Wiser with Age? Increased Per-Surgeon Elderly Patient Volume Is Associated with Lower Postinjury Complications

Am Surg. 2018 Jun 1;84(6):1027-1032.

Abstract

We hypothesize that higher elderly patient volume per trauma surgeon is associated with fewer clinical complications. This is a retrospective cohort study which included elderly patients admitted to trauma surgery service within a five-year period, from 2009 to 2013, at two Level I trauma centers in Florida. Trauma surgeons were stratified into three groups depending on patient volume. Primary outcomes were postinjury complications and in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit LOS, and ventilator days. A total of 2379 elderly patients were included in this study. Elderly patient volume per surgeon did not significantly differ based on years in practice after fellowship (P = 0.88). The higher volume group had lower incidence of complications (15% complication rate, P = 0.02), compared with the average and low-volume group (18.1 and 21%, respectively), and had significantly lower rates of acute respiratory failure (P = 0.04) and acute renal failure (P = 0.004). In-hospital mortality was not affected by volume. Hospital LOS was decreased in the higher volume group (mean LOS 7.4 days, P < 0.001). There appears to be a relationship between elderly patient volume and outcome, independent of surgeon years of experience.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Critical Care
  • Female
  • Florida
  • Hospital Mortality
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Length of Stay
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Postoperative Complications / epidemiology*
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians' / statistics & numerical data
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Wounds and Injuries / complications*
  • Wounds and Injuries / mortality
  • Wounds and Injuries / surgery*