Association Between Diagnosis-to-Limb Revascularization Time and Clinical Outcomes in Outpatients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia: Insights From the CLIPPER Cohort

BACKGROUND

The extent and consequences of ischemia in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) may change rapidly, and delays from diagnosis to revascularization may worsen outcomes. We sought to describe the association between time from diagnosis to endovascular lower extremity revascularization (diagnosis-to-limb revascularization [D2L] time) and clinical outcomes in outpatients with CLTI.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In the CLIPPER cohort, comprising patients between 66 and 86 years old diagnosed with CLTI betweeen 2010 and 2019, we used Medicare claims data to identify patients who underwent outpatient endovascular revascularization within 180 days of diagnosis. We described the risk-adjusted association between D2L time and clinical outcomes. Among 1 130 065 patients aged between 66 and 86 years with CLTI, 99 221 (8.8%) underwent outpatient endovascular lower extremity revascularization within 180 days of their CLTI diagnosis. Among patients with D2L time <30 days, there was no association between D2L time and all-cause death or major lower extremity amputation. However, among patients with D2L time >30 days, each additional 10-day increase in D2L time was associated with a 2.5% greater risk of major amputation (hazard ratio, 1.025 [95% CI, 1.014-1.036]). There was no association between D2L time and all-cause death.

CONCLUSIONS

A delay of >30 days from CLTI diagnosis to lower extremity endovascular revascularization was associated with an increased risk of major lower extremity amputation among patients undergoing outpatient endovascular revascularization. Improving systems of care to reduce D2L time could reduce amputations.

Factors Associated with Urgent Amputation Status and Its Impact on Mortality

OBJECTIVES

Thirty-day mortality is higher after urgent major lower extremity amputations compared to elective lower extremity amputations. This study aims to identify factors associated with urgent amputations and to examine their impact on perioperative outcomes and long-term mortality.

METHODS

Patients undergoing major lower limb amputation from 2013-2020 in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) were included. Urgent amputation was defined as occurring within 72 hours of admission. Associations with sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, and outcomes including postoperative complication, inpatient death, and long-term survival were compared using univariable tests and multivariable logistic regression. Long-term survival between groups was compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 12,874 patients included, 4,850 (37.7%) had urgent and 8,024 (62.3%) had elective amputations. Nonwhite patients required urgent amputation more often than white patients (39.8% vs 37.9%, P=0.03). A higher proportion of Medicaid and self-pay patients presented urgently (Medicaid:13.0% vs 11.0%; self-pay: 3.4% vs 2.5%, P< 0.001). Patients requiring urgent amputation were less often taking aspirin (55.6% vs 60.1%, P<0.001) or statin (62.2% vs 67.2%, P<0.001), had fewer prior revascularization procedures (41.0% vs 48.8%, P<0.001), and were of higher ASA class 4-5 (50.9% vs 40.1%, P<0.001). Urgent amputations were more commonly for uncontrolled infection (48.1% vs 29.4%, P< 0.001) or acute limb ischemia (14.3% vs 6.2%, P<0.001). Post-operative complications were higher after urgent amputations (34.7% vs 16.6%, P<0.001), including need for return to operating room (23.8% vs 8.4%, P< 0.001) and need for higher revision (15.2% vs 4.5%, P<0.001). Inpatient mortality was higher after urgent amputation (8.9% vs 5.4%, P<0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed non-white race, self-pay, homelessness, current smoking, ASA class 4-5, and amputations for uncontrolled infection or acute limb ischemia were associated with urgent status, whereas living in a nursing home or prior revascularization were protective. Further, urgent amputation was associated with an increased odds of postoperative complication or death (OR 1.86 [1.69-2.04], P<0.001) as well as long-term mortality (OR: 1.24 [1.13-1.35], P<0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis corroborated that elective status was associated with improvement of long-term survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients requiring urgent amputations are more often nonwhite, uninsured, and less frequently had prior revascularization procedures, revealing disparities in access to care. Urgency was associated with a higher post-operative complication rate, as well as increased long-term mortality. Efforts should be directed towards reducing these disparities to improve outcomes following amputation.

