The Impact of Stone Multiplicity on Surgical Decisions for Patients with Large Stone Burden: Results from ReSKU.

Introduction: American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines recommend percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for total stone burden greater than 20 mm, yet it is unclear if the number of stones affects adherence to this guideline. We aim to assess the impact of stone multiplicity on the choice of ureteroscopy (URS) vs PCNL as a first-line therapy for patients with high burden (>20 mm), and examine whether the AUA guideline-discordant care impacts patient outcomes. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from the Registry for Stones of the Kidney and Ureter (ReSKU) database, a prospectively collected registry of patients with stone disease. Multivariate logistic regression (MLR) was used to estimate the association between stone multiplicity and the decision to perform URS for high stone burden (>20 mm) patients. MLR was further used to estimate the association between performing URS and the following outcomes: stone-free rate, need for a second operation, and complications. Postoperative hospital stay was compared between patients receiving URS vs PCNL using Student's t-test. Results: One hundred twenty-five patients were included in this analysis. For patients with total stone burden exceeding 20 mm, those with more than three stones had roughly nine times the likelihood of undergoing URS over PCNL compared with patients with a single stone (adjusted odds ratio 9.21, confidence interval [95% CI] 2.55-40.58, p = 0.001). Stone-free rates, Clavien-Dindo scores, and frequency of second-look operations did not differ significantly between URS and PCNL patients. URS patients were discharged an average of 1.26 days earlier than patients who received PCNL (95% CI 0.72-1.81, p < 0.001). Discussion: Stone multiplicity strongly predicts which patients with stone burden >20 mm will undergo URS and who will undergo PCNL. These deviations from AUA guidelines do not appear to worsen patient outcomes. These results suggest that careful consideration of each patient may warrant deviation from guidelines

The impact of losing a child on the clinical presentation of complicated grief

BackgroundIt is unclear whether bereaved parents with Complicated Grief (CG) struggle with their grief differently than others with CG. This study addressed this question by comparing CG severity, CG-related symptoms, thoughts and behaviors, and comorbid psychiatric diagnoses of bereaved parents with CG to the diagnoses and symptoms of others with CG.MethodsBaseline data from 345 participants enrolled in the Healing Emotions After Loss (HEAL) study, a multi-site CG treatment study, were used to compare parents with CG (n=75) to others with CG (n=275). Data from the parent group was then used to compare parents with CG who had lost a younger child (n=24) to parents with CG who had lost an older child (n=34). Demographic and loss-related data were also gathered and used to control for confounders between groups.ResultsParents with CG demonstrated slightly higher levels of CG (p=0.025), caregiver self-blame (p=0.007), and suicidality (p=0.025) than non-parents with CG. Parents who had lost younger children were more likely to have had a wish to be dead since the loss than parents who had lost older children (p=0.041).LimitationsAll data were gathered from a treatment research study, limiting the generalizability of these results. No corrections were made for multiple comparisons. The comparison of parents who lost younger children to parents who lost older children was limited by a small sample size.ConclusionsEven in the context of CG, the relationship to the deceased may have a bearing on the degree and severity of grief symptoms and associated features. Bereaved parents with CG reported more intense CG, self-blame, and suicidality than other bereaved groups with CG, though this finding requires confirmation. The heightened levels of suicidal ideation experienced by parents with CG, especially after losing a younger child, suggest the value of routinely screening for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in this group

Defining the Costs of Reusable Flexible Ureteroscope Reprocessing Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing

