Project description:BackgroundThere has been increasing demand for aesthetic surgery procedures in the United States, highlighting the critical importance of the competence of plastic surgery residents and rigorous methods of aesthetic surgery training.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to review procedures and outcomes from our plastic surgery resident aesthetic clinic. Outcomes and costs were compared to national averages and reports from the literature.MethodsA retrospective chart review identified all adult patients who presented to the Resident Aesthetic Surgery Clinic at NYU Langone Health in 2021. Patient demographics, comorbidities, procedural data, postoperative complications, revisions, and surgeon fees were compiled. A brief confidence survey was distributed to participating residents before and after their clinic rotation. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software (Armonk, NY).ResultsIn 2021, 144/379 consultations led to an operation (38.0% conversion rate), resulting in 420 distinct surgical procedures. The majority (53.3%) of procedures involved the head and neck. Complication and revision rates were 5.5% and 1.0%, respectively, with surgeon fees consistently below the national average. Residents reported being significantly more confident performing face lifts, rhinoplasties, and aesthetic surgery in general following their clinic rotation.ConclusionsThese data represent the largest annual reported study of plastic surgery resident aesthetic procedures and outcomes, demonstrating the high volume and productivity of the NYU Resident Aesthetic Surgery Clinic. These results further support resident aesthetic clinics as a robust training modality.Level of evidence 4
Project description:BackgroundMany patients nationwide change their primary care physician (PCP) when internal medicine (IM) residents graduate. Few studies have examined this handoff.ObjectiveTo assess patient outcomes and resident perspectives after the year-end continuity clinic handoffDesignRetrospective cohortParticipantsPatients who underwent a year-end clinic handoff in July 2010 and a comparison group of all other resident clinic patients from 2009-2011. PGY2 IM residents surveyed from 2010-2011.MeasurementsPercent of high-risk patients after the clinic handoff scheduled for an appointment, who saw their assigned PCP, lost to follow-up, or had an acute visit (ED or hospitalization). Perceptions of PGY2 IM residents surveyed after receiving a clinic handoff.ResultsThirty graduating residents identified 258 high-risk patients. While nearly all patients (97 %) were scheduled, 29 % missed or cancelled their first new PCP visit. Only 44 % of patients saw the correct PCP and six months later, one-fifth were lost to follow-up. Patients not seen by a new PCP after the handoff were less likely to have appropriate follow-up for pending tests (0 % vs. 63 %, P<0.001). A higher mean no show rate (NSR) was observed among patients who missed their first new PCP visit (22 % vs. 16 % NSR, p<0.001) and those lost to follow-up (21 % vs. 17 % NSR, p=0.019). While 47 % of residents worried about missing important data during the handoff, 47 % reported that they do not perceive patients as "theirs" until they are seen by them in clinic.ConclusionsWhile most patients were scheduled for appointments after a clinic handoff, many did not see the correct resident and one-fifth were lost to follow-up. Patients who miss appointments are especially at risk of poor clinic handoff outcomes. Future efforts should improve patient attendance to their first new PCP visit and increase PCP ownership.
Project description:BackgroundPilonidal disease is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder typically located in the gluteal cleft. Treatment varies from antibiotic therapy to extensive surgical resection and reconstruction; however, complications and recurrence are common. To understand risk factors, outcomes, and costs associated with various treatments, we performed a retrospective chart review of all patients treated for pilonidal disease at a single health care system from 2008 to 2018.MethodsPatients with an ICD diagnosis code associated with pilonidal disease were identified. Charts were reviewed for demographic, clinical, and cost information related to pilonidal disease encounters. Data were analyzed for risk of recurrence by Cox proportional hazards regression and economic burden by Wilcoxon signed-rank test.ResultsDuring the study time frame, 513 patients were diagnosed with pilonidal disease. Primary treatment included 108 patients (21%) with wide excision, 167 (32%) with antibiotics alone, 79 (15%) with incision and drainage, and 109 (21%) with incision and drainage plus antibiotics. The rate of recurrence following antibiotic therapy, incision and drainage, or wide excision was 36.7%, 35.9%, and 21.3%, respectively. Sex, body mass index, obesity, or hidradenitis suppurativa was not associated with recurrence; however, smokers who underwent incision and drainage had a higher risk of recurrence (P < .0001). The median cost of each primary treatment was $3,093 for excision, $607 for incision and drainage, $281 antibiotics alone, and $686 for incision and drainage plus antibiotics.ConclusionPilonidal disease presents with a high degree of heterogeneity and is often managed primarily with antibiotics, incision and drainage, or surgical excision. Risk of recurrence was less in patients who underwent wide excision; however, these patients had higher overall cost compared to patients that had nonoperative management.Level of evidenceLevel III.