Impact of Hospital Affiliation With a Flagship Hospital System on Surgical Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To compare general surgery outcomes at flagship systems, flagship hospitals, and flagship hospital affiliates versus matched controls.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

It is unknown whether flagship hospitals perform better than flagship hospital affiliates for surgical patients.

METHODS

Using Medicare claims for 2018 to 2019, we matched patients undergoing inpatient general surgery in flagship system hospitals to controls who underwent the same procedure at hospitals outside the system but within the same region. We defined a "flagship hospital" within each region as the major teaching hospital with the highest patient volume that is also part of a hospital system; its system was labeled a "flagship system." We performed 4 main comparisons: patients treated at any flagship system hospital versus hospitals outside the flagship system; flagship hospitals versus hospitals outside the flagship system; flagship hospital affiliates versus hospitals outside the flagship system; and flagship hospitals versus affiliate hospitals. Our primary outcome was 30-day mortality.

RESULTS

We formed 32,228 closely matched pairs across 35 regions. Patients at flagship system hospitals (32,228 pairs) had lower 30-day mortality than matched control patients [3.79% vs. 4.36%, difference=-0.57% (-0.86%, -0.28%), P<0.001]. Similarly, patients at flagship hospitals (15,571/32,228 pairs) had lower mortality than control patients. However, patients at flagship hospital affiliates (16,657/32,228 pairs) had similar mortality to matched controls. Flagship hospitals had lower mortality than affiliate hospitals [difference-in-differences=-1.05% (-1.62%, -0.47%), P<0.001].

CONCLUSIONS

Patients treated at flagship hospitals had significantly lower mortality rates than those treated at flagship hospital affiliates. Hence, flagship system affiliation does not alone imply better surgical outcomes.

Assessing the Ambulatory Surgery Center Volume-Outcome Association

Importance

In surgical patients, it is well known that higher hospital procedure volume is associated with better outcomes. To our knowledge, this volume-outcome association has not been studied in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in the US.

Objective

To determine if low-volume ASCs have a higher rate of revisits after surgery, particularly among patients with multimorbidity.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This matched case-control study used Medicare claims data and analyzed surgeries performed during 2018 and 2019 at ASCs. The study examined 2328 ASCs performing common ambulatory procedures and analyzed 4751 patients with a revisit within 7 days of surgery (defined to be either 1 of 4735 revisits or 1 of 16 deaths without a revisit). These cases were each closely matched to 5 control patients without revisits (23 755 controls). Data were analyzed from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2019.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Seven-day revisit in patients (cases) compared with the matched patients without the outcome (controls) in ASCs with low volume (less than 50 procedures over 2 years) vs higher volume (50 or more procedures).

Results

Patients at a low-volume ASC had a higher odds of a 7-day revisit vs patients who had their surgery at a higher-volume ASC (odds ratio [OR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.09-1.36; P = .001). The odds of revisit for patients with multimorbidity were higher at low-volume ASCs when compared with higher-volume ASCs (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.27-1.94; P < .001). Among patients with multimorbidity in low-volume ASCs, for those who underwent orthopedic procedures, the odds of revisit were 84% higher (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.36-2.50; P < .001) vs higher-volume centers, and for those who underwent general surgery or other procedures, the odds of revisit were 36% higher (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.01-1.83; P = .05) vs a higher-volume center. The findings were not statistically significant for patients without multimorbidity.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this observational study, the surgical volume of an ASC was an important indicator of patient outcomes. Older patients with multimorbidity should discuss with their surgeon the optimal location of their care.

