Index spots esophagectomy candidates at high risk for death
AT THE STS ANNUAL MEETING
Dr. Mark Krasna, a thoracic surgeon with Meridian Surgical Associates in Neptune, N.J., expressed reservations about using the NSQIP database to assess the outcomes of thoracic surgery.
"How many thoracic surgeons participate in the NSQIP data?" he asked. In the STS database, "I think we have a robust series of esophagectomists who are thoracic surgeons, and we know what those data are. But, for example, data that were presented from NSQIP [at another conference] were primarily from nonthoracic esophageal surgeons [and were associated] with a much higher mortality and morbidity. Personally, I’m not a NSQIP participant, and I don’t know if many people in this room are. Do you know how many of these were thoracic surgeons?"
"I know the majority of NSQIP esophagectomies are done by general surgeons. I don’t know the exact number," Dr. Hodari replied.
Dr. Krasna asked the audience to raise their hands if they participated in NSQIP, and only about half did so. "I would just say perhaps it’s worthwhile to reassess this [index] based on the STS database because I think you may actually find some change" in the results, he commented.
Dr. Hodari disclosed no relevant conflicts of interest.
