Rates of Complications After Appendectomy in Children and Adolescents: Pediatric Surgical Compared to General Surgical Hospitals

The intracorrelation of family health insurance and job lock

This paper tests for the presence of job lock and "health insurance plan lock" stemming from the health shock of a child family member. Using the onset of an acute, unanticipated health shock, I estimate a 7-14 percent decreased likelihood of all family members leaving their current health insurance network and health plan within one year of the emergency. This corresponds to a reduced one-year job mobility rate of approximately 13 percent for the health plan's primary policyholder. Furthermore, the non-portability of health insurance products may contribute to the observed job and health plan lock.

Clinical Outcomes of Daytime Versus Nighttime Laparoscopic Appendectomy in Children

Aim of the study: To evaluate the clinical outcomes and complication rate of laparoscopic appendectomy in children operated on during the daytime versus nighttime. Methods: A total of 303 children who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for acute appendicitis between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022 were enrolled in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into two study groups. The first group consisted of the patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy during the day shift from 07:00-21:00 (n = 171), while the patients in the second group underwent laparoscopic appendectomy during the night shift from 21:00-07:00 (n = 132). The groups were compared for baseline clinical and laboratory data, treatment outcomes, and complications. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare continuous variables, while the Chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables. A two-sided Fisher's exact test was used when the frequency of events in a certain cell was low. All p values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The proportion of complicated appendicitis was almost the same in both patient groups (n = 63, 36.8% vs. n = 49, 37.1%, p = 0.960). Out of the total number of patients presenting during the daytime and nighttime, 11 (6.4%) and 10 (7.6%) developed a postoperative complication, respectively (p = 0.697). Additionally, rates of readmission (n = 5 (2.9%) vs. n = 2 (1.5%); p = 0.703), redo-surgery (n = 3 (1.7%) vs. n = 0; p = 0.260), conversion to open surgery (n = 0 vs. n = 1 (0.8%); p = 0.435) and length of hospital stay (n = 3 (IQR 1, 5) vs. n = 3 (IQR 2, 5); p = 0.368) did not differ significantly between daytime and nighttime appendectomies. The duration of the surgery was significantly shorter in patients presenting during the day than in those presenting at night (26 min (IQR 22, 40) vs. 37 min (31, 46); p < 0.001). Conclusions: Different shift times did not affect the treatment outcomes or complication rates for children receiving laparoscopic appendectomy.

Management of Children and Adolescents with Chest Trauma in Pediatric and Non-Pediatric Departments—A Claims Data Analysis

Background: To investigate the management of children and adolescents with isolated and combined chest trauma in pediatric (PD) and non-pediatric departments (non-PD). Methods: Anonymized claims data were provided by two large German statutory health insurance funds, covering 6.3 million clients over a 10-year period (2010–2019). Data were extracted for patients who had an inpatient ICD diagnosis of section S20–S29 (injuries to the thorax) and were ≤18 years of age. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed. Results: A total of 4064 children and adolescents with chest trauma were included (mean age 12.0 ± 5.0 years; 55% male). In 1928 cases (47.4%), treatment was provided at PD. Patients admitted to PD underwent CT imaging less frequently (8.1%; non-PD: 23.1%; p < 0.0001). Children with a chest drain treated at university/maximum care hospitals (UM) showed more injuries involving multiple body regions compared with non-UM (25.8% vs. 4.5%; p = 0.0061) without a difference in the length of hospital stay. Conclusion: Children and adolescents with chest trauma are treated almost equally often in pediatric and adult departments. CT is significantly less frequently used in pediatric departments. Patients with a chest drain treated at a UM showed more concomitant injuries without a longer hospital stay. However, the clinical validity of this finding is questionable.

Distribution of acute appendicitis care in children: A statewide assessment of the surgeons and facilities providing surgical care

BACKGROUND

Pediatric appendicitis is managed by general and pediatric surgeons at both children's hospitals and non-children's hospitals. A statewide assessment of surgeons and facilities providing appendicitis care was performed to identify factors associated with location of surgical care.

METHODS

Children aged <18 years undergoing appendectomy for appendicitis in Wisconsin from 2018-2020 were identified through the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, and Current Procedural Terminology codes using Wisconsin Hospital Association data. Patient residence and hospital locations were used to determine travel distance, rurality, and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

Among 3,604 children with appendicitis, 36.0% and 12.8% had an appendectomy at 2 major children's hospitals and 4 other children's hospitals, respectively, and 51.2% had an appendectomy at 99 non-children's hospitals. Pediatric surgeons performed 76.1% of appendectomies at children's hospitals and 2.9% at non-children's hospitals. Only 32.2% of patients received care at the hospital closest to their homes. Non-children's hospitals disproportionally cared for older, non-Hispanic White, and privately insured children, those with uncomplicated appendicitis, and those living in rural areas, in mid-socioeconomic status neighborhoods, and greater distances from children's hospitals (all P < .001). After multivariable adjustment, receipt of care at children's hospitals was associated with younger age, minority race, complicated appendicitis, shorter distance to children's hospitals, and urban residence.