Health Care Use Among Patients Retroactively Insured via a Hospital-Based Insurance Linkage Program

OBJECTIVE

Over 25% of the 27 million uninsured individuals in the United States are eligible for Medicaid. Many hospitals have insurance linkage programs that assist eligible patients with enrollment, but little is known about the impact of these programs on care utilization. This research assessed health care utilization and health outcomes among patients enrolled in Medicaid via a hospital-based insurance linkage program.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included adults aged 18-64 admitted to the hospital from 2016 to 2021. Those who obtained insurance retroactively via insurance linkage (RI) were compared with those who presented with Medicaid (MI) or remained uninsured (UI). The primary outcome was the presence of at least one visit with a primary care provider (PCP) in the 12 months following index admission. Secondary outcomes included having an assigned PCP, ED revisits, and hospital readmissions. For patients with diabetes and hypertension, 12-month hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and blood pressure (BP) readings were tracked.

RESULTS

Of 3882 patients admitted with no insurance, 2905 (74.8%) were enrolled in insurance (RI). In multivariable analysis, RI patients were 14% more likely (OR 1.14, p = 0.020) to have completed at least one PCP visit by 12 months after index admission compared to those with preexisting Medicaid (MI), and uninsured patients were 29% less likely (OR 0.71, p = 0.003). MI and RI patients also had more ED revisits (p < 0.001) and greater 12-month reductions in blood pressure (p < 0.001) compared with uninsured patients.

CONCLUSION

Hospital-based insurance linkage reached three-quarters of uninsured patients and was associated with increased utilization of acute and outpatient health care services. An acute care encounter represents an opportunity to connect patients to insurance, a key step toward improving their health outcomes.

Mortality Among Older Medical Patients at Flagship Hospitals and Their Affiliates

BACKGROUND

We define a "flagship hospital" as the largest academic hospital within a hospital referral region and a "flagship system" as a system that contains a flagship hospital and its affiliates. It is not known if patients admitted to an affiliate hospital, and not to its main flagship hospital, have better outcomes than those admitted to a hospital outside the flagship system but within the same hospital referral region.

OBJECTIVE

To compare mortality at flagship hospitals and their affiliates to matched control patients not in the flagship system but within the same hospital referral region.

DESIGN

A matched cohort study PARTICIPANTS: The study used hospitalizations for common medical conditions between 2018-2019 among older patients age ≥ 66 years. We analyzed 118,321 matched pairs of Medicare patients admitted with pneumonia (N=57,775), heart failure (N=42,531), or acute myocardial infarction (N=18,015) in 35 flagship hospitals, 124 affiliates, and 793 control hospitals.

MAIN MEASURES

30-day (primary) and 90-day (secondary) all-cause mortality.

KEY RESULTS

30-day mortality was lower among patients in flagship systems versus control hospitals that are not part of the flagship system but within the same hospital referral region (difference= -0.62%, 95% CI [-0.88%, -0.37%], P<0.001). This difference was smaller in affiliates versus controls (-0.43%, [-0.75%, -0.11%], P=0.008) than in flagship hospitals versus controls (-1.02%, [-1.46%, -0.58%], P<0.001; difference-in-difference -0.59%, [-1.13%, -0.05%], P=0.033). Similar results were found for 90-day mortality.

LIMITATIONS

The study used claims-based data.

CONCLUSIONS

In aggregate, within a hospital referral region, patients treated at the flagship hospital, at affiliates of the flagship hospital, and in the flagship system as a whole, all had lower mortality rates than matched controls outside the flagship system. However, the mortality advantage was larger for flagship hospitals than for their affiliates.

Sex disparities in patients with acute aortic dissection: A scoping review

Disparities in outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease and those undergoing cardiac or vascular operations are well-established. These disparities often span several dimensions and persist despite advancements in medical and surgical care; sex is among the most pervasive. Specifically, females sex has been implicated as a predictor of poor outcomes in both patients with acute type A aortic dissections (ATAADs) and type B aortic dissections (TBADs). For instance, one study, using the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection database, found that females with acute aortic dissection-including ATAAD and TBAD that were either medically or surgically managed-had 40% higher odds of in-hospital mortality than men. Notably, both types of acute aortic dissections affect men more commonly than females and can be life-threatening without prompt, appropriate treatment. The underlying mechanisms for these disparities are unclear but are thought to be multifactorial. The association of sex with patterns of disease and outcomes in patients with ATAAD or TBAD remains unclear, with conflicting reports from different studies. Thus, we sought to review the literature regarding sex disparities in patients with ATAAD and TBAD.

