Impact of Mental Health on General Surgery Patients and Strategies to Improve Outcomes

Qualitative Assessment of Provider Approaches to Dilation after Vaginoplasty

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Most surgical vaginoplasties are followed postoperatively, when age appropriate, by patient-led dilation to maintain patency, but there is a lack of both standardized protocols and research comparing dilation practices within and across surgical routes. This study's objective was to determine surgeon attitudes about dilation and learn what protocols they use and endorse to take steps toward addressing the literature gap around dilation practices and outcomes.

METHODS

We performed semi-structured interviews about dilation practices with 10 providers (9 surgeons, 1 nurse) involved in vaginoplasty at a single tertiary care children's hospital. The interview recordings were transcribed, and thematic analysis was performed using an iterative process of coding, re-coding, and generation of themes.

RESULTS

Three major themes were generated from the analysis. First, interviewees described variable definitions of success regarding dilation after vaginoplasty, describing both patient-centered and anatomically objective outcomes. They also discussed a lack of standardization of techniques, with many echoing confusion or frustration regarding this, both in training and in practice. Finally, they described the ad hoc inclusion of behavioral health as a collaborator for patient dilation education. This was reviewed as something often believed to be necessary to dilation success but not explicitly included in dilation protocols.

CONCLUSION

This study of clinicians' experiences with dilation after vaginoplasty highlights the diversity of approaches used, the lack of standardization in training, and the gaps in existing research to inform best practices.

Personal risk factors for pressure injuries among wheelchair users: an umbrella review of new insights in 2024

Purpose:Pressure injuries (PrI) are a prevalent and serious health issue for wheelchair users. This study aims to identify the personal factors associated with PrI occurrence and their significance by synthesizing existing literature.

Materials and methods:We conducted an umbrella review, systematically searching four databases for reviews published from 2007 to May 2024. The search terms were selected by an independent, experienced librarian. To evaluate the risk of bias and methodological quality of the included studies, we applied the ROBIS tool and the GROOVE procedure. Identified risk factors were categorized into relevant groups.

Results:After an assessment of 5,797 potential articles, 21 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among these, 43% were systematic reviews, 24% meta-analyses, 19% literature reviews, 9% scoping reviews, and 5% narrative reviews. The findings revealed 33 individual personal factors, categorized into the general health, clinical condition, initial pathology, environment/lifestyle, person-related, and combined risk factor groups. Key individual risk factors frequently encountered among wheelchair users included advanced age, obesity, spinal cord injury (SCI), higher levels of SCI, diabetes, infections, incontinence, immobility, respiratory and perfusion impairments, sensory perception issues, and low physical activity.

Conclusions:This study is the first to synthesize literature on internal risk factors associated with PrI among wheelchair users. It confirmed well-established factors such as SCI, diabetes, and aging. The findings provide healthcare professionals and decision-makers with critical information for the prevention and management of PrI in this population, offering new insights into adopting a holistic approach to assessing and addressing individual risks factors.

Psychiatric Diagnoses Are Associated With Postoperative Disparities in Patients Undergoing Major Colorectal Operations

BACKGROUND

Over 50% of hospitalized patients have comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, resulting in increased risk of morbidity such as longer lengths of stay, worse health-related quality of life, and increased mortality. However, data regarding colorectal surgery postoperative outcomes in patients with psychiatric diagnoses (PD) are limited.

METHODS

We queried a single institution's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from 2013-2019 for major colorectal procedures. Postsurgical outcomes for patients with and without PD were compared. Primary outcomes were prolonged length of stay (pLOS) and 30-day readmission.

RESULTS

From a total of 1447 patients, 402 (27.8%) had PD. PD had more smokers (20.9% vs 15%) and higher mean body mass index (29.1 kg/m2 vs 28.2 kg/m2). Bivariate outcomes showed more surgical site infections (SSI) (10.2% vs 6.12%), reoperation (9.45% vs 6.35%), and pLOS (34.8% vs 29.0%) (all P values <.05) in the PD group. On multivariate analysis, PD had higher likelihood of reoperation (OR 1.53, 95% CI: [1.02-2.80]) and SSI (OR 1.82, 95% CI: [1.25-2.66]).

