Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Infra-hepatic vena cava clamping (IIVCC) may reduce blood losses during liver resection. However, available literature is limited to reports from single institutions with a small sample size. To overcome those limitations, we performed a meta-analysis to examine the association between IIVCC and surgical outcomes. METHODS:A systematic literature review was conducted to identify RCTs reporting on quantitative data on IIVCC. Random effects logistic regression calculated the pooled odds ratio (OR) for each surgical outcome. RESULTS:Six studies were identified that included 714 patients, of whom 359 received IIVCC and 355 did not. Patients receiving IIVCC had significantly less total blood loss (MD - 353.08, 95% CI - 393.36 to 312.81, P < 0.00001), blood loss during parenchymal transection (MD - 243.28, 95% CI - 311.67 to - 174.88, P < 0.0001), blood loss volume per transection area (MD - 1.63, 95% CI - 2.14 to - 1.13, P < 0.00001), and intraoperative blood transfusion (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.89, P = 0.02). Operative time was similar in the two groups (MD - 2.89, 95% CI - 18.45 to 12.68, P = 0.72). No differences between groups were observed in central venous pressure, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure before, after, and during parenchymal transection. Rates of overall morbidity (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.56-1.13, P = 0.20), major complications (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.47-1.80, P = 0.73), and perioperative mortality (OR 1.32, 95% CI 0.29-6.09, P = 0.72) were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS:IIVCC was associated to decreased blood loss (overall, during parenchymal transection, and per transection area) and decreased intraoperative transfusions, in the absence of increased operative times.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative chemotherapy in gastric cancer is increasingly used since the "MAGIC" trial, while clinical practice data outside of trials remain limited. We sought to evaluate the predictors and prognostic implications of perioperative chemotherapy completion in patients undergoing curative-intent gastrectomy across multiple US institutions. METHODS: Patients who underwent curative-intent resection of gastric adenocarcinoma between 2000 and 2012 in eight institutions of the US Gastric Cancer Collaborative were identified. Patients who received preoperative chemotherapy were included, while those who died within 90 days or with unknown adjuvant chemotherapy status were excluded. Predictors of chemotherapy completion and survival were identified using multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards. RESULTS: One hundred sixty three patients were included (median age 63.3, 36.8% female). The postoperative component of perioperative chemotherapy was administered in 112 (68.7%) patients. Factors independently associated with receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy were younger age (odds ratio (OR) 2.73, P = 0.03), T3 tumors (OR 14.3, P = 0.04), lymph node metastasis (OR 5.82, P = 0.03), and D2 lymphadenectomy (OR 4.12, P = 0.007), and, inversely, postoperative complications (OR 0.25, P = 0.008). Median overall survival (OS) was 25.1 months and 5-year OS was 36.5%. Predictors of OS were preexisting cardiac disease (hazard ratio (HR) 2.7, 95% CI 1.13-6.46), concurrent splenectomy (HR 4.11, 95% CI 1.68-10.0), tumor stage (reference stage I; stage II HR 2.62; 95% CI 0.99-6.94; stage III HR 4.86, 95% CI 1.81-13.02), and D2 lymphadenectomy (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.19-0.95). After accounting for these factors, adjuvant chemotherapy administration was associated with improved OS (HR 0.33, 95% CI 0.14-0.82). CONCLUSION: Completion of perioperative chemotherapy was successful in two thirds of patients with gastric cancer and was independently associated with improved survival.

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether the surgical Apgar score (SAS) may enhance the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) risk assessment for prediction of early postoperative outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated demographics, medical history, procedure, SAS, VASQIP assessment, and postoperative data for patients undergoing major/extensive intra-abdominal surgery at the Manhattan Veterans Affairs between October 2006 and September 2011. End points were overall morbidity and 30-, 60- , and 90-day mortality. Pearson's chi-square, ANOVA, and multivariate regression modeling were employed. RESULTS: Six hundred twenty-nine patients were included. Apgar groups did not differ in age, sex, and race. Low SASs were associated with worse functional status, increased postoperative morbidity, and 30-, 60- , and 90-day mortality rates. SAS did not significantly enhance VASQIP prediction of postoperative outcomes, although a trend was detected. Multivariate analysis confirmed SAS as an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: SAS effectively identifies veterans at high risk for poor postoperative outcome. Additional studies are necessary to evaluate the role of SAS in enhancing VASQIP risk prediction.