Incorporation and Utilization of an Additional Needs Screener by Surgical Trainees for Comprehensive Care of Underserved and Underinsured Surgical Patients

OBJECTIVE

Comprehensive, socially-minded healthcare has historically been delivered in the primary care setting. For underserved patient populations, however, a surgical care episode may serve as the health care access point. To maximize patient wellbeing during the perioperative period, our surgical center developed the Additional Needs Screener (ANS). Operationalized into practice by GME and UME trainees, this tool screens surgical patients across 3 domains (social, emotional, and immigration needs) and connects patients to partner organizations if appropriate. This study describes the pilot utilization of the ANS among underserved and underinsured surgical patients.

DESIGN

Clinical quality improvement and retrospective cohort study of patients completing the ANS from implementation in September 2021 to September 2022.

SETTING

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, PA-a tertiary care center.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred and 10 underinsured and/or underserved patients completed at least 1 ANS domain.

RESULTS

Patients were majority female (55F, 53M, 2 other) and Hispanic/Latinx (72%) with a median age of 38 (IQR = 34-48). Most patients spoke a primary language other than English (77%), and nearly all were either uninsured (82%) or received emergency medical assistance or Medicaid (14%) at referral. Patients demonstrated significant needs; 39% endorsed difficulty affording housing, 32% endorsed difficulty paying for food, 29% endorsed experiencing current life-interfering distress, and 75% had undocumented immigration status. Ultimately, 57% of screened patients accepted referrals to our needs response teams.

CONCLUSIONS

Underserved and underinsured patients presenting for surgical care face significant challenges relating to social, emotional, and immigration needs. Through adoption of the ANS, trainees gained competency identifying and addressing these barriers in the perioperative period. Future works will focus on categorizing referral outcomes, developing interventions to increase patient trust, and improving screener dissemination.

Impact of Medicaid expansion on outcomes after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

OBJECTIVE

Lack of insurance has been independently associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, possibly due to worse control of comorbidities and delays in diagnosis and treatment. Medicaid expansion has improved insurance rates and access to care, potentially benefiting these patients. We sought to assess the association between Medicaid expansion and outcomes after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases data from 14 states between 2012 and 2018 was conducted. The sample was restricted to first-record abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs in adults under age 65 in states that expanded Medicaid on January 1, 2014 (Medicaid expansion group) or had not expanded before December 31, 2018 (non-expansion group). The Medicaid expansion and non-expansion groups were compared between pre-expansion (2012-2013) and post-expansion (2014-2018) time periods to assess baseline demographic and operative differences. We used difference-in-differences multivariable logistic regression adjusted for patient factors, open vs endovascular repair, and standard errors clustered by state. Our primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Outcomes were stratified by insurance type.

RESULTS

We examined 8995 patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, including 3789 (42.1%) in non-expansion states and 5206 (57.9%) in Medicaid expansion states. Rates of Medicaid insurance were unchanged in non-expansion states but increased in Medicaid expansion states post-expansion (non-expansion: 10.9% to 9.8%; P = .346; expansion: 9.7% to 19.7%; P < .001). One in 10 patients from both non-expansion and Medicaid expansion states presented with ruptured aneurysms, which did not change over time. Rates of open repair decreased in both non-expansion and Medicaid expansion states over time (non-expansion: 25.1% to 19.2%; P < .001; expansion: 25.2% to 18.4%; P < .001). On adjusted difference-in-differences analysis between expansion and non-expansion states pre-to post-expansion, Medicaid expansion was associated with a 1.02% absolute reduction in in-hospital mortality among all patients (95% confidence interval, -1.87% to -0.17%; P = .019). Additionally, among patients who were either on Medicaid or were uninsured (ie, the patients most likely to be impacted by Medicaid expansion), a larger 4.17% decrease in in-hospital mortality was observed (95% confidence interval, -6.47% to -1.87%; P < .001). In contrast, no significant difference-in-difference in mortality was observed for privately insured patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Medicaid expansion was associated with decreased in-hospital mortality after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair among all patients and particularly among patients who were either on Medicaid or were uninsured. Our results provide support for improved access to care for patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair through Medicaid expansion.

