Early ambulation and chest tube removal are associated with postoperative day one discharge in majority of robotic pulmonary lobectomy patients at an ERAS center.

Background: Application of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways in robotic lobectomy have been associated with decreased length of stay (LOS). We evaluated differences in patient characteristics and achievements of ERAS benchmarks by discharge groups at a tertiary referral center.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained ERAS database of patients undergoing robotic lobectomy for pulmonary malignancy.

Understanding fundamental differences in symptomatic outcomes of hiatal versus paraoesophageal hernia robotic repairs.

Hiatal hernia (HH), or type I paraoesophageal hernias (PEH), can commonly be grouped along with types II-IV PEHs. The fundamental operation performed for repair is similar for all types. We question whether the clinical outcomes following surgical repair differ.

Assessing the effect of body mass index on perioperative outcomes and short-term recurrence after paraesophageal hernia repair.

Previous assessments suggest that surgical results of paraesophageal hernia (PEH) repair were negatively impacted by increasing levels of obesity. A better understanding of the association of obesity on outcomes of PEH repair will support surgeons making evidence-based decisions on the surgical candidacy of individual patients. This single institution retrospective cohort study included 884 consecutive patients with giant PEH undergoing surgical repair between 1 January 2000 and 30 June 2020.

Comparison Between Disability, Physical Performance, and Other Biopsychosocial Factors in Full-Duty Career Firefighters Working With and Without Current Low Back Pain.

Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) is highly prevalent and a top cause of disability-related early retirement in firefighters. Those with a lifetime history of LBP have various deficiencies that are associated with increased injury risk and absenteeism. However, the influence of working with current LBP on disability, physical performance, and other biopsychosocial factors has not been fully characterized in this population.

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Lateral Interbody Fusion for Symptomatic Pseudarthrosis in Neurofibromatosis 1-Associated Spinal Deformity.

Background: The treatment of symptomatic pseudarthrosis via posterior-only approaches in the setting of neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is challenging due to dural ectasias, resulting in erosion of the posterior elements. The purpose of this report is to illustrate a minimally invasive method for performing anterior thoracic fusion for pseudarthrosis in a patient with NF1-associated scoliosis and dysplastic posterior elements. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case of using video-assisted thoracoscopic lateral interbody fusion to treat pseudarthrosis for NF1-associated spinal deformity.

A Video-Based Procedure-Specific Competency Assessment Tool for Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy.

Importance: Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) is a complex procedure with substantial learning curves. In other complex minimally invasive procedures, suboptimal surgical performance has convincingly been associated with less favorable patient outcomes as assessed by peer review of the surgical procedure.

Objective: To develop and validate a procedure-specific competency assessment tool (CAT) for MIE.

Crowd-sourced and expert video assessment in minimally invasive esophagectomy.

Background: Video-based assessment by experts may structurally measure surgical performance using procedure-specific competency assessment tools (CATs). A CAT for minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE-CAT) was developed and validated previously. However, surgeon's time is scarce and video assessment is time-consuming and labor intensive.

Hybrid laparoscopic versus fully robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy: an international propensity-score matched analysis of perioperative outcome.

Background: Currently, little is known regarding the optimal technique for the abdominal phase of RAMIE. The aim of this study was to investigate the outcome of robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) in both the abdominal and thoracic phase (full RAMIE) compared to laparoscopy during the abdominal phase (hybrid laparoscopic RAMIE).

Methods: This retrospective propensity-score matched analysis of the International Upper Gastrointestinal International Robotic Association (UGIRA) database included 807 RAMIE procedures with intrathoracic anastomosis between 2017 and 2021 from 23 centers.

Invasive Procedures Associated With Lung Cancer Screening in Clinical Practice.

Background: The harm associated with imaging abnormalities related to lung cancer screening (LCS) is not well documented, especially outside the clinical trial and academic setting.

Research Question: What is the frequency of invasive procedures and complications associated with a community based LCS program, including procedures for false-positive and benign, but clinically important, incidental findings?

Study Design And Methods: We performed a single-center retrospective study of an LCS program at a nonuniversity teaching hospital from 2016 through 2019 to identify invasive procedures prompted by LCS results, including their indication and complications.

Results: Among 2,003 LCS participants, 58 patients (2.

The impact of an enhanced recovery after surgery pathway for video-assisted and robotic-assisted lobectomy on surgical outcomes and costs: a retrospective single-center cohort study.

To determine the impact of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway implementation on outcomes and cost of robotic- and video-assisted thoracoscopic (RATS and VATS) lobectomy. Retrospective review of 116 consecutive VATS and RATS lobectomies in the pre-ERAS (Oct 2018-Sep 2019) and ERAS (Oct 2019-Sep 2020) period. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the impact of ERAS and operative approach alone, and in combination, on length of hospital stay (LOS) and overall cost.

Analysis of Compliance with Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Protocol for Esophagectomy.

Background: ERAS guidelines have provided an effective recovery approach for esophagectomy. This study aimed to identify the relationship between the length of hospital stay (LOS) and compliance with clinical benchmarks of an established institutional ERAS program.

Methods: A single-center prospective database of esophageal cancer patients was retrospectively analyzed between January 2016 and January 2020.

Safe implementation of transoral incisionless fundoplication as a new technique in a tertiary care center.

Background/aims: Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) is an accepted anatomic treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease in selected patients. In this report, we analyze our institution's programmatic allocation of resources during the safe implementation of TIF as a new procedure.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent TIF from January 2020 to February 2021 at our institution was performed.

Treatment of anastomotic leak after esophagectomy: insights of an international case vignette survey and expert discussions.

