Short- and long-term outcome after colon cancer resections performed by male and female surgeons: A single-center retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of surgeon sex on short- and long-term outcomes after colon cancer resections. METHODS: Clinical data of patients who underwent colon cancer resections between 2010 and 2020 at Helsingborg Hospital, Sweden, were retrospectively obtained from medical records. The sex of the surgeon of each procedure was recorded. Morbidity, mortality, and long-term survival were compared in patients operated by male and female surgeons. RESULTS: Colon cancer resections were performed by 23 male and 9 female surgeons in 1113 patients (79% elective, 21% emergent). After elective surgery, there was no difference in postoperative complications, 30-day mortality, or long-term survival between patients operated by male and female surgeons. Following emergent resections, the complication rate was significantly lower in patients operated by female surgeons (41.3% vs 58.1%, p = 0.019). Similarly, the rates of R1-resections (0% vs 5.2%, p = 0.039), reoperations (3.8% vs 14.2%, p = 0.014), and intensive care unit (ICU) care (6.3% vs 17.4%, p = 0.018) were significantly lower for patients operated by female surgeons, but there was no difference in 30-day mortality (6.3% vs 5.2%, p = 0.767). Cox regression analysis showed that long-term and cancer-free survival in patients emergently operated by male surgeons was significantly shorter than that of patients operated by female surgeons (hazard ratio = 1.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-2.8), p = 0.001 and hazard ratio = 1.7 (95% CI = 1.1-2.7), p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: The short- and long-term outcome after elective colon cancer resections were similar in patients operated by male and female surgeons. The outcome following emergent resections performed by female surgeons compared favorably with that of male surgeons, with fewer complications and reoperations and better long-term survival.

Effects of surgical specialization and surgeon resection volume on postoperative complications and mortality rate after emergent colon cancer resection.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of surgical specialization and surgeon resection volume on short-term outcome after emergent colon cancer resections. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent resections for colon cancer between 2011 and 2020 at Helsingborg Hospital, Sweden was performed. The senior surgeon participating in each procedure was classified as a colorectal surgeon or a non-colorectal surgeon. Non-colorectal surgeons were further divided into acute care surgeons or surgeons with other specialties. Surgeons were also divided into three groups based on median yearly resection volumes. Postoperative complications and 30- or 90-day mortality rate after emergent colon cancer resections were compared in patients operated on by surgeons with different specializations and yearly resection volumes. RESULTS: Of 1121 patients resected for colon cancer, 235 (21.0 per cent) had emergent procedures. The complication rate of emergent resections was similar in patients operated on by colorectal surgeons and non-colorectal surgeons (54.1 versus 51.1 per cent respectively), and the subgroup of acute care surgeons (45.8 per cent), whereas resections performed by general surgeons were significantly associated with more frequent complications (odds ratio (OR) 2.5 (95 per cent c.i. 1.1 to 6.1)). The complication rate was numerically highest in patients operated on by surgeons with the highest resection volumes, which differed significantly from that of surgeons with intermediate resection volumes (OR 4.2 (95 per cent c.i. 1.1 to 16.0)). There was no difference in the mortality rate of patients operated on by surgeons with different specializations or yearly resection volumes. CONCLUSION: This study documented similar morbidity and mortality rates after emergent colon resection performed by colorectal and acute care surgeons, but patients operated on by general surgeons had more frequent complications.

The influence of age, duration of symptoms and duration of operation on outcome after appendicitis in children.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of any perioperative parameters on the outcome of treatment for appendicitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 108 consecutive children with appendicitis. Data were retrieved from files using the codes for appendectomy of the Nordic Classification of Surgical Procedures and the diagnosis codes for appendicitis from the International Classification of Dis-eases (ICD) 10. A non-satisfactory outcome was defined as a post-operative length of stay in hospital ≥ 5 days and/or readmission due to complications. RESULTS: Significantly more patients with a non-satisfactory outcome had complicated appendicitis (73%) compared with those with a satisfactory outcome (25%). A total of 78% of children < 6 years and 44% of children > 10 years had a non-satisfactory outcome. The duration of symptoms before operation was mean 2.8 days for children with a non-satisfactory outcome and 2.7 days for those with complicated appendicitis compared with 1.5 days for children with a satisfactory outcome and 1.6 days for those with simple appendicitis. The median difference was two days in the younger patients. Surgical time was significantly shorter in the group of patients with a satisfactory outcome and in those with simple appendicitis than in the other groups. CONCLUSION: Complicated appendicitis and a non-satisfactory outcome in children after operation are associated with a long preoperative duration of symptoms, young age and long surgical time. A cut-off age has not been established, but young children might benefit from direct referral and access to hospitalization in a regional or tertiary paediatric surgical centre. FUNDING: not relevant. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.