Kelly M. McMasters

Background Esophageal anastomotic leak is associated with high morbidity and mortality and potentially lethal if not recognized promptly and treated aggressively. While many studies have attempted to delineate the surgical techniques associated with lower rates of anastomotic leak, few have attempted to determine its long term effects on adjuvant therapy and patient quality of life. Methods We reviewed our prospective 350 patient esophageal‐gastric database and found 194 esophageal anastomoses performed from 1994 to 2013. Leaks were classified based on timing, severity, and location. We then compared their postoperative courses of adjuvant treatment, morbidity/mortality, and quality of life measured by Karnofsky performance status and EORTC score. Statistical correlations were calculated with χ², T‐test, Kaplain–Meier, ANOVA, and Cox Regression analyses as appropriate. Results Of 194 patients receiving esophageal anastomoses for cancer, 35 (18%) developed clinically diagnosed anastomotic leak 27 from esophagogastric and 8 from esophagojejunal. These groups were similar in preoperative history, preoperative staging, and type of tumor. Type of operation and variations in operative technique did not significantly affect leak rate. Patients with a leak were more likely to require intraoperative transfusion (47.1% vs. 24.1%, P = 0.013). As expected, they had a greater prevalence of perioperative complications to include pneumonia (38.6% vs. 16.3%, P = 0.001), pulmonary embolus (11.3% vs. 4.3%, P = 0.043), ileus (11.4% vs. 1.6%, P = 0.006%), empyema (11.4% vs. 0%, P > 0.001), and catheter related blood stream infections (8.6% vs. 0%, P = 0.001). Despite this increase in perioperative morbidity, there was no statistically significant difference in 90 day peri‐operative mortality (2.8% vs. 2.3%) with similar ability to receive adjuvant therapy (38.6% vs. 48.0%, P = 0.303), quality of life scores (93.2 vs. 93.1, P = 0.9), and survival at 12 months (93% vs. 94%, P = 0.3). Conclusion Anastomotic leak after oncologic resection does not preclude adjuvant therapy and, when managed appropriately, does not affect long term performance status or survival. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:855–861.

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. 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. 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. The risk of hospital readmission within 90 days after major hepatectomy is high and is reliably predicted with a novel scoring system.

Background This study sought to determine clinical and molecular factors related to recurrence and survival in patients with ICC following hepatectomy. Methods Database review identified 34 patients. Molecular markers (Ki67, p53, beta‐catenin) and standard pathological evaluations were performed. Results The most common resections were right (n = 11), extended right (n = 8), and left hepatectomy (n = 7). The 30‐ and 90 ‐day mortality rates were 5.9% and 11.8%. The median tumor size was 7.8 cm. Nine patients (26.5%) had positive lymph nodes and ten patients (29.4%) received adjuvant therapy. Median follow up was 33.5 months. The median disease‐free interval was 6 months. The median overall survival was 37.9 months. Univariate predictors of recurrence were tumor size (P = 0.02) and differentiation (P = 0.05). On multivariate analysis, differentiation (P = 0.03; OR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.17–0.89) remained significant. Univariate predictors of survival were tumor size (P = 0.02), lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.02), satellite nodules (P = 0.006), beta‐catenin expression (P = 0.008), and recurrence (P = 0.026). On multivariate analyses, satellite lesions (P = 0.05, OR = 3.15, 95% CI: 0.96–10.4) and beta‐catenin (P = 0.04, OR = 3.23; 95% CI: 1.1–9.7) remained significant and differentiation (P = 0.045; OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.18–0.98) was an additional predictor. Conclusion Future clinical trials could include certain molecular and pathologic factors to assist in determining the necessity and type of adjuvant therapy. J. Surg. Oncol. 2014 109:98–103.

Background Resection margin status has been shown to impact outcomes for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC), yet it remains unknown whether margin status is a reflection of tumor biology or surgical technique. Methods Two hundred eighty‐three consecutive patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma were identified in a prospectively maintained database. Only patients with R0 (n = 207) or R1 (n = 76) tumors were included. Each operative surgeon's first 50 cases were excluded to control for technical inexperience. Univariable and multivariable analyses of clinicopathologic and intra‐operative factors were performed. Results The median follow‐up for the cohort was 30.3 months with a median overall survival (OS) of 19.0 months. The R1 group had a higher rate of lymph node ratio >0.2 (41% vs. 25%; P = 0.013), and more microvascular invasion (64% vs. 44%; P = 0.007). R0 resections had both improved overall survival (22.7 months vs. 15.0 months, P = 0.004) and disease free survival (13.5 months vs. 10.7 months, P = 0.026). Factors independently associated with overall survival were microvascular invasion (HR 2.26; P = 0.001), pre‐existing pulmonary disease (HR 2.18, P = 0.043), and cardiac disease (HR 1.78, P = 0.033). Conclusion Factors associated with an R1 resection reflect a biologically more aggressive tumor, with a higher likelihood of microvascular invasion and increased positive lymph node ratio. J. Surg. Oncol. 2013;107:602–607.

Pancreatectomies for malignant and benign diseases are increasingly being performed worldwide. Recent studies, that have evaluated quality of life in pancreatectomy, have reported conflicting outcomes. This study was undertaken to analyze the quality of life changes reported by patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing pancreatectomy. Post-hoc analysis was performed of a clinical trial examining the safety of intraoperative autotransfusion during oncologic resections. Perioperative (90-day) complications were graded prospectively using a validated 5-point scale. Quality of life parameters were recorded prospectively by a single trained interviewer preoperatively, at the first post-operative outpatient visit, and at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months follow-up using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and FACT-An instruments. Pancreatectomy for adenocarcinoma was performed in 34 patients with a median follow-up of 2 years (range: 1-1.5 years). Major (grade≥3) complications occurred in 12 (35.3%) of patients. Early (0.11). A significant (P=0.023) decline in cognitive function vs. baseline was noted at 6-month follow-up after pancreatectomy. Using a repeated-measures generalized linear model, neither age, nor complication occurrence, nor adjuvant therapy, nor early recurrence accounted for this cognitive decline (P>0.10). Quality of life metrics tend to normalize to preoperative levels after pancreatectomy at 6 weeks post-operatively. The occurrence of major complications does not predict a decreased quality of life. The decrease in self-reported cognitive function at six months in this cohort merits further study.