Hospital Length of Stay and Readmission Rate for Neurosurgical Patients

BACKGROUND Hospital readmission rate has become a major indicator of quality of care, with penalties given to hospitals with high rates of readmission. At the same time, insurers are increasing pressure for greater efficiency and reduced costs, including decreasing hospital lengths of stay (LOS). OBJECTIVE To analyze the authors’ service to determine if there is a relationship between LOS and readmission rates. METHODS Records of patients admitted to the authors’ institution from October 2007 through June 2014 were analyzed for several data points, including initial LOS, readmission occurrence, admitting and secondary diagnoses, and discharge disposition. RESULTS Out of 9409 patient encounters, there were 925 readmissions. Average LOS was 6 d. Univariate analysis indicated a higher readmission rate with more diagnoses upon admission (P < .001) and an association between insurance type and readmission (P < .001), as well as decreasing average yearly LOS (P = .0045). Multivariate analysis indicated statistically significant associations between longer LOS (P = .03) and government insurance (P < .01). CONCLUSION A decreasing LOS over time has been associated with an increasing readmission rate at the population level. However, at the individual level, a prolonged LOS was associated with a higher risk of readmission. This was attributed to patient comorbidities. However, this increasing readmission rate may represent many factors including patients’ overall health status. Thus, the rate of readmission may represent a burden of illness rather than a valid metric for quality of care

Statistical Analysis for Hospital Length-of-Stay and Readmission Rate Study

Hospital readmission rate has become a major indicator of quality of care, with penalties given to hospitals that have high rates of readmission. At the same time, insurers are applying increasing pressure to improve efficiency and reduce costs, including decreasing hospital lengths of stay. We analyze these trends to determine if reducing lengths of stay (LOS) may actually worsen readmission rates. All records of patients admitted to the neurosurgical service at one hospital from October 2007 through June 2014 were aggregated and analyzed for several variables, including initial length of stay, readmission occurrence, and length of stay, admitting diagnosis, admission priority and discharge disposition. Any trends over time were also noted. 925 out of 9,409 patient encounters are readmissions. Readmission rate and average length of stay were found significantly negative correlated. Besides linear regression which directly connecting average length of stay and readmission rate, survival analysis methods with Cox proportional hazard ratio model were employed to determine which factors were associated with a higher risk of readmission. There was a clear increase in readmissions over the study period, but LOS remained relatively constant, suggesting that increasing medical complexity confounded efforts to decrease LOS and was responsible for increased readmission rates. This study can help providers avoid readmissions by focusing on effective management of comorbidities

Choroid Plexus of the Fourth Ventricle: Review and Anatomic Study Highlighting Anatomical Variations

Relatively few studies have been performed that analyze the morphology of the choroid plexus of the fourth ventricle. Due to the importance of this tissue as a landmark on imaging and during surgical intervention of the fourth ventricle, the authors performed a cadaveric study to better characterize this important structure. The choroid plexus of the fourth ventricle of 60 formalin fixed adult human brains was examined and measured. The horizontal distance from the midline to the lateral most point of the protruding tip of the horizontal limbs was measured. In the majority of the 60 brain specimens, right and left horizontal limbs of the choroid plexus were seen extending from the midline and protruding out of their respective lateral apertures of the fourth ventricle and into the subarachnoid space. However, on 3.3% of sides, there was absence of an extension into the foramen of Luschka and in one specimen, this lack of extension into the foramen of Luschka was bilateral. On two sides, there was discontinuity between the midline choroid plexus and the tuft of choroid just outside the foramen of Luschka. For specimens in which the choroid plexus did protrude through the foramen of Luschka (96.7%), these tufts were located anterior to the flocculus and inferolateral to the facial/vestibulocochlear nerve complex and posterosuperior to the glossopharyngeal/vagal/accessory complex. A thorough understanding of the normal and variant anatomy of the fourth ventricular choroid plexus is necessary for those who operate in, or interpret imaging of, this region

The Supraorbital Eyebrow Craniotomy for Intra- and Extra-Axial Brain Tumors: A Single-Center Series and Technique Modification.

BACKGROUND: The supraorbital (SO) eyebrow craniotomy provides minimally invasive access to the anterior and middle fossae and parasellar region. OBJECTIVE: To present a series of patients treated with the SO approach to assess outcomes, the impact of endoscopy, and describe a modified pericranial flap aimed at reducing postoperative frontalis paresis and hypesthesia. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of our prospective database of patients who underwent SO craniotomy for tumor/cyst removal. Patients were evaluated based on pathology, utility of endoscopy, extent of resection, complications, and functional/esthetic recovery. RESULTS: From 2007 to 2018, 129 operations were performed in 117 patients (54% women; mean age 60 ± 16.5 yr). The most common lesions were meningiomas (43%), gliomas (15%), and metastases (15%). Prior surgery and/or radiation had been performed in 37% and 26% of patients, respectively. Endoscopy was used in 76 (61%) operations and allowed more complete tumor removal in 38 (50%). For first-time operations, gross-total removal was achieved in 78%. Major complications included stroke (3%), cranial nerve deficit (3%), acute hematoma (1%), and cerebrospinal fluid leak (1%). The modified pericranial flap technique used in 18 recent patients resulted in a shorter duration of transient frontalis paresis and forehead hypesthesia with complete functional recovery in all 18. CONCLUSION: The SO craniotomy is an effective keyhole approach for intra- and extra-axial tumors. Endoscopic assistance may allow additional tumor removal in almost 30% of the cases. The modified pericranial flap appears to accelerate functional recovery, although additional patients and follow-up are required to better assess this technique

Rathke\u27s cleft cysts: a 6-year experience of surgery vs. observation with comparative volumetric analysis.

BACKGROUND: Rathke\u27s cleft cysts (RCCs) are common sellar lesions. Their management remains controversial, particularly when small or asymptomatic. Herein we review a consecutive series of RCC patients managed with surgery or observation. METHODS: All patients with a new diagnosis of presumed RCC, based on MRI, from February 2012-March 2018 were retrospectively divided into observational and surgical cohorts based on an intent-to-treat model. The cohorts were compared for clinical presentation, and cyst volume. The observational cohort was followed for change in cyst size. The surgical cohort was followed for changes in endocrinopathy, visual symptoms, headache and recurrence. RESULTS: Of 90 patients (mean age 36.7 ± 19.4 years; 68% female), 60% (n = 54) were in the observational cohort and 40% (n = 36) in the surgical cohort. Average follow-up was 13 ± 23 months in the observational cohort and 24 ± 19 months in the surgical group. In comparing the cohorts, mean ages were similar with more women in the surgical group (81% vs. 56%, p = 0.04). Most patients in the observational cohort had incidentally-discovered RCCs (n = 50, 88%) as opposed to the surgical cohort (n = 6, 17%). The surgical cohort had higher rates of headache (89% vs 26%, p \u3c 0.001), endocrinopathy (36% vs 0%, p \u3c 0.001), and visual dysfunction (19% vs 0%, p = 0.001). Mean cyst volume and maximal cyst dimensions were greater in the surgical cohort (0.94 ± 0.77 cm CONCLUSION: From this consecutive series, a majority (60%) of RCCs do not appear to warrant surgical intervention and have a low risk of cyst progression. However, surgical cyst removal appears to be indicated and safe for patients with larger, symptomatic RCCs. Simple cyst drainage has a high rate of improvement in pituitary gland function, visual function and headache resolution with low complication rates and symptomatic recurrence risk. These findings stress the importance of careful case selection and potential utility of volumetric assessment for patients with RCCs