Surgeon's volume is not associated with complication outcome after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Complication rates after laparoscopic cholecystectomy vary but are still reported to be up to 17 %. Identifying risk factors for an adverse complication outcome could help to reduce morbidity after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Our aim was to analyze whether surgeon volume is a vital issue for complication outcome.

All complications-minor, major, local and general-were reviewed in a single institution between January 2004 and December 2008 and recorded in a database. Patient's variables, disease related variables and surgeon's variables were noted. The role of surgeon's individual volume per year was analyzed. A stepwise logistic regression model was used.

A total of 942 patients were analyzed, among which 70 (7 %) patients with acute cholecystitis and 52 (6 %) patients with delayed surgery for acute cholecystitis. Preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) had been performed in 142 (15 %) patients. Complication rates did not differ significantly for surgeon's individual volume (≤10 vs. >10 LC/year, 5.2 vs. 8.2 %, p = 0.203) nor for specialization (laparoscopic vs. non-laparoscopic; 9.2 vs. 6.4 %, p = 0.085) and experience (specialty registration ≤5 vs. >5 years; 5.1 vs. 8.7 %, p = 0.069). The only significant predictors for complications were acute surgery (OR 3.9, 95 % CI 1.8-8.7, p = 0.001) and a history preceding laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) (ERC and delayed surgery for cholecystitis) (OR 8.1, 95 % CI 4.5-14.6: p <0.001).

Complications after LC were not significantly associated with a surgeon's individual volume, but most prominently determined by the type of biliary disease.