[Esophageal resections in Denmark 1997-2000]

We evaluated the changes in Denmark since the 1980s in the incidence, management and outcome of oesophageal resections.

The national patient hospital register and discharge information from the hospitals were examined for the number of oesophageal resections performed, the length of the postoperative stay, readmission, postoperative complications, and hospital mortality in the period 1/1-1997 to 30/6-2000.

Twenty-six departments in 18 hospitals performed 476 resections. Five hospitals accounted for 92% of all the resections performed. In three hospitals, the resections were carried out in three different departments and 18 departments performed fewer than four resections per year. The postoperative stay was 19.2 days. The frequency of surgical complications was 19% and hospital mortality was 10.7%.

The small number of oesophageal resections performed in many departments in Denmark is not in accordance with international recommendations, which say that the operation should be performed in high volume centres by experienced oesophageal surgeons, including thoracic surgeons, surgical gastroenterologists, and thoracic anaesthesiologists. On these results, it is recommended that the operation is performed in few centres and by few surgeons in multidisciplinary teams.