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The purpose of this study was to analyze a nationwide database of malpractice lawsuits involving pediatric surgical patients to identify contributing factors in liability claims. Using the CRICO (Controlled Risk Insurance Company Strategies' Comparative Benchmarking System) database, malpractice claims involving patients ≤18 y old were reviewed from 2008 to 2017. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Of the 844 claims, 76% of the patients were older than age 5. While the average total indemnity paid was $544,325, cases with claimants <1-year-old accounted for 24% of the total indemnity paid, with an average of $1,135,240 per claimant. The most frequently named responsible services were Orthopedics (34%), General Surgery (15%), and Otolaryngology (11%). Fracture or dislocation, appendectomy, skin/breast surgery, arthroscopy, and tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy were among the frequently involved procedures for the cohort of cases. The most common contributing factors for the top procedures involve issues surrounding patient assessment, technical performance, and communication. Cases with a contributing factor of failure to appreciate and reconcile relevant sign/symptom/test results were associated with a higher likelihood of payment (OR 6.6, P < 0.05). Issues surrounding the selection of therapy also led to an increased likelihood of an indemnity payment (OR 2.8, P < 0.05). Malpractice claims related to pediatric surgical procedures involve a wide range of specialties. Patient evaluations, technical performance, and communication are modifiable factors to improve surgical care in children. The contributing factors assigned to each procedure may represent an opportunity for focused improvement to improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate outcomes of trephination compared to wide excision in children undergoing initial surgical treatment of pilonidal disease. A retrospective review was conducted of patients undergoing initial pilonidal excision between September 2017 and September 2018. Operations were categorized as either trephination or wide excision via an open or closed-wound technique. Outcomes were evaluated and data analyzed by chi-squared and one-way ANOVA tests. One-hundred and five patients were identified, with a mean follow-up of 4.6 months. Trephination was performed in 57% of patients, and of the remaining patients undergoing wide excision, 62% of wounds were left open. There were no demographic differences among the three groups. Compared to both the open and closed techniques, trephination was associated with fewer wound complications (17% vs 29% vs 3%, respectively, p = 0.006), and postoperative visits (4.4 vs 2.4 vs 1.4, respectively, p < 0.001). There was no difference in recurrence rates among groups. Trephination for pilonidal disease in pediatric patients is associated with a lower wound complication rate and fewer postoperative visits compared to wide excision. Recurrence rates are similar among the various surgical methods. Further prospective study would be useful to describe long-term outcomes of patients undergoing trephination for pilonidal disease. Treatment study. III (retrospective comparative). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology and management of pediatric vascular extremity trauma to assess injury patterns and other factors that may contribute to poor outcomes. Using the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development discharge database, we identified pediatric patients with extremity arterial trauma admitted to acute-care hospitals from 2007 to 2014. Demographics, management patterns, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. A total of 775 patients were treated for an extremity arterial injury. Overall, 40% were admitted to pediatric trauma centers and 39% to adult trauma centers. Management was predominantly by open surgical repair. Injury to the common femoral artery was associated with mortality (Hazard Ratio 3.9; 95% CI 1.1–14.5; p < 0.05). Popliteal artery injuries (Odds Ratio [OR] 4.8; 95% CI 1.2–19.9; p < 0.05) and anterior tibial artery injuries (OR 7.1; 95% CI 1.4–37.3; p < 0.05) had an increased risk of amputation. There was no difference in amputation or mortality rates by hospital category. Pediatric extremity arterial injuries are rare. In California, outcomes are similar by hospital type. Common femoral artery injuries are associated with an increased risk of mortality, while popliteal and anterior tibial artery injuries are associated with an increased risk of amputation. Prognosis Study. Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is a major clinical challenge, with therapy limited to supportive interventions. Therefore, the search for novel remedial approaches is of great importance. We addressed whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) could improve the outcome of sepsis using an acute experimental mouse model. Sepsis was induced in male CD-1 mice by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) tailored to result in 80 –90% mortality within 72 h of the insult. After CLP, mice were randomized into two groups receiving HBOT or not at different times after the initial insult or subjected to multiple HBOT treatments. HBOT conditions were 98% oxygen pressurized to 2.4 atmospheres for 1 h. HBOT within 1 h after CLP resulted in 52% survival in comparison with mice that did not receive the treatment (13% survival). Multiple HBOT at 1 and 6 h or 1, 6, and 21 h displayed an increase in survival of >50%, but they were not significantly different from a single treatment after 1 h of CLP. Treatments at 6 or 21 h after CLP, excluding the 1 h of treatment, did not show any protective effect. Early HBO treatment