Redefining Multimorbidity in Older Surgical Patients

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity in surgery is common and associated with worse postoperative outcomes. However, conventional multimorbidity definitions (≥2 comorbidities) label the vast majority of older patients as multimorbid, limiting clinical usefulness. We sought to develop and validate better surgical specialty-specific multimorbidity definitions based on distinct comorbidity combinations.

STUDY DESIGN

We used Medicare claims for patients aged 66 to 90 years undergoing inpatient general, orthopaedic, or vascular surgery. Using 2016 to 2017 data, we identified all comorbidity combinations associated with at least 2-fold (general/orthopaedic) or 1.5-fold (vascular) greater risk of 30-day mortality compared with the overall population undergoing the same procedure; we called these combinations qualifying comorbidity sets. We applied them to 2018 to 2019 data (general = 230,410 patients, orthopaedic = 778,131 patients, vascular = 146,570 patients) to obtain 30-day mortality estimates. For further validation, we tested whether multimorbidity status was associated with differential outcomes for patients at better-resourced (based on nursing skill-mix, surgical volume, teaching status) hospitals vs all other hospitals using multivariate matching.

RESULTS

Compared with conventional multimorbidity definitions, the new definitions labeled far fewer patients as multimorbid: general = 85.0% (conventional) vs 55.9% (new) (p < 0.0001); orthopaedic = 66.6% vs 40.2% (p < 0.0001); and vascular = 96.2% vs 52.7% (p < 0.0001). Thirty-day mortality was higher by the new definitions: general = 3.96% (conventional) vs 5.64% (new) (p < 0.0001); orthopaedic = 0.13% vs 1.68% (p < 0.0001); and vascular = 4.43% vs 7.00% (p < 0.0001). Better-resourced hospitals offered significantly larger mortality benefits than all other hospitals for multimorbid vs nonmultimorbid general and orthopaedic, but not vascular, patients (general surgery difference-in-difference = -0.94% [-1.36%, -0.52%], p < 0.0001; orthopaedic = -0.20% [-0.34%, -0.05%], p = 0.0087; and vascular = -0.12% [-0.69%, 0.45%], p = 0.6795).

CONCLUSIONS

Our new multimorbidity definitions identified far more specific, higher-risk pools of patients than conventional definitions, potentially aiding clinical decision-making.

The Safety of Performing Surgery at Ambulatory Surgery Centers Versus Hospital Outpatient Departments in Older Patients With or Without Multimorbidity

BACKGROUND

Surgery for older Americans is increasingly being performed at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) rather than hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs), while rates of multimorbidity have increased.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether there are differential outcomes in older patients undergoing surgical procedures at ASCs versus HOPDs.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Matched cohort study.

SUBJECTS

Of Medicare patients, 30,958 were treated in 2018 and 2019 at an ASC undergoing herniorrhaphy, cholecystectomy, or open breast procedures, matched to similar HOPD patients, and another 32,702 matched pairs undergoing higher-risk procedures.

MEASURES

Seven and 30-day revisit and complication rates.

RESULTS

For the same procedures, HOPD patients displayed a higher baseline predicted risk of 30-day revisits than ASC patients (13.09% vs 8.47%, P < 0.0001), suggesting the presence of considerable selection on the part of surgeons. In matched Medicare patients with or without multimorbidity, we observed worse outcomes in HOPD patients: 30-day revisit rates were 8.1% in HOPD patients versus 6.2% in ASC patients ( P < 0.0001), and complication rates were 41.3% versus 28.8%, P < 0.0001. Similar patterns were also found for 7-day outcomes and in higher-risk procedures examined in a secondary analysis. Similar patterns were also observed when analyzing patients with and without multimorbidity separately.

