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Background Recidivism is a key outcome measure for injury prevention programs. Firearm injury recidivism rates are difficult to determine because of poor longitudinal follow-up and incomplete, disparate databases. Reported recidivism rates from trauma registries are 2% to 3%. We created a collaborative database merging law enforcement, emergency department, and inpatient trauma registry data to more accurately determine rates of recidivism in patients presenting to our trauma center following firearm injury. Methods A collaborative database for Jefferson County, Kentucky, was constructed to include violent firearm injuries encountered by the trauma center or law enforcement from 2008 to 2019. Iterative deterministic data linkage was used to create the database and eliminate redundancies. From patients with at least one hospital encounter, raw recidivism rates were calculated by dividing the number of patients injured at least twice by the total number of patients. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate risk factors for recidivism. The cumulative incidence of recidivism over time was estimated using a Kaplan-Meier survival model. Results There were 2, 363 assault-type firearm injuries with at least 1 hospital encounter, approximately 9% of which did not survive their initial encounter. The collaborative database demonstrated raw recidivism rates for assault-type firearm injuries of 9.5% compared with 2.5% from the trauma registry alone. Risk factors were young age, male sex, and African American race. The predicted incidence of recidivism was 3.6%, 5.6%, 11.4%, and 15.8% at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Conclusion Both hospital and law enforcement data are critical for determining reinjury rates in patients treated at trauma centers. Recidivism rates following violent firearm injury are four times higher using a collaborative database compared with the inpatient trauma registry alone. Predicted incidence of recidivism at 10 years was at least 16% for all patients, with high-risk subgroups experiencing rates as high as 26%. Level of evidence Epidemiological, level III.

Liver-directed hepatic arterial therapies are associated with improved survival and effective symptom control for patients with unresectable neuroendocrine liver metastases (NELM). Whether transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with yttrium-90 (y-90) are associated with improved short- or long-term outcomes is unknown.A retrospective review was performed of all patients with NELM undergoing transarterial therapies, from 2000 to 2018, at 2 academic medical centers. Postoperative morbidity, radiographic response according to response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) criteria, and long-term outcomes were compared between patients who underwent TACE vs TARE.Among 248 patients with NELM, 197 (79%) received TACE and 51 (21%) received TARE. While patients who underwent TACE were more likely to have carcinoid syndrome, larger tumors, and higher chromogranin A levels, there was no difference in tumor differentiation, primary site, bilobar disease, or synchronous presentation. Nearly all TARE treatments (92%) were performed as outpatient procedures, while 99% of TACE patients spent at least 1 night in the hospital. There were no differences in overall morbidity (TARE 13.7% vs TACE 22.6%, p = 0.17), grade III/IV complication (5.9% vs 9.2%, p = 0.58), or 90-day mortality. The disease control rate (DCR) on first post-treatment imaging (RECIST partial/complete response or stable disease) was greater for TACE compared with TARE (96% vs 83%, p0.01). However, there was no difference in median overall survival (OS, 35.9 months vs 50.1 months, p = 0.3) or progression-free survival (PFS, 15.9 months vs 19.9 months, p = 0.37).In this retrospective multi-institutional analysis, both TACE and TARE with Y-90 were safe and effective liver-directed therapies for unresectable NELM. Although TARE was associated with a shorter length of hospital stay, TACE demonstrated improved short-term DCR, and both resulted in comparable long term outcomes.

