Does travel distance influence length of stay in elective colorectal surgery?

Background: Length of stay following elective colorectal surgery is being reported as a quality measure in surgical outcome registries, such as the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Regional referral centers with large geographic catchment areas attract patients from significant distances.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of patient distance traveled, from primary residence to a tertiary care hospital, on length of stay in elective colorectal surgery patients.

Treatment of pancreatic and periampullary cancers at a community hospital: successful application of tertiary care treatment standards.

Background. The treatment of pancreatic cancer and other periampullary neoplasms is complex and challenging. Major high-volume cancer centers can provide excellent multidisciplinary care of these patients but almost two-thirds of pancreatic cancer patients are treated at low volume centers.

Post-operative antibiotic use in nonperforated appendicitis.

Background: The appropriate use of preoperative antibiotics in patients undergoing appendectomy for acute appendicitis has been shown to decrease the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs). The benefits of postoperative courses of antibiotics in these patients, however, remain unclear.

Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed all cases of nonperforated appendicitis performed at their institution over a 10-year period from 1997 to 2007.

Establishing a rural surgery training program: a large community hospital, expert subspecialty faculty, specific goals and objectives in each subspecialty, and an academic environment lay a foundation.

Purpose: Although there is great interest in providing training for surgical residents who are interested in practicing in a rural environment, guidelines for creating a curriculum are nonexistent.

Methods: A 1-year clinical fellowship designed for PGY4s with an interest in practicing in a rural or subspecialty-sparse environment was designed. Elements of this fellowship include blocks of time on subspecialty services as well as general surgery.