CONCLUSIONS

The rates of revisits and complications for ASC patients were far lower than for closely matched HOPD patients. The observed initial baseline risk in HOPD patients was much higher than the baseline risk for the same procedures performed at the ASC, suggesting that surgeons are appropriately selecting their riskier patients to be treated at the HOPD rather than the ASC.

Analyzing Impact of Multimorbidity on Long-Term Outcomes after Emergency General Surgery: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the impact of multimorbidity on long-term outcomes for older emergency general surgery patients.

STUDY DESIGN

Medicare beneficiaries, age 65 and older, who underwent operative management of an emergency general surgery condition were identified using Centers for Medicare & Medicaid claims data. Patients were classified as multimorbid based on the presence of a Qualifying Comorbidity Set (a specific combination of comorbid conditions known to be associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality in the general surgery setting) and compared with those without multimorbidity. Risk-adjusted outcomes through 180 days after discharge from index hospitalization were calculated using linear and logistic regressions.

RESULTS

Of 174,891 included patients, 45.5% were identified as multimorbid. Multimorbid patients had higher rates of mortality during index hospitalization (5.9% vs 0.7%, odds ratio [OR] 3.05, p < 0.001) and through 6 months (17.1% vs 3.4%, OR 2.33, p < 0.001) after discharge. Multimorbid patients experienced higher rates of readmission at 1 month (22.9% vs 11.4%, OR 1.48, p < 0.001) and 6 months (38.2% vs 21.2%, OR 1.48, p < 0.001) after discharge, lower rates of discharge to home (42.5% vs 74.2%, OR 0.52, p < 0.001), higher rates of discharge to rehabilitation/nursing facility (28.3% vs 11.3%, OR 1.62, p < 0.001), greater than double the use of home oxygen, walker, wheelchair, bedside commode, and hospital bed (p < 0.001), longer length of index hospitalization (1.33 additional in-patient days, p < 0.001), and higher costs through 6 months ($5,162 additional, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Older, multimorbid patients experience worse outcomes, including survival and independent function, after emergency general surgery than nonmultimorbid patients through 6 months after discharge from index hospitalization. This information is important for setting recovery expectations for high-risk patients to improve shared decision-making.

Association between anaesthesia type and arteriovenous fistula maturation

BACKGROUND

Whereas general anaesthesia is commonly used for haemodialysis fistula creation, regional or local anaesthesia has been posited to lead to better fistula maturation outcomes. We sought to measure the association between anaesthesia type and arteriovenous fistula maturation.

METHODS

We performed a secondary analysis of data from the Hemodialysis Fistula Maturation study, a multicentre prospective cohort study of advanced chronic kidney disease patients who underwent single-stage upper extremity fistula creation between 2010 and 2013. We evaluated the relationship between anaesthesia type and unassisted (without maturation-facilitating interventions) or overall (unassisted or assisted) fistula maturation using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among 602 participants, 336 (55.8%) received regional/local anaesthesia and 266 (44.2%) received general anaesthesia. Unassisted maturation occurred in 164/309 patients (53.1%) after regional/local vs 91/226 patients (40.3%) after general anaesthesia (P=0.003). After adjustment for patient factors and fistula type, regional/local anaesthesia was associated with greater odds of unassisted maturation than general anaesthesia (odds ratio 1.72, 95% confidence interval 1.24-2.39; P=0.001). However, after further adjustment for clinical centre fixed effects, odds of unassisted maturation did not differ by anaesthesia type (odds ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval 0.78-1.36; P=0.830). Similar findings were observed for overall maturation and composite endpoints accounting for potential survivorship bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Regional/local anaesthesia was associated with increased odds of fistula maturation when adjusting for patient factors and fistula type. However, this association did not persist after adjusting for centre fixed effects. Future research is needed to better understand the relationship between anaesthesia type and centre factors to optimise outcomes after fistula surgery.