Background In the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer melanoma staging system, the T1b category has been redefined based solely on thickness and ulceration. National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend consideration of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for all patients with T1b melanomas (0.8 to 1.0 mm thick). We hypothesized that the new staging system would lead to excessive use of SLNB in patients with non-ulcerated T1b melanomas with a low risk of positive sentinel lymph nodes. Study Design The National Cancer Database 2015 Melanoma Public Use File was used to select patients undergoing SLNB for thin T1 cutaneous melanoma from 2010 to 2015. Clinicopathologic risk factors for having a positive SLNB were evaluated. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models and classification and regression tree analysis were performed to identify groups with high and low risk of positive SLNB. Results We selected patients undergoing SLNB without ulceration with thickness 0.75 to 1.04 mm, staged T1b in the new 8th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer by thickness criteria alone (6,894 patients). Independent risk factors for a positive sentinel lymph node were age 56 years or younger (odds ratio [OR] 1.74; 95% CI 1.38 to 2.17), thickness 1.0 vs 0.8 to 0.9 mm (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.70), female sex (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.69), and mitotic rate ≥1/mm2 (OR 2.01; 95% CI 1.54 to 2.64). Classification and regression tree analysis identified 2 groups based on age, mitotic rate, and thickness with a risk of positive SLNB Conclusions The new 8th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer melanoma staging system T1b category should not be used to determine use of SLNB in thin melanoma, as more than one half of T1b lesions without ulceration have a low risk of positive sentinel lymph nodes.

The value of routine primary (intraoperative) drain placement after major hepatectomy remains unclear. We sought to determine if primary drainage led to decreased rates of complications, specifically, intra-abdominal biloma or infection requiring a secondary (postoperative) drainage procedure.All patients who underwent major hepatectomy (≥3 hepatic segments) at 3 institutions, from 2000 to 2012, were identified. Patients with biliary anastomoses were excluded. Primary outcomes were any complication, rate of secondary drainage procedures, bile leak, and 30-day readmission.There were 1,041 patients who underwent major hepatectomy without biliary anastomosis; 564 (54%) had primary drains placed at the surgeon's discretion. Primary drain placement was associated with increased complications (56% vs 44%; p0.001), bile leaks (7.3% vs 4.2%; p = 0.048), and 30-day readmissions (16.4% vs 8.0%; p0.001), but was not associated with a decrease in secondary drainage procedures (8.0% vs 5.9%; p = 0.23). Patients with primary drains demonstrated higher American Society of Anesthesioloigsts (ASA) class, greater blood loss, more transfusions, and larger resections. After accounting for these significant clinicopathologic variables on multivariate analysis, primary drain placement was not associated with increased risk of any complications. Primary drainage was, however, independently associated with increased risk of bile leak (hazard ratio [HR] 2.04; 95% CI1.02 to 4.09; p = 0.044) and 30-day readmission (HR 1.79; 95% CI1.14 to 2.80; p = 0.011). There still was no reduction in the need for secondary drainage procedures (HR 0.98; p = 0.96).Primary intraoperative drain placement after major hepatectomy does not decrease the need for secondary drainage procedures and may be associated with increased bile leaks and 30-day readmissions. Routine drain placement is not warranted.

Background Hospital readmission is becoming a quality measure, despite poor understanding of the risks of readmission. This study examines readmission risk factors after major hepatectomy and develops a predictive model. Study Design A retrospective review was performed on patients who had undergone major hepatectomy at 1 of 3 academic centers between the years 2000 and 2012. Clinicopathologic and perioperative data were analyzed for risk factors of 90-day readmission using logistic regression. A readmission risk score was developed and validated in a separate validation set to determine its predictive value. Results Of 1,184 hepatectomies performed, 17.3% of patients were readmitted within 90 days. Factors associated with readmission include operative blood loss (odds ratio [OR] = 1.00; 95% CI, 1.000–1.001), any postoperative complication (OR = 4.3; 95% CI, 1.8–10.4), a major postoperative complication (OR = 5.7; 95% CI, 3.2–10.2), postoperative pulmonary embolism (OR = 12.2; 95% CI, 1.9–78.4), no postoperative blood transfusion (OR = 3.3; 95% CI, 1.7–6.2), surgical site infection (OR = 5.3; 95% CI, 2.9–10.0), and post-hepatectomy hyperbilirubinemia (OR = 1.1; 95% CI, 1.1–1.2). A scoring system based on these risk factors accurately predicted readmission in the validation cohort. A score of >20 points had a positive predictive value of 30.8% and negative predictive value of 95.6%, and a score >50 had a positive predictive value of 50.9% and negative predictive value of 87.7%. This risk score accurately stratifies readmission risk. Conclusions The risk of hospital readmission within 90 days after major hepatectomy is high and is reliably predicted with a novel scoring system.

