Asa G Yancey: The first to describe a modification of the Swenson Technique for Hirschsprung disease.

Hirschsprung disease is a common disease treated by surgeons using different approaches. One approach is eponymously ascribed to Franco Soave and Scott Boley involving a pull-through of ganglionated colon through a distal portion of aganglionated rectum. However, more recent evidence has shown that this same technique was described twelve years before by Asa Yancey, a black surgeon.

Standardization of operative equipment reduces cost.

Background: We hypothesize that standardizing operative equipment, and reducing variability can safely achieve cost reduction.

Methods: We retrospectively measured supply costs, operative time, intra-operative complications, and length of stay in a cohort of 145 patients at a children's hospital who underwent a laparoscopic appendectomy. A standardized preference card for laparoscopic appendectomy was developed and implemented.