Anastomotic leak (AL) is a severe complication after esophagectomy. Clinical presentation of AL is diverse and there is large practice variation regarding treatment of AL. This study aimed to explore different AL treatment strategies and their underlying rationale.

ERAS guidelines-driven upper gastrointestinal contrast study after esophagectomy.

Background: Early nasogastric tube (NGT) removal is a component of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol for esophagectomy. The aim of this study is to assess a protocol-driven application of UGI contrast study to facilitate early NGT removal and direct a standardized therapeutic response in patients with evidence for delayed gastric conduit emptying (DGCE).

Methods: All patients undergoing esophagectomy between January 2017 and October 2019 were prospectively enrolled.

Feasibility and efficacy of cryoneurolysis analgesia in robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (CARTS): a pilot study.

Opioid therapy has been the mainstay therapy of post-operative pain management in thoracic surgery patients. With the high incidence of chronic pain in thoracic surgery patients and adverse effects of opioids, we examined the safety and efficacy of cryoneurolysis as an adjunct for narcotic-free pain management in robotic-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomies. Ten consecutive patients undergoing robotic-assisted (DaVinci) pulmonary resection and cryoneurolysis were compared to ten patients managed without intraoperative cryoneurolysis.

Impact of standardized clinical pathways on esophagectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Esophageal surgery is historically associated with adverse postoperative outcomes. Selected high-volume centers have previously reported the effect on clinical outcomes following the adoption of a standardized clinical pathway (SCP). This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the current literature to document the effect of SCP and enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) on esophagectomy outcomes.

Worldwide Techniques and Outcomes in Robot-assisted Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy (RAMIE): Results From the Multicenter International Registry.

Objective: This international multicenter study by the Upper GI International Robotic Association aimed to gain insight in current techniques and outcomes of RAMIE worldwide.

Background: Current evidence for RAMIE originates from single-center studies, which may not be generalizable to the international multicenter experience.

Methods: Twenty centers from Europe, Asia, North-America, and South-America participated from 2016 to 2019.

Contrast-enhanced paravertebrogram to confirm paravertebral catheter position in elective thoracic surgery: a proof of concept study.

Background: Paravertebral pain catheters have been shown to be equally effective as epidural pain catheters for postoperative analgesia after thoracic surgery with the possible additional benefit of less hemodynamic effect. However, a methodology for verifying correct paravertebral catheter placement has not been tested or objectively confirmed in previous studies. The aim of the current study was to describe a technique to confirm the correct position of a paravertebral pain catheter using a contrast-enhanced paravertebrogram.

Impact of initial imaging with gallium-68 dotatate PET/CT on diagnosis and management of patients with neuroendocrine tumors.

Background: Somatostatin analog functional imaging with gallium-68 (Ga-68) dotatate positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has demonstrated superiority in lesion detection in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The clinical impact of this imaging modality on US surgical and medical oncology practices has not been established.

Methods: Consecutive patients with NET at our institution who received an initial Ga-68 dotatate PET/CT between July 2017 and September 2018 were included.

The other explanation for dyspnea: giant paraesophageal hiatal hernia repair routinely improves pulmonary function.

Paraesophageal hiatal hernias (PEHs) are most commonly associated with gastrointestinal symptoms; less widely appreciated is their potentially important influence on respiratory function. We hypothesize that surgical repair of PEH will significantly improve not only gastrointestinal symptoms, but also preoperative dyspnea and spirometry scores. A prospective Institutional Review Board-approved database was used to review all patients undergoing PEH repair from 2000 to 2016.

Sublobar Resection in the Treatment of Peripheral Typical Carcinoid Tumors of the Lung.

Background: The role of sublobar resection in the treatment of pulmonary typical carcinoids is controversial. This study aims to compare long-term outcomes between sublobar and lobar resections in patients with peripheral typical carcinoid.

Methods: We retrospectively compared consecutive patients who underwent curative sublobar resection with patients who underwent lobectomy for cT1-3 N0 M0 peripheral pulmonary typical carcinoid in eight centers between 2000 and 2015.

Large Cell Neuroendocrine Tumor Size >3 cm Negatively Impacts Long-Term Outcomes After R0 Resection.

Background: Minimal knowledge exists regarding the outcome, prognosis and optimal treatment strategy for patients with pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC) due to their rarity. We aimed to identify factors affecting survival and recurrence after resection to inform current treatment strategies.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 72 patients who had undergone a curative resection for LCNEC in 8 centers between 2000 and 2015.

Functional Recovery After Lung Resection: A Before and After Prospective Cohort Study of Activity.

Background: Postoperative recovery is an important measure in thoracic operations. Personal activity monitors can be used to track progress in the preoperative and postoperative settings. This study investigates associations of preoperative activity, lung resection extent, and operative approach with inpatient and outpatient functional recovery as measured by activity monitors.

Abnormal High-Resolution Manometry Findings and Outcomes after Paraesophageal Hernia Repair.

Background: Abnormal esophageal peristalsis diagnosed by high-resolution manometry is frequently found as part of the preoperative evaluation of patients with paraesophageal hernia (PEH). Currently, the clinical relevance of these findings is largely unknown.

Study Design: From 2013 to 2016, two hundred and twelve patients undergoing PEH repair were prospectively recorded in an IRB-approved database.

Variability in invasive mediastinal staging for lung cancer: A multicenter regional study.

Objective: Prior studies have reported underuse of-but not variability in-invasive mediastinal staging in the pretreatment evaluation of patients with lung cancer. We sought to compare rates of invasive mediastinal staging for lung cancer across hospitals participating in a regional quality improvement and research collaborative.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study (2011-2013) of patients undergoing resected lung cancer from the Surgical Clinical Outcomes and Assessment Program in Washington State.