Surgeon Volume and Cancer Esophagectomy, Gastrectomy, and Pancreatectomy: A Population-based Study in England : Annals of Surgery

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Surgeon Volume and Cancer Esophagectomy, Gastrectomy, and Pancreatectomy

A Population-based Study in England

Mamidanna, Ravikrishna MRCS; Ni, Zhifang MSc, PhD; Anderson, Oliver BSc, MSc, MRCS; Spiegelhalter, Sir David PhD; Bottle, Alex PhD; Aylin, Paul; Faiz, Omar MS, FRCS; Hanna, George B. PhD, FRCS

Author Information

*Department of Surgery and Cancer, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Wing, St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College London, London, UK

†Statistical Laboratory, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK

‡Dr Foster Unit at Imperial College, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK

§Surgical Epidemiology, Trials and Outcome Centre (SETOC), St Mark's Hospital and Academic Institute, Harrow, Middlesex, UK.

Reprints: George B. Hanna, 10th Floor QEQM Wing, St Mary's Hospital, London W2 1NY, UK. E-mail: [email protected].

Sources of support: This article represents independent research supported by the National Institute for Health Research Diagnostic Evidence Cooperatives (NIHR-DEC). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, or the Department of Health.

We have permission from the Confidentiality Advisory Group under Section 251 of the NHS Act 2006 (formerly Section 60 approval from the Patient Information Advisory Group) to hold confidential data and analyze them for research purposes [PIAG 2-05(d)/2007]. We have approval to use them for research and measuring quality of delivery of healthcare, from the South East Ethics Research Committee (10/H1102/25).

Annals of Surgery 263(4):p 727-732, April 2016. | DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001490

Abstract

Objective: 

The aim of the study was to assess whether there is a proficiency curve-like relationship between surgeon volume and operative mortality and determine the minimum surgeon volume for optimum operative mortality.

Background: 

The inverse relationship between hospital volume and operative mortality is well-established for esophageal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer. The recommended minimum surgeon volumes are however uncertain.

Methods: 

We retrieved data on esophagectomies, gastrectomies, and pancreatectomies for cancer from the NHS Hospital Episodes Statistics database from April 2000 to March 2010. We defined mortality as in-hospital death within 30 days of surgery. We determined whether there was a proficiency curve relationship by inspecting surgeon volume-mortality graphs after adjusting for patient age, sex, socioeconomic, and comorbidity indices. We then statistically determined the minimum surgeon volume that produced a mortality rate insignificantly different from the optimum of the curve.

Results: 

Sixteen thousand five hundred seventy-two esophagectomies, 12,622 gastrectomies, and 9116 pancreatectomies were examined. Surgeon volume ranged from 2 to 29 esophagectomies, from 1 to 14 gastrectomies, and from 2 to 31 pancreatectomies per surgeon per year. We demonstrated a proficiency relationship between surgeon volume and mortality in esophageal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer surgery. Each additional case of esophagectomy, gastrectomy, and pancreatectomy would reduce 30-day mortality odds by 3.4%, 7.2%, and 4.1%, respectively. However, as surgeon volume increased, mortality rate continued to improve. Therefore, we were unable to recommend minimum surgeon volume.

Conclusions: 

Mortality after resections for esophageal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer falls as surgeon volume rises up to 30 cases. Within this range, we did not demonstrate any statistical threshold that could be recommended as a minimum volume target.

Copyright © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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