There are substantial state-to-state variations in the incidence of elective versus emergent bowel surgery, according to a study in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.
Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of 83,090 emergent and 119,960 elective colectomies nationwide to find the odds of each procedure by state, using the national average as the reference.
Results showed Nevada to have the highest unadjusted rate of emergent procedures (53.6 percent) and Texas the lowest (2.8 percent). Because emergent procedures were found to have a 7 percent mortality rate (compared to 1 percent for elective procedures), the large difference in emergent surgery rates between states was seen by researchers to present a learning opportunity.
"If one state or region can do a procedure more safely, more cost-effectively or with better outcomes, others can learn from and emulate it," said lead author Adil H. Haider, MD, in a news release.
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Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of 83,090 emergent and 119,960 elective colectomies nationwide to find the odds of each procedure by state, using the national average as the reference.
Results showed Nevada to have the highest unadjusted rate of emergent procedures (53.6 percent) and Texas the lowest (2.8 percent). Because emergent procedures were found to have a 7 percent mortality rate (compared to 1 percent for elective procedures), the large difference in emergent surgery rates between states was seen by researchers to present a learning opportunity.
"If one state or region can do a procedure more safely, more cost-effectively or with better outcomes, others can learn from and emulate it," said lead author Adil H. Haider, MD, in a news release.
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