Evaluating the Accuracy of Relative Value Unit and Operative Time Changes in Breast Reconstruction.

Background: As part of the 2021 changes to breast reconstruction CPT codes, the Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) recommended adjustments to work RVUs (wRVUs) based on newly surveyed intraoperative times. Our objective was to gauge the accuracy of operative time and wRVU adjustments using national data as a benchmark.

Methods: We queried the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database for operative times from 2005-2021 for reevaluated CPT codes.

Trends and Early Complications in Direct-to-Implant Breast Reconstruction: An Updated Analysis of the ACS-NSQIP Database.

Rates of direct-to-implant (DTI) breast reconstruction, in which breast implants are placed at the time of mastectomy, have been consistently rising. Advances in surgical adjuncts and technology, such as acellular dermal matrices (ADM), have made DTI reconstruction safer and more reliable. However, few studies have characterized early (30-day) postoperative complications following DTI.

Temporal Profile of Serum Neurofilament Light (NF-L) and Heavy (pNF-H) Level Associations With 6-Month Cognitive Performance in Patients With Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: Identification of biomarkers of cognitive recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI) will inform care and improve outcomes. This study assessed the utility of neurofilament (NF-L and pNF-H), a marker of neuronal injury, informing cognitive performance following moderate-to-severe TBI (msTBI).

Setting: Level 1 trauma center and outpatient via postdischarge follow-up.

Parallel Cerebrospinal Fluid and Serum Temporal Profile Assessment of Axonal Injury Biomarkers Neurofilament-Light Chain and Phosphorylated Neurofilament-Heavy Chain: Associations With Patient Outcome in Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Neurofilament-light chain (NF-L) and phosphorylated neurofilament-heavy chain (pNF-H) are axonal proteins that have been reported as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, detailed temporal profiles for these proteins in blood, and interrelationships in the acute and chronic time periods post-TBI have not been established. Our objectives were: 1) to characterize acute-to-chronic serum NF-L and pNF-H profiles after moderate-severe TBI, as well as acute cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels; 2) to evaluate CSF and serum NF-L and pNF-H associations with each other; and 3) to assess biomarker associations with global patient outcome using both the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E) and Disability Rating Scale (DRS).

Disparity Reduction in U.S. Breast Reconstruction: An Analysis from 2005 to 2017 Using 3 Nationwide Data Sets.

Background: Following passage of the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (WHCRA), a steady rise in breast reconstruction rates was reported; however, a recent update is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate longitudinal trends in breast reconstruction (BR) rates in the United States and relevant sociodemographic factors.

Methods: Mastectomy cases with and without BR from 2005 through 2017 were abstracted from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database; the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database; and the National Cancer Database (NCDB).