PurposeCareful decontamination and sterilization of reusable flexible ureteroscopes used in ureterorenoscopy cases prevent the spread of infectious pathogens to patients and technicians. However, inefficient reprocessing and unavailability of ureteroscopes sent out for repair can contribute to expensive operating room (OR) delays. Time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) was applied to describe the time and costs involved in reprocessing.Materials and methodsDirect observation and timing were performed for all steps in reprocessing of reusable flexible ureteroscopes following operative procedures. Estimated times needed for each step by which damaged ureteroscopes identified during reprocessing are sent for repair were characterized through interviews with purchasing analyst staff. Process maps were created for reprocessing and repair detailing individual step times and their variances. Cost data for labor and disposables used were applied to calculate per minute and average step costs.ResultsTen ureteroscopes were followed through reprocessing. Process mapping for ureteroscope reprocessing averaged 229.0 ± 74.4 minutes, whereas sending a ureteroscope for repair required an estimated 143 minutes per repair. Most steps demonstrated low variance between timed observations. Ureteroscope drying was the longest and highest variance step at 126.5 ± 55.7 minutes and was highly dependent on manual air flushing through the ureteroscope working channel and ureteroscope positioning in the drying cabinet. Total costs for reprocessing totaled $96.13 per episode, including the cost of labor and disposable items.ConclusionsUtilizing TDABC delineates the full spectrum of costs associated with ureteroscope reprocessing and identifies areas for process improvement to drive value-based care. At our institution, ureteroscope drying was one clearly identified target area. Implementing training in ureteroscope drying technique could save up to 2 hours per reprocessing event, potentially preventing expensive OR delays

Defining the Costs of Reusable Flexible Ureteroscope Reprocessing Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing.

PurposeCareful decontamination and sterilization of reusable flexible ureteroscopes used in ureterorenoscopy cases prevent the spread of infectious pathogens to patients and technicians. However, inefficient reprocessing and unavailability of ureteroscopes sent out for repair can contribute to expensive operating room (OR) delays. Time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) was applied to describe the time and costs involved in reprocessing.Materials and methodsDirect observation and timing were performed for all steps in reprocessing of reusable flexible ureteroscopes following operative procedures. Estimated times needed for each step by which damaged ureteroscopes identified during reprocessing are sent for repair were characterized through interviews with purchasing analyst staff. Process maps were created for reprocessing and repair detailing individual step times and their variances. Cost data for labor and disposables used were applied to calculate per minute and average step costs.ResultsTen ureteroscopes were followed through reprocessing. Process mapping for ureteroscope reprocessing averaged 229.0 ± 74.4 minutes, whereas sending a ureteroscope for repair required an estimated 143 minutes per repair. Most steps demonstrated low variance between timed observations. Ureteroscope drying was the longest and highest variance step at 126.5 ± 55.7 minutes and was highly dependent on manual air flushing through the ureteroscope working channel and ureteroscope positioning in the drying cabinet. Total costs for reprocessing totaled $96.13 per episode, including the cost of labor and disposable items.ConclusionsUtilizing TDABC delineates the full spectrum of costs associated with ureteroscope reprocessing and identifies areas for process improvement to drive value-based care. At our institution, ureteroscope drying was one clearly identified target area. Implementing training in ureteroscope drying technique could save up to 2 hours per reprocessing event, potentially preventing expensive OR delays

Defining the Costs of Reusable Flexible Ureteroscope Reprocessing Using Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing

PurposeCareful decontamination and sterilization of reusable flexible ureteroscopes used in ureterorenoscopy cases prevent the spread of infectious pathogens to patients and technicians. However, inefficient reprocessing and unavailability of ureteroscopes sent out for repair can contribute to expensive operating room (OR) delays. Time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) was applied to describe the time and costs involved in reprocessing.Materials and methodsDirect observation and timing were performed for all steps in reprocessing of reusable flexible ureteroscopes following operative procedures. Estimated times needed for each step by which damaged ureteroscopes identified during reprocessing are sent for repair were characterized through interviews with purchasing analyst staff. Process maps were created for reprocessing and repair detailing individual step times and their variances. Cost data for labor and disposables used were applied to calculate per minute and average step costs.ResultsTen ureteroscopes were followed through reprocessing. Process mapping for ureteroscope reprocessing averaged 229.0 ± 74.4 minutes, whereas sending a ureteroscope for repair required an estimated 143 minutes per repair. Most steps demonstrated low variance between timed observations. Ureteroscope drying was the longest and highest variance step at 126.5 ± 55.7 minutes and was highly dependent on manual air flushing through the ureteroscope working channel and ureteroscope positioning in the drying cabinet. Total costs for reprocessing totaled $96.13 per episode, including the cost of labor and disposable items.ConclusionsUtilizing TDABC delineates the full spectrum of costs associated with ureteroscope reprocessing and identifies areas for process improvement to drive value-based care. At our institution, ureteroscope drying was one clearly identified target area. Implementing training in ureteroscope drying technique could save up to 2 hours per reprocessing event, potentially preventing expensive OR delays