncologic outcomes; 3-year recurrence-free survival was 95% versus 91%; P = .44, and 3-year overall survival was 94% versus 90%; P = 0. Charges were reduced by 28%, and direct costs were reduced by 23% (both P < .001) in the HV cohort.

Conclusions

HV surgeons provide comprehensive value across a health system. This multidomain framework can be used to help drive oncologic care decisions within a health system.

Length of Postoperative Hospital Stay and Related Factors After Lobectomy for Lung Cancer: A Pre-enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Single Center Assessment

BACKGROUND

Lobectomy for lung cancer often presents a lot of potentially severe complications after surgery for patients. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a program to improve unexpected events. When implementing ERAS, there needs to be evidence of relevant factors that prolong hospital stays to encourage the participation of medical staff and leaders. This study is to determine the length of hospital stay (LOS) and its related factors after surgery in patients undergoing lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODS

 A descriptive retrospective study was conducted on 99 patients undergoing lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City. Data were extracted from a computerized database of patients who were hospitalized for lobectomy in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer from January 2018 to December 2021. The primary outcome was the postoperative LOS.

RESULTS

Median postoperative LOS was 5.2 days (interquartile range 4.8 to 6.8 days). The complication rate was 19.2%, of which Clavien-Dindo II accounted for the highest at 9.1%. The 30-day readmission rate was 13.1%. The median of LOS in the current cigarette smoker's group was 1.9 days higher than the never-cigarette smoker's group and 1.5 days higher than the former cigarette smokers (p<0.001). Tumor-nodes-metastasis (TNM) stage III showed the highest LOS compared to other stages (p=0.029). Open surgery and thoracoscopic conversion to open showed postoperative LOS about two days longer than thoracoscopic surgery (p<0.001). ​Performing muscle relaxation and early extubation, multimodal analgesia reduced postoperative LOS by 1.6 days (p<0.001), and preoperative physical therapy and early physical therapy at recovery reduced postoperative LOS by 1.3 days (p<0.001). There was a strong positive correlation between the duration of endotracheal retention, duration of thoracic drainage, amount of blood loss, and postoperative LOS (R>0.5, p<0.001). The duration of the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit and fasting time after surgery showed an average positive correlation with postoperative LOS (0.3

CONCLUSIONS

The median postoperative LOS was 5.2 days, and more than half of patients stayed in the hospital for over five days. Some factors affect the LOS, including current cigarette smokers, TNM stage, surgical approaches, some care processes such as early extubation, multimodal pain relief, physical therapy, vomiting, duration of thoracic drainage, amount of blood loss, duration of Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (hours), duration of thoracic drainage (days), preoperative and postoperative fasting time (hours). The study results help propose many changes in perioperative care for patients undergoing lung cancer surgery.

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Key Words

• complications
• eras
• length of hospital stay
• lobectomy
• lung cancer
• vietnam

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Affiliation(s)

Ho Tat Bang Thoracic and Vascular Department, University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh, VNM Health Organization and Management Department, Faculty of Public Health, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh, VNM
Tran Thanh Vy Thoracic and Vascular Department, University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh, VNM Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh, VNM
Nguyen Van Tap Faculty of Medical Management, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, VNM

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Inpatient lung cancer surgery outcomes in Illinois

Objective

This study analyzed inpatient mortality and length of stay for lung cancer surgery in Illinois hospitals by patient clinical and demographic characteristics, procedure types, and hospital and surgeon volume.

Methods

The study analyzed lung cancer patients who underwent lobectomy or sublobar resection at Illinois hospitals from 2016 to June 2022. Trends in procedure type, inpatient mortality, one-day length of stay (LOS), and prolonged LOS (>10 days) were evaluated. Regression models were used to determine the likelihood of inpatient death and length of stay while controlling for clinical, procedure, hospital, and surgeon characteristics.

Results

There were 9602 admissions for lung cancer surgery at 89 non-federal Illinois hospitals. Overall, 0.7% of patients died, 12.2% of patients had one-day LOS, and 7.4% patients had prolonged LOS. From 2016 to 2022, rates of one-day LOS increased from approximately 5% to 23%, prolonged LOS dropped from almost 18% to under 5%, robotic lobectomies increased from <5% of procedures to over 40%, and VATS lobectomies went from almost 50% to 13%. The proportion of open lobectomy procedures remained stable. Robotic and VATS procedures were generally associated with better outcomes; however, VATS sublobar procedures were associated with worse LOS and mortality outcomes. Hospitals and surgeons with higher procedure volumes had significantly better outcomes.

Conclusions

Lung cancer surgery had low inpatient mortality and better LOS outcomes, with robotic steadily replacing VATS procedures. Higher hospital or surgeon volume was associated with better patient outcomes and may have been related to the greater utilization of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Programs.