Quantifying value loss due to presenteeism and absenteeism in workers' compensation spinal patients.

Background: Recent studies suggest that better outcomes in work productivity following spine surgery eventually offset the higher cost of treatment. By analyzing preoperative and postoperative changes in work productivity, studies can determine if surgery is cost-effective and give patients valuable information about treatment. Prior studies reviewing outcomes in work performance after spine surgery have largely excluded patients on workers' compensation from the overall cost analysis.

Evaluation of Pain Catastrophizing Scale for surgical referral to pain psychology in patients undergoing spinal surgery.

Background: Chronic pain is an issue that affects over 100 million Americans daily. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been found to be beneficial for patients with chronic pain by focusing provider efforts on teaching coping mechanisms for pain instead of eliminating the pain entirely. Current studies demonstrate that ACT significantly improves post-operative chronic pain scores and outcomes.

Initial learning curve after switching to uniportal endoscopic discectomy for lumbar disc herniations.

Purpose: The purpose was to investigate the learning curve for elective endoscopic discectomy performed by a single surgeon who made a complete switch to uniportal endoscopic surgery for lumbar disc herniations in an ambulatory surgery center and determine the minimum case number required to safely overcome the initial learning curve.

Methods: Electronic medical records (EMR) of the first 90 patients receiving endoscopic discectomy by the senior author in an ambulatory surgery center were reviewed. Cases were divided by approach, transforaminal (46) versus interlaminar (44).

A phase II trial of gemcitabine and erlotinib followed by ChemoProton therapy plus capecitabine and oxaliplatin for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer. EGFR expression plays a potentially important role in modulation of tumor sensitivity to either chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Erlotinib is a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor with specificity for EGFR/HER1.

Proton stereotactic body radiation therapy for liver metastases-results of 5-year experience for 81 hepatic lesions.

Background: To report on our institutional experience using Proton stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for patients with liver metastases.

Methods: All patients with liver metastases treated with Proton SBRT between September 2012 and December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Local control (LC) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method calculated from the time of completion of Proton SBRT.

Factors associated with the refusal of surgery and the associated impact on survival in patients with rectal cancer using the National Cancer Database.

Background: Surgical resection is an integral component of the curative-intent treatment for most patients with non-metastatic rectal cancer. However, some patients refuse surgery for a number of reasons. Utilizing the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we investigated the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with patients who were coded as having been offered but refused surgery, and the factors affecting overall survival (OS) in these patients.

Correlates of Refusal of Surgery in the Treatment of Non-metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Surgical resection is the most important therapeutic intervention for eligible patients with pancreatic cancer; however, a majority of patients never receive surgery for a variety of reasons, including patient refusal. Utilizing the National Cancer Database, we investigated the associated sociodemographic and clinical factors for those patients who refused surgery, and the impact of this decision on overall survival (OS).

Methods And Materials: We analyzed adult patients with non-metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas diagnosed from 2004 to 2013.

Troubleshooting Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer Surgery.

Background: Performing a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is the standard of care for axillary nodal staging in patients with invasive breast cancer and clinically negative nodes. The procedure provides valuable staging information with few complications when performed by experienced surgeons. However, variation in proficiency exists for this procedure, and a great amount of experience is required to master the technique, especially when faced with challenging cases.