CONCLUSION

Over half of surgical care for pediatric appendicitis occurred at non-children's hospitals, especially among older children and those living in rural areas far from children's hospitals. Future work is necessary to determine which children benefit most from care at children's hospitals and which can safely receive care at non-children's hospitals to avoid unnecessary time and resource utilization associated with travel to children's hospitals.

The Intraoperative Complications Assessment and Reporting with Universal Standards (ICARUS) Global Surgical Collaboration Project: Development of Criteria for Reporting Adverse Events During Surgical Procedures and Evaluating Their Impact on the Postoperative Course

BACKGROUND

Intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) are surgical and anesthesiologic complications. Despite the availability of grading criteria, iAEs are infrequently reported in the surgical literature and in cases for which iAEs are reported, these events are described with significant heterogeneity.

OBJECTIVE

To develop Intraoperative Complications Assessment and Reporting with Universal Standards (ICARUS) Global Surgical Collaboration criteria to standardize the assessment, reporting, and grading of iAEs. The ultimate aim is to improve our understanding of the nature and frequency of iAEs and our ability to counsel patients regarding surgical procedures.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

The present study involved the following steps: (1) collecting criteria for assessing, reporting, and grading of iAEs via a comprehensive umbrella review; (2) collecting additional criteria via a survey of a panel of experienced surgeons (first round of a modified Delphi survey); (3) creating a comprehensive list of reporting criteria; (4) combining criteria acquired in the first two steps; and (5) establishing a consensus on clinical and quality assessment utility as determined in the second round of the Delphi survey.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Panel inter-rater agreement and consistency were assessed as the overall percentage agreement and Cronbach's α.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

The umbrella review led to nine common criteria for assessing, grading, and reporting iAEs, and review of iAE grading systems led to two additional criteria. In the first Delphi round, 35 surgeons responded and two criteria were added. In the second Delphi round, 13 common criteria met the threshold for final guideline inclusion. All 13 criteria achieved the consensus minimum of 70%, with agreement on the usefulness of the criteria for clinical and quality improvement ranging from 74% to 100%. The mean inter-rater agreement was 89.0% for clinical improvement and 88.6% for quality improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

The ICARUS Global Collaboration criteria might aid in identifying important criteria when reporting iAEs, which will support all those involved in patient care and scientific publishing.

PATIENT SUMMARY

We consulted a panel of experienced surgeons to develop a set of guidelines for academic surgeons to follow when publishing surgical studies. The surgeon panel proposed a list of 13 criteria that may improve global understanding of complications during specific procedures and thus improve the ability to counsel patients on surgical risk.

Are We Hitting the Target?: The Effectiveness of Distinct Antibiotic Regimens in Pediatric Appendectomies

BACKGROUND

Currently, a range of different antibiotics are administered perioperatively during appendectomy surgery in the pediatric population. One reason for the lack of a uniform treatment regimen is the paucity of large studies on microbiologic data and susceptibility patterns.

METHODS

A retrospective, monocentric study on antibiotic susceptibility, including 1258 pediatric patients undergoing appendectomy from 2012 to 2020 was performed. Predictors for prolonged length of stay (LOS) and complications were determined using regression analysis, and objective criteria for broad-spectrum antibiotic regimens were identified. Simulations of the effectiveness of different antibiotic regimens against identified bacterial susceptibility results were conducted.

RESULTS

The most important predictors for prolonged LOS and an increased incidence of infectious complications are elevated preoperative C-reactive protein levels, high intraoperative severity gradings and insufficient primary antibiotic treatment. Based on our results, a simple antibiotic treatment, consisting of cefuroxime-metronidazole (C-M) or ampicillin-sulbactam (AS), is sufficient in around 85% of all patients; both options being equally efficient. In severe appendicitis, the likelihood of resistance is 31% and 32% for C-M and AS, respectively. For piperacillin-tazobactam and C-M-tobramycin, the incidence of bacterial resistance decreases to 12%. Resistance is reduced to 8% for AS-tobramycin treatment. The patient populations benefiting most from an extended antibiotic regimen are those with a high intraoperative severity grading.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence suggests that an insufficient antibiotic regimen is associated with a prolonged LOS and a higher rate of infectious complications, justifying the expansion of a simple antibiotic regimen in cases of severe intraabdominal findings. In all other cases, a simple antibiotic treatment with AS is recommended.

Management of Postoperative Complications Following Common Pediatric Operations

This review discusses complications unique to pediatric surgical populations. Here the authors focus primarily on five of the most common procedures performed in children: appendectomy, central venous catheterization, pyloromyotomy, gastrostomy, and inguinal/umbilical hernia repair.