RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The practice of overlapping surgery impacts patients, providers, and policy-makers. While several studies have examined the relationship between overlapping surgery and clinical outcomes, a combined analysis of all available data has not been performed. We aimed to evaluate the impact of overlapping surgery on 30-day mortality, morbidity, and length of surgery. METHODS: A systematic literature review revealed all relevant studies examining outcomes of overlapping versus non-overlapping surgery as of March 2018. A pooled meta-analysis with stratification by study quality grade was performed, and heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 14 sets of analyses met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis revealed no significant differences in 30-day mortality (ORâ¯=â¯0.84; pâ¯=â¯0.277) or overall morbidity (ORâ¯=â¯0.96; pâ¯=â¯0.632) between patients who underwent overlapping versus non-overlapping surgery. The standardized mean difference for length of surgery between the groups indicated a small statistically significant increase in length of surgery for the overlapping surgery group (SMDâ¯=â¯0.079, pâ¯<â¯0.05). CONCLUSION: While further study is warranted, current literature suggests that overlapping surgery is not associated with increased risk of mortality or morbidity.