Protocol for a national, multicentre study of post-endoscopy colorectal and upper gastrointestinal cancers: The POET study.

Aim: The primary aim of the study is to define the post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer (PCCRC) three-year rate and the post-endoscopy upper gastrointestinal cancer (PEUGIC) three-year rate across public hospitals in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Method: This retrospective cohort study will be conducted via the trainee-led STRATA Collaborative network. All public hospitals in Aotearoa New Zealand will be eligible to participate.

Group A Streptococcus Primary Peritonitis in Children, New Zealand.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) primary peritonitis is a rare cause of pediatric acute abdomen (sudden onset of severe abdominal pain); only 26 pediatric cases have been reported in the English language literature since 1980. We discuss 20 additional cases of pediatric primary peritonitis caused by GAS among patients at Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand, during 2010-2022. We compare identified cases of GAS primary peritonitis to cases described in the existing pediatric literature.

The impact of delay and prehospital factors on acute appendicitis severity in New Zealand children: a national prospective cohort study.

Background: Appendicitis is the most common reason children undergo acute general surgery but international, population-level disparities exist. This is hypothesised to be caused by preoperative delay and differential access to surgical care. The impact of prehospital factors on paediatric appendicitis severity in New Zealand is unknown.

Barriers and solutions to trainee-led research collaboratives in New Zealand.

This article seeks to describe our experience enabling large-scale collaborative studies within trainee-led surgical research networks, to highlight systemic barriers to the use of this methodology and to propose solutions that will facilitate trainee-led collaborative research in New Zealand.

Prehospital barriers for rural New Zealand parents in paediatric appendicitis: a qualitative analysis.

Background: Appendicitis is the most common reason children undergo emergency general surgery. Worse appendicitis outcomes have been demonstrated in rural, lower socioeconomic, and indigenous populations. These findings are hypothesised to be a result of differential access and delay in presentation to hospital.

Effect of rurality and ethnicity in severity and outcomes in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated a high incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP) in New Zealand, with Maori having the highest reported incidence worldwide. It is possible that barriers to healthcare exist for rural and Maori patients, leading to poorer outcomes. The aim of this study is to compare differences in severity and outcomes in patients with AP with regards to rurality and ethnicity.

Paediatric appendicitis: increased disease severity and complication rates in rural children.

Background: Appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency affecting children. Rurality has been shown to be a predictor of worse surgical outcomes in patients with acute appendicitis compared to urban residents. There are no previously published studies investigating this in Australasia.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: predictors of positive and close margins and outcomes of re-excision in Northland, New Zealand.

Background: Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most commonly diagnosed and costly cancer in Australasia. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) accounts for approximately 25% of NMSC. A better understanding of predictors of close and positive margins following surgical excision will help guide treatment.

Incidence, demographics and surgical outcomes of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed in Northland, New Zealand.

Aim: Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most commonly diagnosed and most costly cancer in Australasia. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) accounts for approximately 25% of NMSC. Despite this, reporting of cSCC is not mandatory in Australasia.