The association of hospital volume with rectal cancer surgery outcomes.

Purpose: An association between hospital volume and postoperative mortality has been identified for several oncologic surgical procedures. Our objective was to analyze differences in surgical outcomes for patients with rectal cancer according to hospital volume in the state of California.

Methods: A cross-sectional study from 2000 to 2005 was performed using the state of California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development database.

Laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy in patients with obstruction of the gastric outlet secondary to advanced malignancies.

Surgical palliation is an important therapeutic goal in patients with gastric outlet obstruction from cancer. The use of laparoscopic approaches for this condition has not been well studied. Our objective is to compare surgical outcomes of laparoscopic and open gastrojejunostomies in patients with gastric outlet obstruction secondary to advanced malignancies.