Psychosocial well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic among women with and without breast cancer.

Objective: Treatment delays in combination with general social distancing practices to reduce transmission may have negative impacts on the mental health of women with breast cancer who may need more social and emotional support. We sought to elucidate the psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among women with and without breast cancer in New York City.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study among women aged 18+ across the spectrum of breast health care at New York Presbyterian (NYP)-Weill Cornell, NYP-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and NYP-Queens.

Development of a geospatial approach for the quantitative analysis of trauma center access.

Introduction: Decisions around trauma center (TC) designation have become contentious in many areas. There is no consensus regarding the ideal number and location of TC and no accepted metrics to assess the effect of changes in system structure. We aimed to develop metrics of TC access, using publicly available data and analytic tools.

Success rate and factors predictive of redo radiofrequency ablation of perforator veins.

Objective: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is increasingly being employed for treatment of perforator vein insufficiency and venous ulcer healing. Previous studies have shown a closure rate of 60% to 80% in incompetent perforator veins (IPVs) with RFA. The purpose of the study was to determine the utility of a redo RFA for symptomatic recanalized perforators and to predict factors associated with recanalization.

Changes in Markers of Thrombin Generation and Interleukin-6 During Unicondylar Knee and Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with a risk of thromboembolism requiring routine thromboprophylaxis, but there is debate about the risk with unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) as it is a more minor procedure. We sought to investigate the relative risk of thromboembolism with UKA compared to TKA and one-staged bilateral TKA (BTKA) by measuring the increase in circulating biochemical markers of thrombin generation during the procedures. Degree of surgical trauma was also assessed by measuring interleukin-6, a marker of metabolic injury.

Changes in the Skin Conductance Monitor as an End Point for Sympathetic Nerve Blocks.

Objective: There is a lack of objective methods for determining the achievement of sympathetic block. This study validates the skin conductance monitor (SCM) as an end point indicator of successful sympathetic blockade as compared with traditional monitors.

Methods: This interventional study included 13 patients undergoing 25 lumbar sympathetic blocks to compare time to indication of successful blockade between the SCM indices and traditional measures, clinically visible hyperemia, clinically visible engorgement of veins, subjective skin temperature difference, unilateral thermometry monitoring, bilateral comparative thermometry monitoring, and change in waveform amplitude in pulse oximetry plethysmography, within a 30-minute observation period.

The incidence and risk factors for post-operative ileus after spinal fusion surgery: a multivariate analysis.

Purpose: Post-operative ileus is a recognized complication of surgery. Little is known about the incidence and risk factors for post-operative ileus following spinal fusion surgery. To report the incidence and to assess for independent risk factors of post-operative ileus after spinal fusion surgery.

Barriers to implementing a surgical beta-blocker protocol.

Background: Experience with a quality improvement (QI) program undertaken to increase the use of beta-adrenergic blockade in at-risk patients at both a major academic medical center and a community hospital suggests barriers to implementation.

Methods: A retrospective and prospective cohort study was performed to establish the incidence and effectiveness of beta-blockade use pre- and postimplementation of a standardized screening tool and a major education program as part of a QI project. Data gathering involved a baseline phase pre-intervention; 6 weeks postintervention; and 3-6 months postintervention.