Introduction Improvements in the ability to predict pancreatic fistula could enhance patient outcomes. Previous studies demonstrate that drain fluid amylase on postoperative day 1 (DFA1) is predictive of pancreatic fistula. We sought to assess the accuracy of DFA1 and to identify a reliable DFA1 threshold under which pancreatic fistula is ruled out. Methods Patients undergoing pancreatic resection from November 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012 were selected from the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pancreatectomy Demonstration Project data-base. Pancreatic fistula was defined as drainage of amylase-rich fluid with drain continuation >7 days, percutaneous drainage, or reoperation for a pancreatic fluid collection. Univariate and multi-variable regression models were utilized to identify factors predictive of pancreatic fistula. Results DFA1 was recorded in 536 of 2,805 patients who underwent pancreatic resection, including pancreaticoduodenectomy (n=380), distal pancreatectomy (n=140), and enucleation (n=16). Pancreatic fistula occurred in 92/536 (17.2 %) patients. DFA1, increased body mass index, small pancreatic duct size, and soft texture were associated with fistula (p<0.05). A DFA1 cutoff value of <90 U/L demonstrated the highest negative predictive value of 98.2 %. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve confirmed the predictive relationship of DFA1 and pancreatic fistula. Conclusion Low DFA1 predicts the absence of a pancreatic fistula. In patients with DFA1<90 U/L, early drain removal is advisable.

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Objectives Determine if patients prefer multi-vessel percutaneous coronary intervention (mv-PCI) over coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) for treatment of symptomatic multi-vessel coronary artery disease (mv-CAD) despite high 1-year risk. Background Patient risk perception and preference for CABG or mv-PCI to treat medically refractory mv-CAD is poorly understood. We hypothesize that patients prefer mv-PCI instead of CABG even when quoted high mv-PCI risk. Methods 585 patients and 31 physicians were presented standardized questionnaires with a hypothetical scenario describing chest pain and medically refractory mv-CAD. CABG or mv-PCI were presented as treatment options. Risk scenarios included variable 1-year risks of death, stroke and repeat procedures for mv-PCI and fixed risks for CABG. Participants indicated their preference of revascularization method based on the presented risks. We calculated the odds that patients or physicians would favor mv-PCI over CABG across a range of quoted risks of death, stroke and repeat procedures. Results For nearly all quoted risks, patients preferred mv-PCI over CABG, even when the risk of death was double the risk with CABG or the risk of repeat procedures was more than three times that for CABG (p<0.0001). Compared to patients, physicians chose mv-PCI less often than CABG as the risk of death and repeat procedures increased (p<0.001 and p=0.004, respectively). Conclusion Patients favor mv-PCI over CABG to treat mv-CAD, even if 1-year risks of death and repeat procedures far exceed risk with CABG. Physicians are more influenced by actual risk and prefer mv-PCI less than patients despite similarly quoted 1-year risks.

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Background: Outcomes after migraine surgery have been previously assessed using quantitative measurements, including the migraine headache index. Qualitative methodologies offer the ability to analyze patients’ perceptions and pain experience, and may point to changes in domains not captured by quantitative instruments. The purpose of this study was to characterize individual patients’ experiences with migraines and to analyze how patients’ experience of headaches changes in relation to surgery. Methods: Patients who previously underwent migraine surgery performed by a single surgeon participated in semistructured interviews at least 1 year after surgery. Purposive sampling was used to recruit patients [n = 15 (73 percent female)]. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. A multidisciplinary team with backgrounds in surgery, pain management, medicine, and health services research coded and analyzed transcripts. Results: Participants reported improvements in one or more domains of pain following surgery, and changes in medication use and effectiveness. Even in individuals with persistent pain postoperatively, surgery appeared to facilitate an improvement in headache self-efficacy, including an ability to participate in daily activities. Migraineurs frequently described a new degree of control over at least one aspect of their pain. Conclusions: Migraine surgery appears to positively impact patients’ lives in ways that support and expand on previously published outcomes. Patients report benefiting from surgery in ways that are not currently captured in commonly used metrics. This study’s findings support the need for more specific patient-reported outcome measures to help clinicians and patients understand the impact of surgery and which outcomes matter most to patients.

Summary: The most commonly used approach for a greater occipital nerve decompression is through a vertical midline incision, with multiple authors reporting favorable long-term outcomes. A transverse approach to the occipital nerves has been described, yet it does not include the use of fat flaps to insulate the decompressed nerves. In this study, we describe the use of a single transverse incision with modified “W” fat flaps to decompress both the greater and lesser occipital nerves. This allows for wider exposure of the nerves without the need for an additional incision to access the lesser occipital nerve. The described technique provides increased reach and versatility of the fat flap, allowing for coverage over a longer course of the nerve and further cephalad, close to the bony skull base. In addition, the fat flaps cover the greater occipital nerve closer to its native position, as opposed to bringing the nerve into a subcutaneous position. This, theoretically, keeps the nerve in a more protected deep position and technically makes it easier to avoid any tendency for kinking the nerves while wrapping them with the fat flap. Our experience has demonstrated that this modified technique is not only safe but also efficacious in affecting a statistically significant reduction (70% improvement, P = 0.004) in migraine headache index and HIT-6 scores. This study provides further evidence that nerve decompression for headache following the principles described by Guyuron is an efficacious and reproducible procedure and that a proper nerve decompression is effective in reducing headache.

Background:Social media have been used to study many aspects of health and human behavior. Although social media present a unique opportunity to obtain unsolicited patient-reported outcomes, its use has been limited in plastic and reconstructive surgical procedures, including migraine nerve surgery. The goal of this study was to utilize the most popular social media site, Facebook, to evaluate patients’ experience with migraine surgery.Methods:Six months of data regarding nerve surgery, nerve stimulators, and radiofrequency nerve ablation were collected from posts and comments written by members of 2 Facebook groups. Outcomes were classified by degree of resolution of symptoms.Results:A total of 639 posts related to migraine surgery. Of 304 posts commenting on postoperative success of nerve surgery, 16% reported elimination of headaches and 65% significant improvement (81% with complete or significant improvement), 5% partial improvement, 11% no change, and 3% worsening symptoms. Nerve surgery had a higher success rate than nerve stimulators and radiofrequency ablation. Nerve surgery was recommended by 90% of users.Conclusions:The 81% rate of complete or significant improvement of symptoms in this study is close to the 79% to 84% shown in current literature. Similar to the findings of a recent systematic review, surgery is more efficacious compared with nerve stimulators and ablation. This study adds to evidence favoring migraine surgery by removing evaluator bias and demonstrates that surgical outcomes and satisfaction data may be obtained from social media.