Objectives: To define the independent impact of surgeon volume on outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) in a single high-volume institution.
Summary Background Data: The impact of surgeon volume on PD outcome is still controversial. So far, data available are from retrospective multi-institutional reviews, considering in-hospital mortality as the only outcome variable.
Methods: Prospectively collected data on 610 patients who underwent PD from August 2001 to August 2009 were analyzed. Cut-off value to categorize high and low-volume surgeons (HVS and LVS, respectively) was 18 PD/year. Primary endpoint was operative mortality (death within 30-day post-discharge). Secondary endpoints were morbidity, pancreatic fistula (PF) and length of stay. Demographic, clinical, and surgical variables were recorded.