did not modify bacterial counts after CLP, but it was associated with decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 expression in the liver within 3 h after CLP. The decrease of cytokine expression was reproduced in cultured macrophages after exposure to HBOT. Early HBOT could be of benefit in the treatment of sepsis, and the protective mechanism may be related to a reduction in the systemic inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background/objectives An incidental appendectomy is performed by some surgeons during operative treatment for intussusception to eliminate future appendicitis as a diagnostic consideration. However, an appendectomy can increase the risk of infection and other noninfectious complications making an incidental appendectomy controversial. We examined outcomes for surgical intervention for intussusception with appendectomy (SWA) compared to surgical reduction alone (SRA). Methods The Pediatric Health Information System database, 8/2008–9/2015, was retrospectively analyzed for patients under the age of five who required an operative intervention for intussusception without bowel resection. Demographic data and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Available data included need for postoperative enema, subsequent small bowel obstruction, recurrent intussusception, length of stay (LOS), and adjusted total cost (ATC). Results Fifty-seven percent (748/1312) of patients had appendectomy performed during surgical reduction, 564 (43%) did not. ATC ($10,594 vs. $8939, p < 0.001) and LOS (3.0 vs. 2.48, p < 0.001) are higher in the SWA group. Rates of readmission are similar, but post-operative small bowel obstruction may be higher in the SWA group (1.3% vs. 0.35%, p = 0.06). Conclusion There is a higher mean LOS and ATC in the SWA group. This study suggests that appendectomy during surgery for uncomplicated intussusception should be reconsidered and requires further investigation. Type of Study retrospective comparative study. Level of Evidence III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: One of the most common emergent surgical diseases encountered within the active duty (AD) military population is acute appendicitis, yet the rate of perforation among military members is lower than age-matched civilians in the USA. Among all demographics, a delay in presentation to surgical care has been associated with an increase in perforation rates and postoperative complications. A subset of the U.S. military population, the Marine Corps recruits (MCRs), are subjected to a unique and vigorous training environment which may result in delayed medical care. This retrospective study aims to evaluate if there is a delay in presentation and to investigate the surgical outcomes in MCR as compared with AD personnel and military health system beneficiaries with appendicitis.Materials and methods: A retrospective review was conducted on all MCRs, AD military personnel, and military health system beneficiaries between the ages of 17 and 25 who underwent surgical treatment of appendicitis between October 2006 and June 2013 at a single military hospital. Data collected included demographics, time from symptom onset to presentation, clinical and pathologic severity of appendicitis, postoperative complications, and length of stay. The primary outcome was the clinical severity of appendicitis. Secondary outcomes include length of stay and postoperative complications. An analysis of the data was performed using basic statistical methods, to include Fisher's exact, one-way ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis.Results: Of the 577 patients that were reviewed, there were 393 (68%) AD military and reserve members, 139 (24%) military health system beneficiaries, and 45 (8%) MCR. The population was 67% male and 68% Caucasian. The mean age was 21.6 years (SD 2.2). The rate of perforated appendicitis was significantly higher among MCR than among AD and beneficiaries (25% vs. 7% vs. 6%, respectively; p < 0.0001). MCR experienced significantly longer hospital lengths of stay (3.1 days vs. 1.7 days, p < 0.0001). Rates of readmission (20% vs. 6% vs. 4%; p = 0.002) and complications (40% vs. 8% vs. 9%; p < 0.0001) were higher among MCR. Among patients with perforated appendicitis (n = 47), MCR had longer delay to presentation for treatment than AD and beneficiaries, but this was not statistically significant (59.4 hours vs. 45.7 hours vs. 35 hours, respectively; p = 0.2).Conclusion: This retrospective review identifies that MCRs have a higher incidence of perforated appendicitis as compared with AD members and military health system beneficiaries. This distinguishes a unique health care disparity found within MCR which military health care providers must recognize. Identification of potential social factors, education of military health care providers, and earlier surgical evaluation may lead to improved outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to characterize differences between pre- and postmenarchal females with ovarian torsion. A single-center review was conducted of all nonneonatal pediatric patients with ovarian torsion from 2011 to 2018. Clinical data were compared between pre- and postmenarchal patients. One hundred and twenty-seven patients were identified, and 25% were premenarchal. Premenarchal patients were more likely to have a delay in diagnosis (38% vs 20%, p = 0.042), develop ovarian necrosis (34% vs 17%, p = 0.036), and present without an associated adnexal mass (44% vs 0%, p < 0.001). All patients without a mass (n = 14) were premenarchal and presented with ovarian asymmetry. Patients without an associated mass underwent oophoropexy in the majority of cases. There were no differences in postoperative complication or recurrence rates between groups. Premenarchal females with ovarian torsion can present differently than females postmenarche and often have a delay in diagnosis. Premenarchal females are more likely to undergo torsion without an associated adnexal mass and are at higher risk for ovarian necrosis. Oophoropexy is an appropriate treatment in the absence of an adnexal mass. A high-index of suspicion for ovarian torsion should be maintained for premenarchal females presenting with abdominal pain and an otherwise negative workup. Retrospective comparative study. Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We were also pleased to hear that the OReCS document was useful in assessing children's surgical care in a high-income setting. To scale up surgical care in LMICs, several countries have created national surgical, obstetrics and anesthesia plans (NSOAPs) and many more are in the process of developing such plans, but children's surgical care is not being included in most. An important role for the OReCS document is to help countries developing NSOAPS to identify what resources are needed to care for children with surgical problems. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Disease Control Priorities, 3rd Edition (DCP3) is an evidence-based, published resource that outlines essential procedures recommended for developing health care systems. These systems must consider various populations and the incidence of certain surgical conditions that require treatment. In relation to pediatric patients, the prevalence of certain surgical conditions encountered remains unclear in several low- and middle-income countries. Over the past 15 years, the USNS Mercy, one of the U.S. Navy's large hospital ships, has led the Pacific Partnership missions, which provide large-scale humanitarian aid throughout Southeast Asia. The data collected during these missions provide an opportunity to analyze the scope of pediatric operations performed in resource-limited countries. This analysis may assist in future planning for specific needs during military humanitarian missions.Materials and Methods: Surgical case data were prospectively collected during the six Pacific Partnership missions from 2006 to 2018. Demographic data were analyzed for all patients ≤8 years of age who underwent an operation. These data were retrospectively reviewed and all case logs were categorized by mission year, procedure-type, and host nation. Operations were classified based on 44 essential operations delineated in DCP3. Primary outcome was incidence of DCP3 essential operations. Secondary outcomes were perioperative complications. Standard statistical methods were performed for descriptive analysis.Results: A total of 3,209 major and minor operations were performed during 24 port visits in nine countries. Pediatric cases represented 1,117 (38%) of these procedures. Pediatric surgeons performed 291 (26%) of these cases. Based on DCP3 criteria, 789 pediatric operations (71%) were considered essential procedures. The most common DCP3-aligned procedures were cleft lip repair (432, 57%), hernia repair (207, 27%), and hydrocelectomy (60, 8%). Operative volume for pediatric surgery was highest during the 2008 mission (522 cases), when two pediatric surgeons were deployed, and lowest during the 2018 mission (five cases), when the mission focus was on education rather than surgical procedures and lack of pediatric cases referred by the host nation. Overall complication rate for pediatric cases was 1%.Conclusions: This study represents the largest known analysis of military humanitarian assistance. Pediatric operations represented over one-third of the surgical volume during Pacific Partnership missions from 2006 to 2018. The majority of cases were DCP3-aligned and associated with a low complication rate. Future humanitarian aid missions and host nations should allocate appropriate medical and educational resources to treat DCP3 pediatric surgical diseases in low- and middle-income countries to support long-term capacity building while maintaining optimal surgical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trauma patients are resource intensive, requiring a variety of medical and procedural interventions during hospitalization. These expenses often label trauma care as "high cost" based on gross hospital charges. We hypothesized that a financial metric built on actual costs and clinically relevant trauma patient cohorts would demonstrate a lower true cost of trauma care than the standardly reported gross hospital charges.Methods: We examined all trauma patients (≥16 yr) treated in 2017 from a single institution and matched them to the institution's detailed financial accounting data. The organization's Financial Operations Division is uniquely able to allocate total operating costs across patient encounters to include medications, procedures, and salaries/fees from medical professionals and administrators. Patient subgroups were identified by Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) criteria for cost comparisons.Results: Overall median cost per patient was $6,544 [IQR $4,975-14,532] for 2,548 patients. The median cost per patient increased with Injury Severity Score (ISS) ranging from $5,457(ISS ≤ 7) to $34,898(ISS ≥ 21), each accompanied by an average 548% increase in gross charges. Costs also varied widely from $13,498 [IQR $8,247-26,254] to $45,759 [IQR $22,186-113,993] across TQIP patient cohorts. Of the total cost, 91% was attributed to personnel alone.Discussion: Measuring the true cost of trauma care is feasible. As hypothesized, the true cost of trauma care is lower than charges. True cost increased with injury severity with variable cost across subgroups. Non-physician staff and administration are the largest component of the cost of trauma care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]