The Differential Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Disparities in Outcomes Following Peripheral Vascular Intervention

OBJECTIVES

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) disproportionately affects nonwhite, Hispanic/Latino, and low socioeconomic status patients, who are less likely to have insurance and routine healthcare visits. Medicaid expansion (ME) has improved insurance rates and access to care, potentially benefitting these patients. We sought to assess the impact of ME on disparities in outcomes after peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) for PAD.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of prospectively-collected Vascular Quality Initiative PVI procedures between 2011-2019 was conducted. The sample was restricted to first-record procedures in adults under age 65 in states that expanded Medicaid on 1/1/2014 (ME group) or had not expanded before 1/1/2019 (non-expansion [NE] group). ME and NE groups were compared between pre-expansion (2011-2013) and post-expansion (2014-2019) time periods to assess baseline demographic and operative differences. We used difference-in-differences multivariable logistic regression adjusted for patient factors and clinical center and year fixed effects. Our primary outcome was one-year major amputation. Secondary outcomes included trends in presentation, 30-day mortality, one-year mortality, and one-year primary and secondary patency. Outcomes were stratified by race and ethnicity.

RESULTS

We examined 34,313 PVI procedures, including 20,378 with follow up data. Rates of Medicaid insurance increased post-expansion in ME and NE states (ME 16.7% to 23.0%, p<0.001; NE 10.0% to 11.9%, p=0.013) while rates of self-pay decreased in ME states only (ME 4.6% to 1.8%, p<0.001; NE 8.1% to 8.4%, p=0.620). Adjusted difference-in-differences analysis revealed lower odds of urgent/emergent PVI among all patients and among nonwhite patients in ME states post-expansion compared to NE states (all: odds ratio [OR] 0.53 [95% confidence interval 0.33-0.87], p=0.011; nonwhite: OR 0.41 [0.19-0.88], p=0.023). No differences were observed for one-year major amputation (OR 0.70 [0.43-1.14], p=0.152), primary patency (OR 0.93 [0.63-1.38], p=0.726), or secondary patency (OR 1.29 [0.69-2.41], p=0.431). Odds of one-year mortality were higher in ME states post-expansion compared to NE states (OR 2.50 [1.07-5.87], p=0.035), although 30-day mortality was not different (OR 2.04 [0.60-6.90], p=0.253). Notably, odds of one-year major amputation among Hispanic/Latino patients decreased in ME states post-expansion compared to NE states (OR 0.11 [0.01-0.86], p=0.036).

CONCLUSIONS

ME was associated with lower odds of one-year major amputation among Hispanic/Latino patients who underwent PVI for PAD. ME was also associated with lower odds of urgent/emergent procedures among patients overall and nonwhite patients specifically. However, one-year mortality increased in the overall cohort. Further study is needed to corroborate our findings that ME may have benefits for certain underserved populations with PAD.

Kidney transplantation and donation in the transgender population: A single-institution case series

The medical needs of the transgender population are increasingly recognized within the US health care system. Hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery present distinct anatomic, hormonal, infectious, and psychosocial issues among transgender kidney transplant donors and recipients. We present the first reported experience with kidney transplantation and donation in transgender patients. A single-center case series (January 2014-December 2018) comprising 4 transgender kidney transplant recipients and 2 transgender living donors was constructed and analyzed. Experts in transplant surgery, transplant psychiatry, transplant infectious disease, pharmacy, and endocrinology were consulted to discuss aspects of care for these patients. Four transgender patients identified as male-to-female and 2 as female-to-male. Three of 6 had gender-affirming surgeries prior to transplant surgery, 1 of whom had further procedures posttransplant. Additionally, 4 patients were on hormone therapy. All 6 had psychiatric comorbidities. The 4 grafts have done well, with an average serum creatinine of 1.45 mg/dL at 2 years (range 1.01-1.85 mg/dL). However, patients encountered various postoperative complications, 1 of which was attributable to modified anatomy. Thus, transgender kidney transplant patients can present novel challenges in regard to surgical considerations as well as pre- and posttransplant care. Dedicated expertise is needed to optimize outcomes for this population.

Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score in Children: A Validity Study

BACKGROUND

The Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score (TLICS) has been shown to be a valid tool for assessing the need for surgical intervention in adult patients. There is limited insight into its usefulness in children.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the validity of the TLICS system in pediatric patients.

