No abstract

This study demonstrated a nonsignificant lower rate of groin SSI in high-risk revascularization patients with NPWT compared with standard dressing. Owing to a lower than expected infection rate, the study was underpowered to detect a difference at the prespecified level. The NPWT group did show significantly shorter mean hospital duration of stay compared with the standard dressing group.

BACKGROUND: There has been a dramatic rise in opioid abuse, and diversion of excess, unused prescriptions is a major contributor. We assess the impact of implementing a new standardized pain care bundle to reduce postoperative opioids in outpatient general surgical procedures. STUDY DESIGN: This study was designed to demonstrate non-inferiority for the primary end point: patientreported average pain in the first 7 postoperative days. We prospectively evaluated 224 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy or open hernia repair (inguinal, umbilical) pre-intervention to 192 patients post-intervention. We implemented a multimodal intra-and postoperative analgesic bundle, including promoting co-analgesia, opioid-reduced prescriptions, and patient education designed to clarify patient expectations. Patients completed a brief pain inventory at their first postoperative visit. Groups were compared using chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and independent samples t-test, where appropriate. RESULTS: No difference was seen in average postoperative pain scores in the pre-vs post-intervention groups (2.3 vs 2.1 of 10; p ¼ 0.12). The reported quality of pain control improved postintervention (good/very good pain control in 69% vs 85%; p < 0.001). The median total morphine equivalents for prescriptions filled in the post-intervention group were significantly less (100; interquartile range 75 to 116 pre-intervention vs 50; interquartile range 50 to 50 post-intervention; p < 0.001). Only 78 of 172 (45%) patients filled their opioid prescription in the post-intervention group (p < 0.001), with no significant difference in prescription renewals (3.5% pre-intervention vs 2.6% post-intervention; p ¼ 0.62). CONCLUSIONS: For outpatient open hernia repair and cholecystectomy, a standardized pain care bundle decreased opioid prescribing significantly and frequently eliminated opioid use, while adequately treating postoperative pain and improving patient satisfaction.

Background-Increasing healthcare costs and high deductible insurance plans have shifted more responsibility for medical costs to patients. After serious illnesses, financial responsibilities may result in lost wages, forced unemployment, and other financial burdens, collectively described as financial toxicity. Following cancer treatments, financial toxicity is associated with worse longterm health related quality of life outcomes (HRQOL). The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of financial toxicity following injury, factors associated with financial toxicity, and the impact of financial toxicity on long-term HRQOL.Methods-Adult patients with an injury severity score of 10 or greater and without head or spinal cord injury were prospectively followed for 1 year. The Short-Form-36 was used to determine overall quality of life at 1, 2, 4 and 12 months. Screens for depression and posttraumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) were administered. The primary outcome was any financial toxicity. A multivariable generalized estimating equation was used to account for variability over time.

Objective: Determine if negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) reduces surgical site infection (SSI) in primarily closed incision after open and laparoscopic-converted colorectal surgery. Background: SSIs after colorectal surgery are a common cause of morbidity. The prophylactic effect of NPWT has not been established. We undertook this study to evaluate if, among patients undergoing open colorectal resection, NPWT, as compared with standard postoperative dressings, is associated with a reduction in the rate of postoperative SSI. Methods: In a randomized, controlled trial, 300 patients undergoing elective open colorectal surgery were assigned to receive prophylactic NPWT or standard gauze dressing. The primary end-point was 30-day SSI, as assessed by wound care experts blinded to treatment arm. Secondary outcomes included length of stay. Statistical analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis. A priori subgroup analysis was planned for patients who received a stoma at the time of initial operation. Results: The incidence of SSI at 30-days postoperatively was no different between experimental and control groups (32% vs 34% respectively, P = 0.68). Length of stay was also no different at a median of 7 days (IQR 5) for both groups. Among patients receiving a stoma, there was also no difference in SSI between the experimental and control groups (38% vs 33% respectively, P = 0.66). Conclusions: Prophylactic use of NPWT on primarily closed incisions after open colorectal surgery was not associated with a decrease in SSI rate when compared with standard gauze dressing. Trial Registration Number: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02007018)

BACKGROUND:The current study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of sorafenib, an oral vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, when added to standard radiotherapy and temozolomide in the firstline treatment of patients with glioblastoma multiforme. METHODS: After initial surgical resection or biopsy, patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme received concurrent radiotherapy (2.0 grays [Gy]/day; total dose, 60 Gy) and temozolomide (at a dose of 75 mg/m 2 orally daily), followed by 6 months of maintenance therapy with temozolomide (at a dose of 150 mg/m 2 orally on Days 1-5 every 28 days) and sorafenib (at a dose of 400 mg orally twice daily). Patients were re-evaluated every 2 months; the primary endpoint of the trial was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: A total of 47 patients were treated; 34 had undergone previous debulking surgery. Nineteen patients withdrew from treatment before the initiation of maintenance therapy with temozolomide and sorafenib (12 because of early tumor progression). Twenty-eight patients (60% of enrolled patients) received 4 months of maintenance therapy with temozolomide and sorafenib, and 9 patients (19%) completed the planned 6 months of maintenance therapy. The median PFS for the entire group was 6 months (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 3.7-7 months), with a 1-year PFS rate of 16%. The median overall survival was 12 months (95%CI, 7.2-16 months). Maintenance therapy with temozolomide and sorafenib was found to be well tolerated by most patients, with no grade 3/4 toxicity (according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria [version 3.0]) reported to occur in >10% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of sorafenib did not appear to improve the efficacy of treatment when compared with the results expected with standard therapy. A substantial percentage of patients (40%) did not receive any maintenance sorafenib, most often because of early disease progression. The administration of angiogenesis inhibitors concurrently with radiotherapy and temozolomide may optimize the opportunity to improve therapy.

Intra-abdominal hypertension is common in both surgical and nonsurgical patients in the intensive care setting and was found to be independently associated with mortality. Despite prior reports to the contrary, intra-abdominal hypertension develops in nonventilated patients and in patients who do not have intra-abdominal hypertension at admission. Intra-abdominal pressure monitoring is inexpensive, provides valuable clinical information, and there may be a role for its routine measurement in the ICU. Future work should evaluate the impact of early interventions for patients with intra-abdominal hypertension.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) applied to primarily closed incisions decreases surgical site infections (SSIs) following open abdominal surgery. Background: SSIs are a common cause of morbidity following open abdominal surgery. Prophylactic NPWT has shown promise for SSI reduction. However, the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted among patients undergoing laparotomy have been inconsistent. Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of English language RCTs comparing the use of prophylactic NPWT to standard dressings on primarily closed laparotomy incisions following open abdominal surgery. Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases were searched from inception to December 31st, 2018, for relevant studies. A random-effects model was used for statistical analysis. Results: Five RCTs totaling 792 patients were included in our meta-analysis after application of our exclusion and inclusion criteria. There was no significant difference in the risk of SSIs identified among those patients who had NPWT compared to standard dressings; relative risk (RR) 0.56 (95% confidence interval 0.30–1.03, P = 0.064). There was significant statistical heterogeneity across studies (I 2 = 67.4%; P = 0.015). Conclusion: The adoption of NPWT for routine SSI prophylaxis following laparotomy is currently not supported and should be used primarily in the context of a clinical trial.