Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a laparoscopic colorectal surgeon (LCRS) on the laparoscopic colectomy experience of a single academic center.
Methods: We performed a retrospective review of case complexity, patient characteristics, operative and preparation time, and trends over time for the LCRS compared to two veteran laparoscopic surgeons (VLS).
Results: The LCRS performed 48 of the procedures (83%) and the VLS 10 (17%) for a total of 58 laparoscopic colon cases. The LCRS handled a greater number of complex cases (p = 0.07). For less complex cases, overall operative time differed for the two groups (LCRS = 220 +/- 11 vs VLS = 152 +/- 15 min, p = 0.004). Overall hospital stay was 4.8 +/- 0.6 days (range, 2-33). Minor complications occurred in 12 cases (21%); major complications in occurred in seven cases (12%). Among procedures performed by the LCRS, comparison of the first 24 cases to the second 24 demonstrated that operative and preparation time decreased in the second cohort (all p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The addition of an LCRS had a significant impact on this center's experience with laparoscopic colectomies in terms of both volume and case complexity.