BACKGROUND: The management of ectopic pancreas is not well defined. This study aims to determine the prevalence of symptomatic ectopic pancreas and identify those who may benefit from treatment, with a particular focus on robotically assisted surgical management. METHODS: Our institutional pathology database was queried to identify a cohort of ectopic pancreas specimens. Additional clinical data regarding clinical symptomatology, diagnostic studies, and treatment were obtained through chart review. RESULTS: Nineteen cases of ectopic pancreas were found incidentally during surgery for another condition or found incidentally in a pathologic specimen (65.5%). Eleven patients (37.9%) reported prior symptoms, notably abdominal pain and/or gastrointestinal bleeding. The most common locations for ectopic pancreas were the duodenum and small bowel (31% and 27.6%, respectively). Three out of 29 cases (10.3%) had no symptoms, but had evidence of preneoplastic changes on pathology, while one harbored pancreatic cancer. Over the years, treatment of ectopic pancreas has shifted from open to laparoscopic and more recently to robotic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience is in line with existing evidence supporting surgical treatment of symptomatic or complicated ectopic pancreas. In the current era, minimally invasive and robotic surgery can be used safely and successfully for treatment of ectopic pancreas.

Objective: We sought to assess our experience between a private (TH) and a public hospital (BH), both staffed by faculty and trainees of the same major university medical center. Methods: Our gastric cancer database was used to identify patients undergoing curative intent resection. Descriptive statistics were used to compare demographic data. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to examine recurrence (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Multivariate proportional hazards regression was used to identify factors associated with RFS and OS. Data were risk - and disease stage-stratified. Results: There were 100 patients in the BH group and 242 in the TH group, with a median age 55 and 70.5 years respectively (p<0.001). The majority of BH patients were Asians (60, 60%), and Caucasians (172, 72.3%) in the TH group. The median number of days from diagnosis to surgical intervention at BH was 47.5 vs. 30 days in the TH (p=0.01). BH group had a smaller BMI and more frequently received distal or subtotal gastrectomy. Perioperative morbidity and mortality was equally distributed, as was 30-day readmission rate. Pathologic staging was similarly distributed. By multivariate analysis, hospital of treatment was not associated with RFS (p=0.48) nor OS (p=0.56). Conclusions: Patients receiving care for gastric cancer at major public hospitals have equally good clinical outcomes when compared to patients treated at private hospitals, if cared for by physicians within the same institution dedicated to disease specific entities. Overall survival by treatment hospital

The minimally invasive approach to parathyroid glands represents an important field of application of radioguided surgery. As always happens, in all cases pertaining to hyper-specialized skills, scientific production has long been the prerogative of a few Authors, but the ever increasing technological diffusion, combined with excellent results often achieved, increases the interest in this technique. This is particularly true in the era of minimally invasive surgery. The Authors realize a review of the existing literature to allow an overall view of current knowledge on this particular topic and to guide future research.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer constitutes a major public health problem. This study sought to evaluate the relevance of race in gastric cancer and its prognostic effect in the overall outcomes of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: Patients who underwent curative intent resection of gastric adenocarcinoma in 8 institutions of the US Gastric Cancer Collaborative were included, from 2000 to 2012. Nonparametric descriptive statistics were used to evaluate characteristics of standard demographic data. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify factors associated with recurrence-free survival and overall survival. RESULTS: There were 1,077 patients included in the study, the majority of whom were of Caucasian race (n = 698, 68%), followed by African-American (n = 164, 15%), Asian (n = 132, 12%), Hispanic (n = 34, 3.2%), and other (n = 49, 4.5%). Clinicopathologic data were similarly distributed among the 5 groups. Mean follow-up was 27.1 months. By multivariate, stage-specific analysis, Asian race was a significant predictor of recurrence (all stages hazard ratio [HR] 0.45 95% CI [0.23, 0.97], p = 0.041) and of overall survival (all stages HR 0.35 95% CI [0.18, 0.68], p = 0.002). Recurrence-free survival was significantly increased in the Asian population compared with the non-Asian population (25th percentile: 38.6 vs 17.7 months, p = 0.0096), as was overall median survival (141 vs 38.8 months, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients of Asian race undergoing curative gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma appear to have a better prognosis stage for stage. Further studies are required to elucidate the underlying etiology of this phenomenon.