Background Tube thoracostomy is a common procedure used in the management of thoracic trauma. Traditional teaching suggests that chest tubes should be directed in specific locations to improve function. Common examples include anterior and superior placement for pneumothorax, inferior and posterior placement for hemothorax, and avoidance of the pulmonary fissure. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of specific chest tube position on subsequent chest tube function. Methods A retrospective review of all patients undergoing tube thoracostomy for trauma from January 1, 2010, to September 30, 2012, was performed. Only patients undergoing computed tomography scans following chest tube insertion were included so that positioning could be accurately determined. Rib space insertion level and positioning of the tube relative to the lung parenchyma were recorded. The duration of chest tube drainage and the need for secondary interventions were determined and compared for tubes in different rib spaces and locations. For purposes of comparison, tubes placed above the sixth rib space were considered "high," and those at or below it were considered "low." Results A total of 291 patients met criteria for inclusion. Forty-eight patients (16.5%) required secondary intervention. Neither high chest tube placement nor chest tube location relative to lung parenchyma was associated with an increased need for secondary interventions. On multivariate analysis, only chest Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores, mechanism, and volume of hemothorax were found to be significant risk factors for the need for secondary interventions. Conclusion Chest tube location does not influence the need for secondary interventions as long as the tube resides in the pleural space. The severity of chest injury is the most important factor influencing outcome in patients undergoing tube thoracostomy for trauma. Tube thoracostomy technique should focus on safe insertion within the pleural space and not on achieving a specific tube location. Level of evidence Therapeutic study, level IV.

Background Renal insufficiency adversely affects outcomes after cardiac and vascular surgery. The effect of preoperative renal insufficiency on outcomes after major hepatectomy is unknown. Study Design All patients who underwent major hepatectomy (≥3 segments) at 3 institutions from 2000 to 2012 were identified. Resections were performed using low central venous pressure anesthesia. Renal function was analyzed by preoperative serum creatinine (sCr) level. Primary outcomes were major complications (Clavien grade III to V), respiratory failure, renal failure requiring hemodialysis, and 90-day mortality. Results One thousand one hundred and seventy patients had preoperative sCr levels available. Renal function was analyzed using sCr dichotomized at 1.8 mg/dL, 1 SD higher than the mean value (0.97 ± 0.79 mg/dL) for the cohort. Twenty-two patients had sCr ≥1.8 mg/dL. Major complications occurred in 279 patients (23.8%), respiratory failure in 62 (5.3%), and renal failure in 31 (2.6%). Ninety-day mortality rate was 5.4%. On multivariate analysis, patients with sCr ≥1.8 mg/dL remained at significantly increased risk for major complications (hazard ratio = 3.94; 95% CI, 1.48–10.49; p = 0.006), respiratory failure (hazard ratio = 4.43; 95% CI, 1.33–14.80; p = 0.014), and renal failure (hazard ratio = 4.75; 95% CI, 1.19–18.97; p = 0.028). Serum Cr ≥1.8 mg/dL was not independently associated with 90-day mortality on multivariate analysis (p = 0.27). Conclusions Preoperative serum creatinine ≥1.8 mg/dL identifies patients at significantly increased risk of postoperative major complications, respiratory failure, and renal failure requiring dialysis. Patients are well selected for major hepatectomy, and few patients with substantial renal insufficiency are deemed operative candidates.

