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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 6 of 6 Research Studies DisplayedEhlers AP, Chhabra K, Thumma JR
In the eye of the beholder: surgeon variation in intra-operative perceptions of hiatal hernia and reflux outcomes after sleeve gastrectomy.
Researchers sought to determine whether intra-operative diagnosis of hiatal hernia varies among surgeons or if it affects outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. They found that surgeons who identified hiatal hernias during video review had a higher rate of concurrent hiatal hernia repairs in their practice. However, this identification was not associated with improved patient-reported reflux symptoms after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. They concluded that standardizing identification and management of hiatal hernias during bariatric surgery may help improve reflux outcomes post-operatively.
AHRQ-funded; HS023597.
Citation: Ehlers AP, Chhabra K, Thumma JR .
In the eye of the beholder: surgeon variation in intra-operative perceptions of hiatal hernia and reflux outcomes after sleeve gastrectomy.
Surg Endosc 2021 Jun;35(6):2537-42. doi: 10.1007/s00464-020-07668-4..
Keywords: Obesity, Surgery, Provider: Physician, Provider
Chhabra KR, Thumma JR, Varban OA
Associations between video evaluations of surgical technique and outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
The authors examined associations between technique and outcomes in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Technical approaches to five controversial aspects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy were studied: dissection of the proximal stomach, sleeve caliber, sleeve anatomy, staple line reinforcement, and leak testing. The authors found that variations in surgical technique can be measured by video review and are associated with differences in patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS023597; HS025365.
Citation: Chhabra KR, Thumma JR, Varban OA .
Associations between video evaluations of surgical technique and outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
JAMA Surg 2021 Feb;156(2):e205532. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2020.5532..
Keywords: Surgery, Obesity, Provider Performance, Provider: Physician, Provider, Quality of Care
Varban OA, Thumma JR, Carlin AM
Peer assessment of operative videos with sleeve gastrectomy to determine optimal operative technique.
Global assessments of technical skill have been associated with surgical outcomes. More detailed understanding of which specific aspects of technique combine to make the "optimal" sleeve gastrectomy are necessary to help surgeons improve their practice. In this article, the investigators described their study in which the review of de-identified videos of practicing bariatric surgeons was conducted by a minimum of 10 peer surgeons. The videos were assessed on the technical quality of 9 operative maneuvers (ie mobilization of the fundus, stapler location, and sleeve width).
AHRQ-funded; HS017765.
Citation: Varban OA, Thumma JR, Carlin AM .
Peer assessment of operative videos with sleeve gastrectomy to determine optimal operative technique.
J Am Coll Surg 2020 Oct;231(4):470-77. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.06.016..
Keywords: Surgery, Obesity: Weight Management, Obesity, Adverse Events, Provider: Physician, Provider
de Meireles A, Carlin AM, Cain-Nielsen A
Association between surgeon practice knowledge and venous thromboembolism.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the most common cause of mortality following bariatric surgery. This study aimed to determine practice patterns of VTE chemoprophylaxis among bariatric surgeons participating in a large statewide quality collaborative and compare the results of surgeon self-reported chemoprophylaxis prescription practices versus actual data from abstracted charts. They administered a 13-question survey to 66 surgeons to reveal VTE practice patterns such as medication type, dosage, timing, duration, and level of trainee involvement. They also examined the charts of all patients who had developed VTE during the study period and 15 other randomly selected patient charts per site. There was found to be a greater discordance between surgeon self-reported and actual perioperative VTE prophylaxis, but there was no significant discordance postoperatively. Greater perioperative discordance is associated with significantly increased risk of VTE.
AHRQ-funded; HS02362; HS024403.
Citation: de Meireles A, Carlin AM, Cain-Nielsen A .
Association between surgeon practice knowledge and venous thromboembolism.
Obes Surg 2020 Feb 16;30(6):2274-79. doi: 10.1007/s11695-020-04468-6..
Keywords: Surgery, Obesity: Weight Management, Obesity, Blood Clots, Practice Patterns, Provider: Physician, Provider
Vergis A, Hardy K, Stogryn S
Fellow and attending surgeon operative notes are deficient in reporting established quality indicators for Roux-en-y gastric bypass: a preliminary retrospective analysis of operative dictation.
This retrospective analysis investigated the completeness of reporting documentation for Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) surgery. A total of 40 bariatric fellow and 40 attending RYGB narrative reports were analyzed. Fellows had a mean completion rate of 66.4% compared to 61.5% for attendings. Fellows also did a better job of completing subsections, with the exception of closure details. This information is important to communicating operative events and can make an impact on patient safety and quality.
AHRQ-funded; HS018546.
Citation: Vergis A, Hardy K, Stogryn S .
Fellow and attending surgeon operative notes are deficient in reporting established quality indicators for Roux-en-y gastric bypass: a preliminary retrospective analysis of operative dictation.
Cureus 2019 Apr 24;11(4):e4535. doi: 10.7759/cureus.4535..
Keywords: Obesity, Quality of Care, Quality Indicators (QIs), Patient Safety, Provider, Provider: Physician, Surgery
Stevens H, Carlin AM, Ross R
Effect of surgeon age on bariatric surgery outcomes.
This study examined the effect of surgeon age on complication rates for bariatric surgery. A retrospective study was done with 71 surgeons in Michigan who participated in a statewide collaborative improvement program. Older surgeons performed more Roux-en Y Gastric Bypass (40%) and less sleeve gastrectomy (38.8%) than younger surgeons. There was not found to be any statistically significant differences in patient outcome between the two age groups.
AHRQ-funded; HS024403.
Citation: Stevens H, Carlin AM, Ross R .
Effect of surgeon age on bariatric surgery outcomes.
Ann Surg 2018 May;267(5):905-09. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000002297..
Keywords: Adverse Events, Obesity, Outcomes, Patient Safety, Provider, Provider: Physician, Provider Performance