Project description:Background and aimsTranscatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a viable treatment option for patients with severe aortic valve stenosis across a broad range of surgical risk. The Nordic Aortic Valve Intervention (NOTION) trial was the first to randomize patients at lower surgical risk to TAVI or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). The aim of the present study was to report clinical and bioprosthesis outcomes after 10 years.MethodsThe NOTION trial randomized 280 patients to TAVI with the self-expanding CoreValve (Medtronic Inc.) bioprosthesis (n = 145) or SAVR with a bioprosthesis (n = 135). The primary composite outcome was the risk of all-cause mortality, stroke, or myocardial infarction. Bioprosthetic valve dysfunction (BVD) was classified as structural valve deterioration (SVD), non-structural valve dysfunction (NSVD), clinical valve thrombosis, or endocarditis according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-3 criteria. Severe SVD was defined as (i) a transprosthetic gradient of 30 mmHg or more and an increase in transprosthetic gradient of 20 mmHg or more or (ii) severe new intraprosthetic regurgitation. Bioprosthetic valve failure (BVF) was defined as the composite rate of death from a valve-related cause or an unexplained death following the diagnosis of BVD, aortic valve re-intervention, or severe SVD.ResultsBaseline characteristics were similar between TAVI and SAVR: age 79.2 ± 4.9 years and 79.0 ± 4.7 years (P = .7), male 52.6% and 53.8% (P = .8), and Society of Thoracic Surgeons score < 4% of 83.4% and 80.0% (P = .5), respectively. After 10 years, the risk of the composite outcome all-cause mortality, stroke, or myocardial infarction was 65.5% after TAVI and 65.5% after SAVR [hazard ratio (HR) 1.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.7-1.3; P = .9], with no difference for each individual outcome. Severe SVD had occurred in 1.5% and 10.0% (HR 0.2; 95% CI 0.04-0.7; P = .02) after TAVI and SAVR, respectively. The cumulative incidence for severe NSVD was 20.5% and 43.0% (P < .001) and for endocarditis 7.2% and 7.4% (P = 1.0) after TAVI and SAVR, respectively. No patients had clinical valve thrombosis. Bioprosthetic valve failure occurred in 9.7% of TAVI and 13.8% of SAVR patients (HR 0.7; 95% CI 0.4-1.5; P = .4).ConclusionsIn patients with severe AS and lower surgical risk randomized to TAVI or SAVR, the risk of major clinical outcomes was not different 10 years after treatment. The risk of severe bioprosthesis SVD was lower after TAVR compared with SAVR, while the risk of BVF was similar.
Project description:BACKGROUND: Despite the rising prevalence of diabetes, there is a paucity of diabetes curricula in residency training. The multidisciplinary diabetes team approach is underused in residency education. OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of an innovative multidisciplinary resident diabetes clinic (MRDC) in enhancing (1) resident diabetes knowledge via a Diabetes Awareness Questionnaire, and (2) subsequent process and patient outcomes in patients with diabetes via a Diabetes Practice Behavior Checklist. METHODS: From October 2008 to February 2010, 14 internal medicine residents managed patients with uncontrolled diabetes in a weekly half-day MRDC for 1 month (total 4-5 half-day sessions/resident), with a collaborative team of internists, diabetes educators, an endocrinologist, and a pharmacist. The curriculum included didactic sessions, required readings, and patient-specific case discussions. A 20-question Diabetes Awareness Questionnaire was administered to each resident prerotation and postrotation. Records of 47 patients with diabetes in the residents' own continuity clinics (not the MRDC) were audited 6 months before and after the MRDC for Diabetes Practice Behavior Checklist measures (glycated hemoglobin, blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, retinal referral, foot exam, microalbumin screen). Pre-MRDC and post-MRDC data were compared via paired t test. RESULTS: The MRDC residents exhibited a modest increase in mean (SD) scores on the Diabetes Awareness Questionnaire (before, 8.2 [2.8]; after, 10.9 [2.8]; P = .02) and a modest mean (SD) performance increase in overall process outcomes from the Diabetes Practice Behavior Checklist (before, 74% [18%]; after, 84% [18%]; P = .004). No improvements occurred in patient outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Multidisciplinary diabetes teaching may be useful in fostering certain resident knowledge and performance measures but may not alter clinical outcomes. Further large-scale, longitudinal studies are needed to understand the effect of our curriculum on residents' diabetes knowledge and future practice behavior.
Project description:BackgroundCervicothoracic spinal tuberculosis is a rare disease. Due to its difficult and challenging surgical exposure, its surgical treatment approach remains inconclusive. Long-term follow-up studies to address this puzzling issue are rarely seen in the literature. The purpose of this study was to explore the selection of surgical treatment approaches for cervicothoracic spinal tuberculosis through a 10-year case review.MethodsFrom January 2003 to January 2013, 45 patients suffering from cervicothoracic spinal tuberculosis were treated surgically. According to the relation between the tuberculosis lesion segments and the suprasternal notch on sagittal MRI, 19 patients were treated with a single-stage anterior debridement, fusion and instrumentation approach, and the other 26 patients were treated with a single-stage anterior debridement and fusion, posterior fusion and instrumentation approach. The clinical efficacy was evaluated using statistical analysis based on the Cobb angle of kyphosis, the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scoring system. The neurofunctional recovery was assessed by the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) system.ResultsAll patients were followed up for 6.6 years on average (range 3-13 years). No instrumentation loosening, migration or breakage was observed during the follow-up. The kyphosis angle and NDI and JOA scores were significantly changed from preoperative values of 34.7±6.8°, 39.6±4.6 and 10.7±2.8 to postoperative values of 10.2±2.4°, 11.4±3.6 and 17.6±2.4, respectively (p<0.05). Aside from one recurrent patient, bone fusion was achieved in the other 44 patients within 6 to 9 months (mean 7.2 months). No severe postoperative complications occurred, and patients' neurologic function was improved in various degrees.ConclusionsIn the surgical treatment of cervicothoracic spinal tuberculosis, single-stage cervical anterior approach with or without partial manubriotomy is capable of complete debridement for tuberculosis lesions. The manner of fixation should be selected based on the anatomical relation of the suprasternal notch and the diseased segments as revealed on sagittal MRI images.