DISCUSSION

Psychiatric diagnoses are a risk factor for adverse outcomes after colorectal procedures. Further studies are needed to evaluate the benefit of perioperative mental health support services for these patients.

The Impact of Mental Health on Patient Outcomes in Peripheral Arterial Disease and Critical Limb Threatening Ischemia and Potential Avenues to Treatment

The physical consequences of peripheral artery disease (PAD) are well established; however, the impact of comorbid mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are not well understood. The impact of psychological stress is not only associated with worse perioperative morbidity and mortality but also with a physiologic cascade that accelerates plaque formation. Increasing screening to identify and subsequently treat comorbid mental health disorders is an integral next step in improving outcomes in PAD management. Failure to adequately address social and psychological impact on PAD patients will further widen the gap in disparities faced by high-risk and disenfranchised populations. Integration of mental health professionals, addiction specialists, and community navigators into multidisciplinary care teams can bolster support for PAD patients and improve outcomes.

Total knee arthroplasty in schizophrenia patients: early complications and cost in a propensity-matched national database study

INTRODUCTION

Studies investigating the link between mental health disorders and complications following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have found worse outcomes in individuals with such disorders. Therefore, risk factors and outcomes following TKA in patients with schizophrenia should be better understood. This study aims to investigate cost and duration of hospital stay, inpatient complications, and mortality associated with TKA in patients with schizophrenia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Utilizing the NIS database from 2016 to 2019, patients that underwent TKA were selected using ICD-10 codes. The selected patients were classified into a schizophrenia or control group and cost, hospitalization length, complications, and mortality rates were compared between the two groups in an unmatched and matched analysis.

RESULTS

Our study dataset consisted of 558,371 patients that underwent a TKA during 2016 to 2019. 1,015 (0.2%) patients in the sample had a diagnosis of schizophrenia while the remaining 557,357 (99.8%) patients had no record of schizophrenia. An unmatched analysis found that schizophrenia patients had longer duration of hospital stay and greater charges incurred. Acute renal failure, myocardial infarction (MI), blood loss anemia, pneumonia, DVT, periprosthetic fracture, prosthetic dislocation, and periprosthetic infections were post-op complications with higher rates in the schizophrenia group. A matched cohort analysis found that schizophrenia patients still had longer duration of hospital stay and greater charges incurred. However, only acute renal failure, blood loss anemia, and pneumonia were found at higher rates in the schizophrenia group following TKA.

CONCLUSIONS

Schizophrenia patients had a significantly longer hospital stay and increased charges acquired during their stay compared to the control group following TKA. Acute renal failure, blood loss anemia, and pneumonia were medical complications with an increased risk following TKA in patients with schizophrenia in a matched analysis. Increased care during the perioperative period following TKA in individuals with schizophrenia is thus warranted.

Relating preoperative MCS-12 to microdiscectomy outcomes

PURPOSE

To determine the impact of poor mental health on patient-reported and surgical outcomes after microdiscectomy.

METHODS

Patients ≥ 18 years who underwent a single-level lumbar microdiscectomy from 2014 to 2021 at a single academic institution were retrospectively identified. Patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) were collected at preoperative, three-month, and one-year postoperative time points. PROMs included the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale Back and Leg (VAS Back and VAS Leg, respectively), and the mental and physical component of the short form-12 survey (MCS and PCS). The minimum clinically important differences (MCID) were employed to compare scores for each PROM. Patients were categorized as having worse mental health or better mental health based on a MCS threshold of 50.