METHODS

The medical records for pediatric patients with acute, traumatic thoracolumbar fractures at two Level 1 trauma centers were reviewed retrospectively. A TLICS score was calculated for each patient using computed tomography and magnetic resonance images, along with the neurological examination recorded in the patient's medical record. TLICS scores were compared with the type of treatment received. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to quantify the validity of the TLICS scoring system.

RESULTS

TLICS calculations were completed for 165 patients. The mean TLICS score was 2.9 (standard deviation ± 2.7). Surgery was the treatment of choice for 23% of patients. There was statistically significant agreement between the TLICS suggested treatment and the actual treatment received (P < 0.001). The ROC curve calculated using multivariate logistic regression analysis of the TLICS system's parameters as a tool for predicting treatment demonstrated excellent discriminative ability, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.96, which was also statistically significant (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The TLICS system demonstrates good validity for selecting appropriate thoracolumbar fracture treatment in pediatric patients.

Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score in children: a reliability study

OBJECTIVE There are many classification systems for injuries of the thoracolumbar spine. The recent Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score (TLICS) has been shown to be a reliable tool for adult patients. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of the TLICS system in pediatric patients. The validity of the TLICS system is assessed in a companion paper. METHODS The medical records of pediatric patients with acute, traumatic thoracolumbar fractures at a single Level 1 trauma center were retrospectively reviewed. A TLICS was calculated for each patient using CT and MRI, along with the neurological examination recorded in the patient's medical record. TLICSs were compared with the type of treatment received. Five raters scored all patients separately to assess interrater reliability. RESULTS TLICS calculations were completed for 81 patients. The mean patient age was 10.9 years. Girls represented 51.8% of the study population, and 80% of the study patients were white. The most common mechanisms of injury were motor vehicle accidents (60.5%), falls (17.3%), and all-terrain vehicle accidents (8.6%). The mean TLICS was 3.7 ± 2.8. Surgery was the treatment of choice for 33.3% of patients. The agreement between the TLICS-suggested treatment and the actual treatment received was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The interrater reliability of the TLICS system ranged from moderate to very good, with a Fleiss' generalized kappa (κ) value of 0.69 for the TLICS treatment suggestion among all patients; however, interrater reliability decreased when MRI was used to contribute to the TLICS. The κ value decreased from 0.73 to 0.57 for patients with CT only vs patients with CT/MRI or MRI only, respectively (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, the agreement between suggested treatment and actual treatment was worse when MRI was used as part of injury assessment. CONCLUSIONS The TLICS system demonstrates good interrater reliability among physicians assessing thoracolumbar fracture treatment in pediatric patients. Physicians should be cautious when using MRI to aid in the surgical decision-making process.

Robotic surgery for lung resections-total port approach: advantages and disadvantages

Minimally invasive thoracic surgery, when compared with open thoracotomy, has been shown to have improved perioperative outcomes as well as comparable long-term survival. Robotic surgery represents a powerful advancement of minimally invasive surgery, with vastly improved visualization and instrument maneuverability, and is increasingly popular for thoracic surgery. However, there remains debate over the best robotic approaches for lung resection, with several different techniques evidenced and described in the literature. We delineate our method for total port approach with four robotic arms and discuss how its advantages outweigh its disadvantages. We conclude that it is preferred to other robotic approaches, such as the robotic assisted approach, due to its enhanced visualization, improved instrument range of motion, and reduced potential for injury.

Tips and tricks to decrease the duration of operation in robotic surgery for lung cancer

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for lung cancer has been associated with decreased perioperative morbidity while maintaining similar long-term survival when compared to open thoracotomy. Robotic thoracic surgery constitutes an evolutionary step in this field, beckoning dramatic advancements both in visualization as well as surgical instrument range of motion and ergonomics. As such, robotic thoracic surgery is growing in adoption worldwide. One of its oft-cited disadvantages, however, is increased operative time, especially for less-experienced surgeons. We describe an assortment of tips and tricks that we conclude can safely reduce robotic operative duration.