Evidence based surgery--do we practice what we preach?

Good surgical practice assumes knowledge of the current literature. However, we suspect that published clinical recommendations are not always followed by the department producing the research. We sought to assess whether clinical recommendations made by surgical units are followed within their own department. We carried out a prospective study of the British Journal of Surgery and contacted individual departments to assess whether recommendations made by the senior author were being followed.

Journal articles between January 2005 and December 2006 were reviewed with respect to any recommendations made from research findings. Individual departments were contacted by telephone and an appropriate individual was asked whether the recommendations were being followed by the lead author.

Sixty-six units were successfully contacted and 49 (74%) followed their own recommendations, leaving 17 (26%) who did not.

Most surgical units who publish recommendations in the British Journal of Surgery implement changes within department. However, there is significant proportion who don't practice what they preach.