RESULTS

Of 210 patients identified, 128 (61%) patients had a preoperative MCS score ≤ 50. There was no difference in 90-day surgical readmissions or spine reoperations within one year. At 3- and 12-month time points, both groups demonstrated improvements in all PROMs (p < 0.05). At three months postoperatively, patients with worse mental health had significantly lower PCS (42.1 vs. 46.4, p = 0.004) and higher ODI (20.5 vs. 13.3, p = 0.006) scores. Lower mental health scores were associated with lower 12-month PCS scores (43.3 vs. 48.8, p < 0.001), but greater improvements in 12-month ODI (- 28.36 vs.  - 18.55, p = 0.040).

CONCLUSION

While worse preoperative mental health was associated with lower baseline and postoperative PROMs, patients in both groups experienced similar improvements in PROMs. Rates of surgical readmissions and reoperations were similar among patients with varying preoperative mental health status.

Burden of Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health on Infectious Complications in Emergency General Surgery

Background: Infectious complications lead to worse post-operative outcomes and are used to compare hospital performance in pay-for-performance programs. However, the impact of social and behavioral determinants of health on infectious complication rates after emergency general surgery (EGS) remains unclear. Patients and Methods: All patients undergoing EGS in the 2019 Nationwide Readmissions Database were included. The primary outcome of the study was the rate of infectious complications within 30 days, defined as a composite outcome including all infectious complications occurring during the index hospitalization or 30-day re-admission. Secondary outcomes included specific infectious complication rates. Multivariable regression analyses were used to study the impact of patient characteristics, social determinants of health (insurance status, median household income in the patient's residential zip code), and behavioral determinants of health (substance use disorders, neuropsychiatric comorbidities) on post-operative infection rates. Results: Of 367,917 patients included in this study, 20.53% had infectious complications. Medicare (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-1.34; p < 0.001), Medicaid (aOR, 1.24; 95% CI,1.19-1.29; p < 0.001), lowest zip code income quartile (aOR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.13-1.22; p < 0.001), opioid use disorder (aOR,1.18; 95% CI,1.10-1.29; p < 0.001), and neurodevelopmental disorders (aOR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.90-2.45; p < 0.001) were identified as independent predictors of 30-day infectious complications. A similar association between determinants of health and infectious complications was also seen for pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTI), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sepsis, and catheter-association urinary tract infection (CAUTI). Conclusions: Social and behavioral determinants of health are associated with a higher risk of developing post-operative infectious complications in EGS. Accounting for these factors in pay-for-performance programs and public reporting could promote fairer comparisons of hospital performance.

Incidence and predictors of case cancellation within 24 h in patients scheduled for elective surgical procedures

OBJECTIVE

Avoidable case cancellations within 24 h reduce operating room (OR) efficiency, add unnecessary costs, and may have physical and emotional consequences for patients and their families. We developed and validated a prediction tool that can be used to guide same day case cancellation reduction initiatives.

DESIGN

Retrospective hospital registry study.

SETTING

University-affiliated hospitals network (NY, USA).

PATIENTS

246,612 (1/2016-6/2021) and 58,662 (7/2021-6/2022) scheduled elective procedures were included in the development and validation cohort.

MEASUREMENTS

Case cancellation within 24 h was defined as cancelling a surgical procedure within 24 h of the scheduled date and time. Our candidate predictors were defined a priori and included patient-, procedural-, and appointment-related factors. We created a prediction tool using backward stepwise logistic regression to predict case cancellation within 24 h. The model was subsequently recalibrated and validated in a cohort of patients who were recently scheduled for surgery.

MAIN RESULTS

8.6% and 8.7% scheduled procedures were cancelled within 24 h of the intended procedure in the development and validation cohort, respectively. The final weighted score contains 29 predictors. A cutoff value of 15 score points predicted a 10.3% case cancellation rate with a negative predictive value of 0.96, and a positive predictive value of 0.21. The prediction model showed good discrimination in the development and validation cohort with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.79-0. 80) and an AUC of 0.73 (95% confidence interval 0.72-0.73), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We present a validated preoperative prediction tool for case cancellation within 24 h of surgery. We utilize the instrument in our institution to identify patients with high risk of case cancellation. We describe a process for recalibration such that other institutions can also use the score to guide same day case cancellation reduction initiatives.