Background Multiple methods have been proposed to classify the micrometastatic tumor burden in sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) for melanoma. The purpose of this study was to determine the classification scheme that best predicts nonsentinel node (NSN) metastasis, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Study Design A single reviewer reanalyzed tumor-positive SLN from a multicenter, prospective clinical trial of patients with melanoma ≥1.0 mm Breslow thickness who underwent SLN biopsy. The following micrometastatic disease burden measurements were recorded: Starz classification, Dewar classification (microanatomic location), maximum diameter of the largest focus of metastasis, maximum tumor area, and sum of all diameters. Univariate and multivariate models and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to evaluate each classification system. Results We reviewed 204 tumor-positive SLNs from 157 patients. On univariate analysis, all criteria except Starz classification were statistically significant risk factors for NSN metastasis. On multivariate analysis, including Breslow thickness, ulceration, age, sex, and NSN status, maximum diameter (using a cut-off of 3 mm) was the only classification system that was an independent risk factor predicting DFS (hazard ratio 2.31, p = 0.0181) and OS (hazard ratio 3.53, p = 0.0005). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, DFS and OS were significantly different among groups using maximum diameter cut-offs of 1 and 3 mm. Conclusions Maximum tumor diameter outperformed other measurements of metastatic tumor burden, including microanatomic tumor location (Dewar classification), Starz classification, maximum tumor area, and sum of all diameters for prediction of survival. Maximum tumor diameter is a simple method of assessing micrometastatic tumor burden that should be reported routinely.

Background We found that a computer model developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) melanoma staging committee had limitations for predicting prognosis of patients staged by sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. We sought to develop a model that more accurately predicts prognosis in this population. Study Design Using a data set obtained from a prospective multi-institutional study of 2,507 patients with clinically node-negative melanomas ≥1.0 mm Breslow thickness, we developed a prognostic model using a Cox regression formula incorporating a number of significant clinicopathologic factors. The AJCC model and our model were used to predict 5-year survival from this test data set. The concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) was determined and chi-square tests were performed. Our new prognostic model was validated using an independent data set of 1,001 patients. Results Using the test data set, the CCC for the AJCC model was 0.875; chi-square tests demonstrated statistically significant differences between observed and predicted survivals for numerous clinicopathologic factors. The CCC for our model was 0.976 and none of the chi-square tests was statistically significant. Our model performed similarly well in SLN-negative patients (CCC 0.929) and SLN-positive patients (CCC 0.889). The AJCC model performed well in SLN-negative patients (CCC 0.854), but not in SLN-positive patients (CCC 0.626). Using the validation data set, similar findings were obtained. Conclusions Our prognostic model provides superior survival estimates compared with the AJCC model for patients undergoing SLN biopsy. This online tool is available at www.melanomacalculator.com, and will provide important information that can be used to guide adjuvant therapy decisions and stratification in clinical trials.

A growing body of evidence supports the use of multigene signature panels (MSPs) in predicting recurrence risk in patients with invasive breast cancer. This study aimed to evaluate trends in MSP use over time and the effect of MSPs on administration of postoperative chemotherapy.The National Cancer Database was queried for all women with invasive breast cancer who underwent resection between 2011 and 2014 and had information about performance of an MSP, hormone receptor status, and receipt of chemotherapy. Multigene signature panel use over time was evaluated, and patterns of use of Oncotype DX (ODX) and MammaPrint (MP) were compared.In a total of 476,128 patients, an MSP was obtained in 153,782 (30.2%). Multigene signature panel use increased over time and was associated with a decreased rate of chemotherapy administration (24.6% MSP vs 37.2% no MSP; p0.001). Oncotype DX remained the most common MSP used throughout the study period. Oncotype DX was used more commonly in stage I disease than MP, and MP was used more commonly in stage II and III disease. MammaPrint was more commonly used in hormone receptor-negative patients, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive patients, and patients with positive lymph nodes. Postoperative chemotherapy was administered to a higher proportion of patients assessed with MP than with ODX (41.3% vs 23.4%, respectively; p0.001).Use of MSPs among patients with breast cancer has increased over time and is associated with a decreased use of adjuvant chemotherapy. Oncotype DX continues to be the most widely used MSP, although MP use has increased over time. Future studies are warranted to determine the optimal use of these MSPs in risk assessment and postoperative decision making.