BACKGROUND/AIMS: Esophageal stricture is usually managed with outpatient endoscopic dilation. However, patients with food impaction or failure to thrive undergo inpatient dilation. Esophageal perforation is the most feared complication, and its risk in inpatient setting is unknown. METHODS: We used National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database for 2007–2013. International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes were used to identify patients with esophageal strictures. Logistic regression was used to assess association between hospital/patient characteristics and utilization of esophageal dilation. RESULTS: There were 591,187 hospitalizations involving esophageal stricture; 4.2% were malignant. Endoscopic dilation was performed in 28.7% cases. Dilation was more frequently utilized (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; p<0.001), had higher in-hospital mortality (3.1% vs. 1.4%, p<0.001), and resulted in longer hospital stays (5 days vs. 4 days, p=0.01), among cases of malignant strictures. Esophageal perforation was more common in the malignant group (0.9% vs. 0.5%, p=0.007). Patients with malignant compared to benign strictures undergoing dilation were more likely to require percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy or jejunostomy (PEG/J) tube (14.1% vs. 4.5%, p<0.001). Palliative care services were utilized more frequently in malignant stricture cases not treated with dilation compared to those that were dilated. CONCLUSIONS: Inpatient endoscopic dilation was utilized in 29% cases of esophageal stricture. Esophageal perforation, although infrequent, is more common in malignant strictures.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Esophageal Perforation ; Esophageal Stenosis ; Failure to Thrive ; Gastrostomy ; Hospital Mortality ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inpatients ; International Classification of Diseases ; Jejunostomy ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Outpatients ; Palliative Care

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There is lack of consensus on the optimal time allotted for colonoscopy, which increases patient wait times. Our aim was to identify and quantify the individual pre-procedural factors that determine the total procedure time (TPT) of colonoscopy. METHODS: This retrospective study involved 4,494 subjects, undergoing outpatient colonoscopy. Effects of age, sex, body mass index, abdominal surgery history, procedure indication (screening, surveillance, or diagnostic), procedure session (morning or afternoon), and endoscopist’s experience (fellow or attending) on TPT were evaluated using multiple regression analysis. A p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 1,239 subjects satisfied the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Women, older individuals, and those with a history of abdominal surgery were found to have a shorter TPT (p>0.05) as did afternoon session colonoscopies (p=0.004). Less experienced endoscopists had longer TPTs (p>0.05). Screening (p=0.01) and surveillance (p=0.008) colonoscopies had a longer TPT than diagnostic procedures. Overall, the F-value of the regression model was 0.0009. CONCLUSIONS: The indication for colonoscopy and the time of day have statistically significant associations with TPT. These results will help in streamlining workflow, reduce wait time, and improve patient satisfaction.
Body Mass Index ; Colonoscopy* ; Consensus ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Outpatients ; Patient Satisfaction ; Quality Improvement* ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Obesity is a much-debated factor with conflicting evidence regarding its association with cecum intubation rates during colonoscopy. We aimed to identify the association between cecal intubation (CI) time and obesity by eliminating confounding factors. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of subjects undergoing outpatient colonoscopy was conducted. The population was categorized by sex and obesity (body mass index [BMI, kg/m2]: I, <24.9; II, 25 to 29.9; III, ≥30). CI time was used as a marker for a difficult colonoscopy. Mean CI times (MCT) were compared for statistical significance using analysis of variance tests. RESULTS: A total of 926 subjects were included. Overall MCT was 15.7±7.9 minutes, and it was 15.9±7.9 and 15.5±7.9 minutes for men and women, respectively. MCT among women for BMI category I, II, and III was 14.4±6.5, 15.5±8.3, and 16.2±8.1 minutes (p=0.55), whereas for men, it was 16.3±8.9, 15.9±8.0, and 15.6±7.2 minutes (p=0.95), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: BMI had a positive association with CI time for women, but had a negative association with CI for men.
Cecum ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Gender Identity ; Humans ; Intubation* ; Male ; Obesity* ; Outpatients ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Preservation of renal function is of paramount importance in patients with tumors in solitary kidneys. We compared the renal function and oncologic outcomes of patients treated by partial nephrectomy with those of patients treated by cryoablation for solitary kidney tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients with solitary kidneys who were treated for renal tumors at our institution between 1997 and 2007 were included in the screen. We retrospectively identified 23 patients who underwent cryoablation and 15 patients who underwent partial nephrectomy. RESULTS: The two groups were similar with regard to age, gender, and tumor laterality. Patients in the partial nephrectomy group had a larger tumor size (3.4 cm vs. 2.5 cm, p=0.01), higher mean estimated blood loss (316 cc vs. 87 cc, p<0.001), longer duration of hospital stay (5.8 vs. 1.8 days, p<0.001), and a higher rate of perioperative complications (53.3% vs. 8.7% patients, p=0.03). Percentage changes in the glomerular filtration rate postoperatively and on follow-up were found to be similar in the two groups. Both the cryoablation and the partial nephrectomy groups with mean follow-ups of 31.2 months and 30.8 months, respectively, had evidence of local or distant recurrence in 3 patients each (13% and 20% respectively, p=0.7). Both groups had a similar mean overall survival (88.9 and 86.9 months in the cryoablation and partial nephrectomy groups, respectively, p=0.8). CONCLUSIONS: For tumors in solitary kidneys, renal functional and clinical outcomes for cryoablation were not significantly different from those for partial nephrectomy. However, cryoablation has the distinct advantage of a lower morbidity rate and can be preferentially offered to selected cases.
Cryosurgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; Kidney ; Length of Stay ; Nephrectomy ; Nitro Compounds ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies