Patients with melanoma of the face treated with MMS had similar melanoma-specific mortality or overall survival outcome as patients treated by other surgical modalities.

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IMPORTANCE Little evidence exists to guide the management of moderately dysplastic nevi excisionally biopsied without residual clinical pigmentation but with positive histologic margins (hereafter referred to as moderately dysplastic nevi with positive histologic margins). OBJECTIVETo determine outcomes and risk for the development of subsequent cutaneous melanoma (CM) from moderately dysplastic nevi with positive histologic margins observed for 3 years or more. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A multicenter (9 US academic dermatology sites) retrospective cohort study was conducted of patients 18 years or older with moderately dysplastic nevi with positive histologic margins and 3 years or more of follow-up data collected consecutively from January 1, 1990, to August 31, 2014. Records were reviewed for patient demographics, biopsy type, pathologic findings, and development of subsequent CM at the biopsy site or elsewhere on the body. The χ 2 test, the Fisher exact test, and analysis of variance were used to assess univariate association for risk of subsequent CMs, in addition to multivariable logistic regression models. To confirm histologic grading, each site submitted 5 random representative slide cases for central dermatopathologic review. Statistical analysis was performed from MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Development of CM at a biopsy site or elsewhere on the body where there were moderately dysplastic nevi with positive histologic margins. RESULTS A total of 467 moderately dysplastic nevi with positive histologic margins from 438 patients (193 women and 245 men; mean [SD] age, 46.7 [16.1] years) were evaluated. No cases developed into CM at biopsy sites, with a mean (SD) follow-up time of 6.9 (3.4) years. However, 100 patients (22.8%) developed a CM at a separate site. Results of multivariate analyses revealed that history of CM was significantly associated with the risk of development of subsequent CM at a separate site (odds ratio, 11.74; 95% CI, 5.71-24.15; P < .001), as were prior biopsied dysplastic nevi (odds ratio, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.23-5.28; P = .01). The results of a central dermatopathologic review revealed agreement in 35 of 40 cases (87.5%). Three of 40 cases (7.5%) were upgraded in degree of atypia; of these, 1 was interpreted as melanoma in situ. That patient remains without recurrence or evidence of CM after 5 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEThis study suggests that close observation with routine skin surveillance is a reasonable management approach for moderately dysplastic nevi with positive histologic margins. However, having 2 or more biopsied dysplastic nevi (with 1 that is a moderately dysplastic nevus) appears to be associated with increased risk for subsequent CM at a separate site.

The rate of ulcerative colitis (UC), an inflammatory bowel disease, has been on the rise in the United States for the last several decades. Colectomy can be performed when other treatment options cannot provide a reasonable quality of life to patients with UC. Frailty has been shown to be a strong tool for evaluating preoperative risk factors for poor postoperative outcomes. The National Surgical Quality and Improvement Program cross-institutional database was used for this study. Data from 943 patients who underwent colectomy for UC between 2005 and 2012 were evaluated. Modified frailty index (mFI) is a previously described and validated 11-variable frailty measure used in the National Surgical Quality and Improvement Program to assess frailty. Outcome measures included serious morbidity; overall morbidity; cardiopulmonary, septic, and wound complications; and Clavien class IV (requiring ICU) and V (mortality) complications. Median age was 46 years and median body mass index was 25.5 Kg/m2. In all, 54.3 per cent of patients were male and 39.38 per cent of patients were American Society of Anesthesiologists Class lll or higher. The median mFI was 0 (0–0.54). As the mFI increased from 0 (nonfrail) to 0.18 and above, the overall morbidity increased from 25.40 to 52.1 per cent ( P < 0.05), serious morbidity increased from 14.9 to 42.1 per cent ( P < 0.05), septic complications increased from 9.87 to 21.49 per cent ( P < 0.05), cardiopulmonary complications increased from 2.98 to 23.14 per cent ( P < 0.05), Clavien class IV complications increased from 3.5 to 26.5 per cent ( P < 0.05), and Clavien V complications increased from 0.16 to 6.61 per cent ( P < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, mFI was an independent predictor of septic complications [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 31.26; P = 0.006], cardiopulmonary complications (AOR: 216.3; P ≤ 0.001), serious morbidity(AOR: 66.8; P ≤ 0.001), overall morbidity (AOR: 25.5; P ≤ 0.001), Clavien class IV (AOR: 204.9; P ≤ 0.001) complications, and return to the operating room (AOR: 14.29; P = 0.048). Frailty is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality after colectomy in patients with UC. mFI is an easy-to-use tool and can play an important role in the risk stratification of these patients.

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Frailty has been noted as a powerful predictive preoperative tool for 30-day postoperative complications. We sought to evaluate the association between frailty and postoperative outcomes after colectomy for Clostridium difficile colitis. The National Surgical Quality and Improvement Program cross-institutional database was used for this study. Data from 470 patients with a diagnosis of C. difficile colitis were used in the study. Modified frailty index (mFI) is a previously described and validated 11-variable frailty measure used with the National Surgical Quality and Improvement Program to assess frailty. Outcome measures included serious morbidity, overall morbidity, and Clavien IV (requiring ICU) and Clavien V (mortality) complications. The median age was 70 years and body mass index was 26.9 kg/m2. 55.6 per cent of patients were females. 98.5 per cent of patients were assigned American Society of Anesthesiologists Class III or higher. The median mFI was 0.27 (0–0.63). Because mFI increased from 0 (non-frail) to 0.55 and above, the overall morbidity increased from 53.3 per cent to 84.4 per cent and serious morbidity increased from 43.3 per cent to 78.1 per cent. The Clavien IV complication rate increased from 30.0 per cent to 75.0 per cent. The mortality rate increased from 6.7 per cent to 56.2 per cent. On a multivariate analysis, mFI was an independent predictor ofoverall morbidity (AOR: 13.0; P < 0.05), mortality (AOR: 8.8; P = 0.018), cardiopulmonary complications (AOR: 6.8; P = 0.026), and prolonged length of hospital stay (AOR: 6.6; P = 0.045). Frailty is associated with increased risk of complications in C. difficile colitis patients undergoing colectomy. mFI is an easy-to-use tool and can play an important role in the risk stratification of these patients who generally have significant morbidity and mortality to begin with.

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